Search for Defender Potatoes

If you eat commercially available french fries or plan to plant potatoes, look for Defenders.

The US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Center found that Defender potatoes are the only ones with a natural defense against Phytophthora infestans that causes late blight.

This means the potatoes can be grown by organic farmers - good news for growers and consumers since less spray late in the season means healthier food.

The USDA says Defender plants produce high yields of long, white-skin potatoes with proportions of starch and sugar that make them well-suited for processing and they also hold up well as fresh produce.

The seedlings should be available since this research was released a couple of years ago. If you have seeen them in a catalog or store, please let us know the sources.