diseAse identiFiCAtiOn Jeff Miller jeff@millerresearch.com
MArKet rePOrt Ben eborn napmn@napmn.com
POtAtO GrOwers OF wAshinGtOn dale Lathim
editOriAL inFOrMAtiOn
Potato Country is interested in newsworthy material related to potato production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com.
AdvertisinG sALes
For information about advertising rates, mechanics, deadlines, etc., call (208) 520-6461 or email dave@PotatoCountry.com.
sUBsCriPtiOns
U.S. $24 per year / Canada $40 per year / Foreign $80 per year Subscriptions can be entered online at: potatocountry.com/subscribe or call (503) 724-3581.
Email address changes/corrections to: brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or send to Potato Country, PO Box 333, Roberts, ID 83444. Potato Country magazine (ISSN 0886-4780), is published eight times per year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices. It is produced by: Columbia Media Group, PO Box 333, Roberts, ID 83444 Copyright 2026. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Media Group.
A Force in the Field
technology on the
Story and photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher
Potato Expo 2026 wrapped on Jan. 8 in Grapevine, Texas. As always, the event was packed full with attendees, trade show booths, speakers and networking events. This was the third largest Expo ever, which, given a down economy, confirms its place as a “can’tmiss” event.
We caught a session on what technology is currently being used by potato growers, how they use it and the challenges they face putting it in place.
While it’s fun to get shiny new toys, all three panelists at the session said it’s important to make sure what you are investing in will pay off and make your farm more efficient. New stuff doesn’t always deliver as promised, startup companies aren’t always stable and may even be short lived, and by its nature, new technology is bound to be obsolete at some point.
tech in Use today
Three potato growers from across the U.S. took to the Expo stage to discuss technology on their farms.
Taylor Grant with Grant 4-D Farms in Rupert, Idaho, uses moisture sensors on his fully irrigated operation. Rather than going by the feel of plants, which can vary from person to person, Grant now makes science-based irrigation decisions.
Grant is also a big proponent of lowcost AI chat subscriptions like ChatGPT and Copilot. He uses them daily for tasks like invoicing, writing job descriptions and Spanish translation and encourages his staff to subscribe and start doing the same.
Travis Meacham with Friehe Farms in Moses Lake, Washington, declined to mention one specific technology, but instead said the decision making process on the farm has changed. Before farm owners buy the shiniest new thing, they want to know what backend results they can expect and how the new tech will integrate into what they are doing today.
Matt Porter with Porter Farms said that his farm in Washburn, Maine, has some unique challenges because of smaller, irregular-shaped fields combined with rich, rocky soil.
Harvester air separation technology has been a game changer and made his operation more efficient, while allowing him to maintain end quality.
data – what’s the Point?
All growers on the panel agreed on one thing: data and information is critical to technology and improving processes. However, they also agree that data overload has created a “paralysis by analysis” issue. The problem is they haven’t found a way to take masses of information and make that into actionable steps.
“We can gather tons of information on the farm today, but if you’re not using it, what’s the point? It becomes
a distraction rather than a useful tool,” Grant said.
Matt Porter said he has cabinets full of information that he doesn’t know how to process.
“What we’re hoping to learn over the next few years is how we can get that into a useful form that we can maybe use AI to help pull information back out so we can make better decisions on continuing to invest in this technology,” he said.
Meacham also collects data but doesn’t know if there is a true silver bullet that covers all the data he wants to bring in. He struggles with whether it’s worth the time and effort spent collecting if you’re not going to do anything with it.
“There are times we’re collecting data with no plan today for it. But we’re hoping that after years of this, that we’ve got a history and that there’s some way
Panel moderator Mike Wenkel with the National Potato Council interviews Travis Meacham with Friehe
Farm
we can evaluate it and get some value out of it down the road,” he said.
