Vital Farms B.V. & Vital Seeds, Inc.
Advancing Soilless Seed Potato Production Through Closed Irrigation Systems
High-Pressure Aeroponics | Standard-Pressure Aeroponics | Drip Irrigation
Redefining the Future of Seed Potato Propagation
Vital Farms B.V. and its sister company, Vital Seeds, Inc., are pioneering a new standard in the production of high-quality, clean, and affordable seed potatoes.
By combining Vital Farms' internationally patented and commercially proven technologies and proprietary operating procedures and cultivation expertise, the two companies have developed a disruptive, integrated solution known as PoG™ (Potatoes out of Ground).
At the heart of this innovation is the ability to transform a single tissue-culture plantlet into more than 3,000 clean mini-tubers, compared with the typical yield of just 2–5 mini-tubers under conventional propagation practices.
This breakthrough represents a fundamental advancement in potato seed propagation, enabling unprecedented multiplication rates, improved seed quality, and greater flexibility in meeting the evolving needs of the global potato industry.
Transformative Advantages of PoG
1. Unprecedented Multiplication Capacity and Cost Efficiency
By producing substantial quantities of clean mini-tubers, typically exceeding 20 mm in diameter, at commercially competitive costs, PoG™ enables variety owners and seed producers to scale seed production in line with market demand. This exceptional multiplication capacity allows variety owners and seed producers to make earlier-generation seed available to commercial growers at price points traditionally associated with much later field generations. In particular, it creates the opportunity to offer second-field-generation seed at prices historically associated with seventh-generation seed.
2. Localized Seed Production and Enhanced Biosecurity
PoG™ empowers markets that have traditionally depended on imported seed potatoes to establish reliable, local production capabilities. By bringing seed production closer to the end market, PoG™ can reduce dependence on international seed imports, shorten supply chains, and mitigate the risk of inadvertently introducing and spreading seed-borne diseases across geographical regions.
3. Year-Round Production and Greater Operational Flexibility
The versatility of Vital Farms' technology platforms allows PoG™ production facilities to operate throughout the year, independently of conventional seasonal production constraints. This flexibility provides greater control over planting schedules, production cycles, and seed availability while enabling producers to better manage the physiological age of seed potatoes and align production with specific market requirements.
A New Paradigm in Potato Seed Production
Through the integration of patented technology, advanced cultivation systems, and proven operating procedures, Vital Farms and Vital Seeds are redefining how seed potatoes are propagated, produced, and delivered to the global market.
PoG™ is more than an alternative cultivation method. It is a new approach to making high-quality seed potatoes more accessible, scalable, and economically viable worldwide.
Background Facts:
The cultivation of potato seed is, to a certain degree, globally consistent. The word seed refers to potato tubers that qualify for the further production of seed or the production of ware potatoes. The potato seed production is a process of multiplication (also referred to as propagation), and it is a repetitive, cyclical activity that spans a number of years. In North America this propagation process is limited to seven field generations (i.e., seven years). Each generation represents a specific designation for a level of quality; the highest quality being with the least number of field generations.
In the European Union, the conventional propagation process could span eight to nine years. In the EU, there are five class level designations. These are “S”, “SE”, “E”, “A”, and “B”. Each class represents a level of quality. Each class has a defined tolerance level for the presence of certain nonbacterial diseases. The tolerance levels increase slightly with each class produced. Therefore, the class designation describes a precise seed quality based upon parentage and the amount of disease detected in the crop.
Generally, whether seed tubers are produced in Europe or North America, seed production is heavily regulated to prevent the potential spread of diseases. Certified-Seed has to be approved and certified by the designated authority before they are made available for sale to other seed or ware potato growers. Seed Tubers that do not pass the certification process, which is based on specific standard requirements pertaining to the level of viral and bacterial contaminants, are rejected and downgraded to ware potatoes.
Typical Propagation Cycle Vs. PoG™
As illustrated in this table, by making it possible for potato seed growers to produce FY2 at the cost of FY9 (therefore, making it possible for ware potato growers to acquire FY2 seed at the price of FY9), PoG™ redefined the propagation cycle of potato seed in a way that adds significant value to the growers, the environment, and the consumers.
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Our internationally patented "Potato Incubator" with its three compartmental design and proven growing protocol are enabling us to achieve our vision!
Potato out of Ground (PoG) is total solution aimed at taking the production of seed potatoes out of soil.