GM Potato Market Status Investigation (2025)
October 1, 2025
In the October 2025 report Gene-Edited Fruits and Vegetables: The Threat of New GMOs in Canada, CBAN makes the conclusion that Simplot’s GM potatoes are not on the market or grown commercially in Canada but that a small amount is grown in Canada by Simplot for research purposes. The following describes some of the information behind this conclusion and factors taken into consideration.
Summary
Simplot has not responded to CBAN’s requests for information in 2024/2025 but was responsive in 2019/2020 with information confirmed by other sources that 20-40 hectares of GM potatoes were being grown in Canada for research purposes, with no commercial launch in Canada (product harvested from research trials was sent to the US). A 2025 media scan finds no promotion or reporting of cultivation of the Innate GM potatoes after 2020. Potato growers across the country that CBAN has spoken with in 2025, and the United Potato Growers, have no information about GM potato cultivation. The biotechnology and pesticide lobby group CropLife Canada, which communicates to the public that GM potatoes are in cultivation along with an inference that they are on the market, but responded to CBAN’s inquiry with no information to verify their statement. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association does not provide information to the public on the market status of genetically engineered produce.
Details & Sources
A 2024 paper authored by four Simplot employees references regulatory delays that “limit commercial release” of the GM potato globally, though also mentions “millions of servings have been eaten.” Koch M, Pence MG, DeMond J, Rudgers G. Improving regulatory efficiency for biotechnology products. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024 Jan 18;12:1354743. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1354743. PMID: 38303910; PMCID: PMC10830748.
In October 2020, Simplot informed CBAN that “Currently, our Innate potatoes in Canada are used for research purposes only and are not in the food supply.” In early 2018, Simplot had told CBAN, “We are planting some Innate acreage in Canada this year for research purposes. We don’t have any current plans to sell in supermarkets,” and, after ISAAA reported 20 hectares of GM potatoes were grown in 2017 in Canada, Simplot also clarified to CBAN that, “the acreage in Canada represents research. We are not selling Innate potatoes in Canada yet for commercial purposes.”
In May 2020, an article co-authored by the director of research and development for Simplot Plant Sciences struck a cautious tone. The article did not discuss /refer to the cultivation of GM potatoes but instead discussed “slow acceptance” in the market and looked towards the future of gene editing. The article referred to a “third generation of Simplot potatoes” with an “estimated availability in 2025.” The article stated that the US market acceptance “is changing only slowly,” and, “Domestic and international regulations currently discourage the production of biotech foods, which further hinder progress in this area. For this reason, other means to deliver compelling traits are being pursued…You can expect to find potato varieties improved by the action of gene editing tools to enter the marketplace in the near future.” Dennis Halterman, Craig Richael and David Douches. 2020. Biotech potatoes can bring improved performance, quality to global markets. May/June. https://growersforbiotechnology.org/2024/05/31/biotech-potatoes-can-bring-improved-performance-quality-to-global-markets/
In 2020, the last year that ISAAA published a report on global GM acreage, ISAAA reported 40 hectares of GM potatoes grown in Canada in 2019 and 2265 hectares of GM potatoes globally (in Canada and the US). International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). 2020. Brief 55: Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2019, Executive Summary.
In 2019, Simplot was quoted as saying “We want to make sure that the market comes to us,” says Cole. “We are patiently persistent. We will wait until the marketplace is ready.” “We’re starting with trying to get the customers first and then we will follow suit in selling seed to Canadian growers.” Mark Halsall. 2019. Innate Outlook. April 24. https://spudsmart.com/innate-outlook/
In 2019, potato agriculture news was reporting: “Innate has been grown in field trials in P.E.I., Ontario and Manitoba and the trials are expected to continue in 2019. But aside from a few acres in Ontario that’s producing an Innate chip variety for an American processor, there isn’t any commercial production of Innate potatoes in this country. You won’t find Innate in any Canadian stores either.” Mark Halsall. 2019. Innate Outlook. April 24. https://spudsmart.com/innate-outlook/
Simplot is one of the top four global frozen potato product companies, and is increasing its market size and potato processing in Canada. Simplot also has its own Plant Sciences division to continue research in biotechnology and has a public statement of its position on genetic engineering (bioengineering). However, Simplot’s main competitors in Canada, McCain Foods and Cavendish Farms, maintain policies to only use non-GMO potatoes.