But the reality of new technology on the farm is data collection and analysis is needed to see if it really works, regardless of the time and effort it takes.
integration of new tech
It’s not always easy to get employees to adapt new technology into their work. Meacham has found that operators who have been driving equipment for 20 or 30 years want to be covering acres instead of pressing buttons on tractors or making sure scales are wired correctly. He said it’s important to show employees the upside of new technology.
“If we show them the backside of what can happen, the upside of what’s going on, I think that’s really important. And if we get buy-in from our employees on this – even if it’s a hassle or it’s not their traditional deal – if they know that
there is upside, that there is value on the backside, they’re way more likely to do it,” Meacham said.
Grant agreed, “It’s our job as managers to explain why we are doing this, why we are trying to move things forward. Folks ask, ‘why do you keep trying to change things? You keep bringing up this new thing, this new tech, whatever it might be.’ It’s because we have to continue to improve.”
He also said it’s pointless to try to get employees to buy in on new tech if you’re not confident that it’s going to show value pretty quickly. If you can show and prove that value is added to the working crews right away, buy-in from them also comes rapidly.
Porter has tried new tech that didn’t work as well as he thought it would. He said it’s the employees that are using the equipment that understand its challenges. He listens to them on
Bayer promotes Luna Tranquility and FieldView in Texas.
Farms, Taylor Grant with Grant 4-D Farms and Matt Porter with Porter Farms on the Expo stage.
From left, fashionistas Sheila Paskett with Agri-Stor, Nichole Drake with Vive and Melissa Bedlington with Bedlington Farms display their Texas-inspired fits.
Syngenta rep Allan Landon introduces new Zivalgo insecticide.
Volm displays the new Flikweert Vision Quality Grader at Potato Expo.
Nevada Smith with ProFarm Group introduces new Arino insecticide/nematicide.
Expo cooking competitions are always entertaining.
whether he needs to walk away from something, as much as he wanted it to work.
down the road
There’s no doubt that AI, robotics, autonomous tractors and drones will be part of farms in the not-too-distant future. Some of these will provide ROI
and others will fail to deliver and be abandoned for the next newest thing. New technology may make the difference between staying in business or going belly-up. Five to 10 years from now, technology will make farming radically different than it is today. The labor market will only get tougher to negotiate, and inputs and equipment will only get
more expensive. But the growers that negotiate these changes and challenges with smart tech investments, while keeping a sharp focus on the bottom line, have the best chance of success.
Editor’s note: Some comments have been edited for brevity and clarity, but the essence has been maintained.
The live Potato LEAF auction, featuring cowboy hats and a DJ, raises more than $200,000.
RJ Harvey with Potatoes USA (left) discusses foodservice innovation with panelists from Chili’s, Pizza Hut, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop and Ojos Locos.
One OF the Best thinGs
ABOUt exPO is catching up with old friends and colleagues and meeting new ones. We had a chance to meet a lot of new people and took the chance to ask how they think 2026 will go.
Matthew Fielding
Agrimech, Cambridge, U.K.
Weighers, baggers, palletizers
“People are very interested, but with the potato price how it is for this season, it’s not been great. I think things are just going to take a little bit longer to get over the line. The money’s just not there for everyone to just sign on the dot straight away and we’ll have this tomorrow. Everyone seems to have a lot more conservative approach.”
dirk drost
Spruce Lane Potatoes Inc., Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
Potato seed grower
“We are looking positive (for 2026). The seed that we are growing, it seems like we will be getting the same contracts back as the previous years. We’re happy about that.”
sue Kimm
Kimm Brothers Farming, Manhattan, Mont.
Potato seed grower
“We had an abundant yield in 2025. We downed our acres a little bit just because there seems to be an overabundance of seed. We have a lot to sell. I don’t even dare guess about 2026. We hear processors are trying other varieties, and they don’t necessarily want the ones we have.”
david huestis
Allan Equipment, York, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Potato harvesters, windrowers
“There is not a lot of optimism in the market right now. Too many potatoes in the pipeline is what it boils down to. As far as how it impacts our company, the products we’re selling typically aren’t something that you buy for a year. People are making long-term decisions and these products are going to be there. So for some farms, it’s not going to impact them at all. They have their decisions made and they move on.”
