Reducing potato injury during loading for shipment

Breakdown of potato tubers during transit may be decreased by better handling practices before shipment. A full-length car liner of protective material, with a conveyor system transporting the sacks into the boxcars, would eliminate most of the injury during loading. When the hand truck is used, injuries to tubers can be minimized by padding, but the entire area around the lip must be treated or no benefit is gained. Individual paper pads also provide protection when the sacks are hand trucked. Increasing the area of exposure does not reduce the amount of injury.