Jeff suchon
Bushman Riverside Ranch, Crivitz, Wis.
Potato seed grower
“Selling seed for this spring is down. We lowered our prices to help the growers out a little bit. Fresh market prices are down and the growers are making less.”
Arjan woordman
Woordman Farms Ltd., Taber, Alberta, Canada
Process potato grower
“We grow for McCain, Lamb Weston and Cavendish Farms. Contract negotiations have started for 2026. We’re hoping to see some tonnage come back. All things considered, with tariffs and world trade, we were content with 2025. Our contract volume was down because processors didn’t know what to expect. Tariffs on equipment and a lot of our inputs have put some equipment on the back burner.”
Potato expo
2026 snapshot
Exhibitors: 196
Attendees: More than 2,100 Countries: More than 30 represented Funds raised at the Potato LEAF auction: More than $200,000
Potato expo 2027
Jan. 5-7, 2027
Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center Aurora, Colo.
Wietske Kirkhoven-Woordman and Arjan Woordman attend Potato Expo for the first time. They were impressed and surprised how large the show is.
Matthew Fielding displays at Expo. Agrimech specializes in end-of-the-line solutions.
Costs of Compliance, impacts of Overtime
By Tim Delbridge, Oregon State University
There are many state and federal regulations that agricultural producers must navigate to get a crop from the field to the market. Worker safety laws, pesticide application and recordkeeping rules, and environmental regulations all contribute to a complex regulatory environment for farms across the country. However, it is often the case that neither policymakers nor farmers have a clear understanding of how much it actually costs farms to comply with the regulations they face.
Over the past year, researchers at Oregon State University have published studies on the cost of regulatory
compliance in the Oregon tree fruit industry and the impact of agricultural overtime laws on Oregon dairy, nursery and cherry producers. Here, we share with you the findings of these studies, as well as what lessons vegetable growers can learn from the results.
regulatory Compliance Costs
Following similar studies focused on the lettuce industry in California’s Salinas Valley, we conducted a series of detailed interviews with cherry and pear producers in Oregon to identify their annual per-acre regulatory compliance costs. We included both cash expenses
(for example, payroll costs associated with mandatory worker safety training) and non-cash costs such as the owner’s time spent on paperwork and other compliance steps.
Total regulatory costs ranged from roughly $250 per acre for a 2,500-acre cherry operation to $700 per acre for a 50-acre pear grower. Labor-related regulations were the most costly set of policies, and include safety training, health-related requirements and H-2A rules. Pear growers tended to have higher per-acre costs, in part because of their greater reliance on the H-2A program. Larger farms tended to observe
some economies of scale because they employed office staff that were focused on regulatory compliance, saving the time of other managers.
Agricultural Overtime
The phase-in of agricultural overtime in Oregon has been a topic of concern for many farms in the state. Starting on Jan. 1, 2023, farmworkers were entitled to 1.5x pay on hours above 55 in a week. This threshold dropped to 48 hours per week on Jan. 1, 2025, and will drop to 40 hours per week in 2027. This follows similar laws in California and Washington, which are now both fully phased in.
Our study used actual payroll data from 10 Oregon farms to estimate the increase in payroll costs that farms would face under each overtime threshold level. Data included the wage rate and number of hours worked by each employee in each week from 2022 to the end of 2024. These farms included dairy, nursery and tree-fruit producers. Results showed that if farmers didn’t reduce the hours that their employees worked, payroll costs
Average annual regulatory compliance costs per acre for two pear and two cherry producers in Oregon
Average annual regulatory compliance costs per acre for two pear and two cherry producers in Oregon
under the 40-hour threshold would go up by 4% on nursery operations, 12% on dairies and 6% on the cherry farms included in the study. Given the small profit margins on most farms, an increase in payroll costs of this magnitude could have a much larger impact on net income.
We also explored the impact of the new overtime policy on individual workers. We found that some workers earned less in 2023 after the 55-hour overtime threshold was adopted than they earned in 2022 without the overtime law in place. In particular, one dairy farm had five full-time employees that averaged more than 55 hours of work in 2022. These workers all saw decreases in total income in 2023 because they worked fewer total hours.
Some workers are likely to be better off with overtime pay, but many workers are likely to see hours and total wages fall, which matches research on ag overtime from other states and anecdotal evidence from farm owners and hourly workers in the Pacific Northwest.
relevance for vegetable Producers
These studies focus on the experience of tree fruit, nursery and dairy producers in Oregon. Their production systems and labor needs are obviously different than those of vegetable crop producers in other areas, but there are still some lessons to take away from these results. First, we’ve found that many growers are surprised by their own overtime costs and the amount of time and money spent
on regulatory compliance once they are tallied up. In some cases, the growers have identified costly compliance steps that could be made more efficient without violating regulations. It is important for all producers to understand these components of their cost of production so that they may respond to policy changes as effectively as possible. Another important theme that emerges from both regulatory compliance and ag overtime studies is that larger farms may have an advantage in navigating these headwinds. Either because of their greater operational flexibility or because many compliance steps take no more time for 1,000 acres than they do for 500, large farms may face smaller increases in production costs on a per-acre basis. If so, the additional pressure on smaller farms will contribute to the other consolidating forces that have reshaped the agricultural landscape over the past 80 years.
Author’s note: Please reach out to tim. delbridge@oregonstate.edu with questions or for links to the full publications.
Seed
RUSSET VARIETIES:
Russet Norkotah S3
Russet Norkotah S8
Rocky Mountain Russet
Silverton Russet
Rio Grande Russet
Canela Russet
Mesa Russet
Mercury Russet
Fortress Russet
Crimson King
COLORED VARIETIES:
Columbine Gold
Colorado Rose
Rio Colorado
Red Luna
Purple Majesty
Masquerade
Mountain Rose
Vista Gold
Zapata Seed Company
Worley Family Farms
SLV Research Center
San Acacio Seed
Salazar Farms
Rockey Farms, LLC
Pro Seed
Price Farms Certified Seed, LLC
Palmgren Farms, LLC
Martinez Farms
La Rue Farms
H&H Farms
G&G Farms
Bothell Seed
Allied Potato
diseAse identiFiCAtiOn QUiz
Dr. Jeff Miller, a plant pathologist, is the president and CEO of Miller Research, Rupert, Idaho. He can be contacted by phone: (208) 531-5124; cell: (208) 431-4420; jeff@millerresearch.com
Photos A and B show tubers that look rough. The skin is peeling off and it looks like the tubers are rotting, but just on the outside. The internal tuber tissue appears fine. Photo C shows what appears to be a healthy tuber on top and an affected tuber on the bottom. When these tubers are exposed to ultraviolet light, the tissue that appears to be rotting fluoresces a bright blue color.
What is wrong with these ugly potatoes?
For bonus points, can you give the old name and the new name of this problem?
Photos C and D courtesy of Dr. Jonathan Whitworth, USDA-ARS, Aberdeen, Idaho
inseCt
BiOLOGy QUiz
This material is provided courtesy of Josephine Antwi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Irrigated Crop Entomology at the Oregon State University Hermiston Agricultural Research & Extension Center. She can be reached at josephine.antwi@oregonstate.edu.
This quiz deals with late-season tuber damage. Late in the growing season when tubers have bulked and some tubers push up to the soil surface, they become vulnerable to damage.
Let’s say you had a bad year with pests for multiple reasons including miscues in timing for pesticide applications. You notice gnawing damage on exposed tubers, as seen in Photo 1. Sometimes this kind of damage can be severe, as seen in Photo 2.
Can you guess which pest caused the damage in Photo 1? How about Photo 2? Answers Page 23
Photo courtesy Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM
investigating idaho Potato Pathogen
By John O’Connell, University of Idaho
University of Idaho Extension soil sample testing reveals that threequarters of Idaho potato fields are now infected with some level of the pathogen Spongospora, which can cause the fungal disease powdery scab. Spongospora is also a host that transmits the potato mop-top virus (PMTV), though not all of the infested soils in Idaho have yet reached a threshold at which the diseases will occur.
The two diseases are increasingly culpable for fresh potato packing facilities and international trade partners rejecting U.S. potatoes, as well as processors docking prices paid to growers.
research Plans
The University of Idaho’s Phillip Wharton, an associate professor in plant pathology, and James Woodhall, an Extension specialist and associate professor in plant pathology, hope to find answers for potato growers regarding these increasingly problematic diseases through a planned research project to be funded by a two-year, $130,000 Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG).
Wharton and Woodhall will evaluate cultural and chemical control measures to develop new management strategies for reducing crop infections, such as irrigation management, variety resistance, and testing the efficacy of fungicides and other products that have been reported to be effective against powdery scab in other regions.
“Powdery scab is one of the potato diseases that people really haven’t been able to get any kind of a handle on in terms of control,” Wharton said, adding that planting clean, certified seed is among the best options for growers.
If a field has a history of powdery scab, the grower can get the soil tested by Woodhall’s lab to ascertain levels.
A whole potato shows symptoms of powdery scab. Photo courtesy Phil Wharton, University of Idaho
An erumpent lesion has formed on a potato, symptomatic of powdery scab.
Photo courtesy Phil Wharton, University of Idaho
Tim Dan David David Dan Tim Pat Pat
The new U of I research could be especially important for producers of Idaho potatoes shipped to Mexico, which is now the largest market for U.S. potatoes. Mexico had long restricted shipments of fresh U.S. potatoes to within 16 miles of the U.S. border prior to opening access to the entire country in 2022.
“When we ship our potatoes to Mexico, powdery scab is one of the things that they look for and sometimes find,” said Travis Blacker, vice president of research and industry relations with the Idaho Potato Commission. “We’re looking at ways to control that better, so we don’t have these finds when we ship potatoes to Mexico.”
increased Prevalence
The researchers suspect milder winters
have shown that the prevalence of Spongospora has hugely increased in the past decade.
“In 2013, we did a large-scale survey of Idaho fields in collaboration with Simplot. At that time, 20 to 30% of fields had powdery scab,” Wharton said.
Currently, as much as 75% of Idaho potato field soils contain some level of Spongospora, and a third of them harbor PMTV.
“More recently, people have been requesting a lot of tests for powdery scab,” Woodhall said. “We’re testing hundreds of samples per year for the presence of this organism.”
Powdery scab symptoms can include discoloration, gall-like growths on roots, ruptured pustules on the tuber surface and internal lesions in tubers. The disease impacts potato marketability rather than
next steps
The researchers will conduct research trials at the U of I Aberdeen Research and Extension Center to assess the efficacy of combining less susceptible potato varieties with various fungicide combinations in enhancing disease control. A review of products demonstrating efficacy against powdery scab in other potato-growing regions is currently underway, and the selected products will be utilized in the field trials in 2026 and 2027. Additionally, irrigation management trials will be conducted at the U of I Parma Research and Extension Center, where specific fields exhibit high disease pressure. They hope to identify the window of time when managing soil moisture is most critical for disease control.
Past SCBG-funded research from
dewulf debuts storage Loader
Dewulf has introduced a storage loader developed specifically for the North American market. The MP 18-110 storage loader is designed for capacity, crop friendliness and ease of use. Dewulf is promoting the loader’s proportionally adaptive pivoting feature and automatic filling programs. The machine detects the product flow at the boom discharge point and automatically adjusts the pivoting speed. This is said to prevent jolts and evenly distribute product.
Visit www.dewulfgroup.com.
CrOP PrOteCtiOn essentiALs
AMvAC
amvac.com/potatoes
Ecozin Plus
Ecozin Plus, a product from AMVAC’s GreenSolutions portfolio, effectively targets a wide range of insects and nematodes that can be detrimental to potato growth, with low-use rates and whole-plant protection in organic and nonorganic operations. Ecozin Plus utilizes a botanical insect growth regulator (IGR) to control insects in the larval/nymphal and pupal stages by interfering with the molting process.
Gowan Company
gowanco.com/products
Fungicides, Herbicides, Insecticides
Since 1962, beginning as a crop consultancy, Gowan Company has been rooted in agriculture, providing trusted expertise and innovative solutions for growers. This family-owned, American business works to understand growers' challenges and is committed to delivering products and services that maximize yield and quality. Gowan provides solutions for the unique needs of potato producers.
Gowan USA’s dedicated sales representatives and development teams regularly work with potato growers and researchers to ensure that each product performs optimally in the field. Fungicides include Badge SC & X2, Gavel, Reason and Zing. The herbicide lineup consists of Eptam, Sonalan HFP, Trflan HFP and Vida. Insecticides include Imidan, Onager OPTEK and Aza-Direct.
Jh Biotech
jhbiotech.com
Fosphite
JH Biotech, Inc.’s Fosphite is a potassium phosphite product used in potato programs to help manage oomycete diseases including late blight. After foliar application, phosphites move within the plant to help protect new growth and reduce disease pressure during high-risk periods.
Growers commonly place Fosphite in preventive sprays leading into and near harvest when canopy disease can raise tuber risk. Used according to label directions, Fosphite can also support storage-focused plans by helping lower oomyceterelated tuber rot risk and protect tuber quality.
The company advises growers to use Fosphite as one tool in the program, and then let good agronomy do the rest: scout, time sprays with forecasts, sanitize and rotate.
novasource
novasource.com/en/products/linex
Linex
Linex is gaining in popularity as growers are facing resistant weeds more often due to continued applications of glyphosate, triazines and other herbicides. Linex is their go-to solution. Linex, a Group 7 herbicide, provides broad-spectrum control of dozens of tough grasses and broadleaf weeds and provides a different mode of action versus ALS-inhibitor (Group 2) or triazine-based (Group 5) herbicides.
ProFarm Group profarmgroup.com
Arino
Arino is a novel, liquid insecticide/nematicide powered by RinoTec Technology that can help crops get off to a strong start. This new technology controls nematodes and wireworms on root, tuber and bulb vegetables, such as onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots. Applied in-furrow at planting time, Arino is easy to work with and compatible with a wide range of fertilizers and crop protection products. This product offers an alternative that complements most integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, allowing growers to diversify and reduce their reliance on traditional pesticides, while managing resistance to conventional technologies.
Because RinoTec was recently awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Green Chemistry Challenge Award for Design of Safer and Degradable Chemicals, this product can help users achieve sustainability certifications and goals. Minimal PPE requirements, a four-hour re-entry window after application and a zero-day pre-harvest interval application timing make Arino a safe and stress-free product to work with.
tessenderlo Kerley
tessenderlokerley.com
Sectagon-K54
Sectagon-K54 fights belowground potato pests such as nematodes, weed seeds and Verticillium dahliae (early maturity disease) and can enhance nutrient availability in fields. Unlike other metam fumigant formulations that contain sodium, Sectagon-K54 is ideal for potatoes and other sodium-sensitive crops, as the formulation contains the essential nutrient potassium instead of additional sodium ions. Healthier roots lead to greater yields, and Sectagon-K54 provides proven protection with additional benefits.
CrOP PrOteCtiOn essentiALs
trident Ag Products
tridentag.com
Strike
Have you considered the biological impact of your soil fumigation program? If not, maybe you should. Soil health studies have proven that chloropicrin, the active ingredient in Strike soil fumigant, suppresses soil-borne diseases like Verticillium and black dot while also supporting biological diversity, the growth of saprophytes and overall soil health.
vive Crop Protection
vivecrop.com
Fungicides, Insecticides, Nematicides
Vive Crop Protection offers potato growers a portfolio built to strengthen stands, protect yield potential and simplify in-season applications. Solutions like AZteroid FC 3.3 deliver targeted, long-lasting control of soil-borne diseases while supporting early vigor, stronger root systems and more uniform emergence, even under challenging growing conditions. AZterknot adds broad-spectrum disease control while activating natural plant defenses, helping potatoes better tolerate environmental stress and maintain season-long performance.
For insect and nematode pressure, Bifender FC, Viloprid 4 and Averland FC provide reliable, efficient protection during critical growth stages, helping reduce early stress and safeguard yield potential. Each product is designed for seamless tank mixing with liquid fertilizers and other crop inputs, improving operational efficiency without the extra steps. Together, Vive’s potato solutions help growers protect their crop from day one
6 South, 1000 West • Blackfoot, ID 83221 Email: atsuk@live.com
Growing Quality Seed For 70 Years!
SCHUTTER SEED FARM
Photo 1 shows damage from Colorado potato beetle (CPB). This photo, taken in June, shows a potato from a heavily infested field. Missed insecticide application timing resulted in high infestations. By the time Photo 1 was taken, much of the foliage, especially of plants on the field edge, was completely consumed by CPB. Photo 3 shows a group of third/fourth instar larvae that have wandered off, due to lack of potato foliage, to feed on exposed tubers.
Many growers do a good job staying on top of CPB management to avoid such damage. However, it is important that scouting remains a key component in management programs to effectively time spraying to avoid heavy infestations. While both adults and larvae feed on potato foliage, third and fourth instar larvae cause the most damage. Early-season spraying could be timed to target peak population abundance of adults from the overwintering generation and third instars from the first generation. Peak adult abundance occurs when third instars begin to appear in the field. Frequent subsequent monitoring can help keep the second generation under control with only one or two well timed sprays.
Photo 2 is tuber damage from rodents, including voles (or field mice). Voles’ feeding causes direct damage to tubers. However, when they move into potato fields, perhaps from recently harvested grain or alfalfa fields, their burrows may expose tubers to direct sunlight, leading to secondary losses.
Left to right: Sid, John, Jonathan, Carl, Nick and Cliff.
KnOw yOUr inseCts Answers (FROM PAGE 15)
north American Frozen Proce
U.S. and Canadian growers produced
537.9 million cwt of potatoes during 2025. That is 10.3 million cwt, or 1.9%, less than 2024 production. The U.S. potato crop accounted for 88.4% of the reduction. U.S. production is estimated to be down 2.2% from the 2024 crop. Canada’s 2025 crop is estimated to be 0.9% smaller than the 2024 crop. Dec. 1 stocks data, for both the U.S. and Canada, highlight several challenges and opportunities for the potato industry during the remainder of the storage season. In this article, we provide a brief outline of the raw-product supply situation for the North American frozen processing industry.
Us supply situation
USDA estimates that potato growers produced 412.1 million cwt of potatoes during 2025. That is 9.1 million cwt less than the 2024 crop. It is 1.7% below the five-year average production. Growers in the storage states held 270.3 million cwt of potatoes on Dec. 1. That is 4 million cwt less than those states had in storage a year earlier, a 1.5% reduction.
USDA put Idaho’s 2025 potato crop at 138.4 million cwt. That is 3.1 million cwt, or 2.3%, more than 2024 production. Idaho’s Dec. 1 potato stocks totaled 95 million cwt, 1 million cwt, or 1.1%, more than the year-earlier inventory. Idaho processors used 25.7 million cwt of potatoes from the 2025 crop prior to Dec. 1, only 35,000 cwt more than they used from the 2024 crop during the same period.
USDA reports that Washington growers produced 88.6 million cwt of potatoes in
2025. That is 10.3 million cwt less than the state produced in 2024, down 10.4%. Dec. 1 potato stocks totaled 52 million cwt, according to USDA. That is 8 million cwt less than year-earlier holdings, a 13.3% reduction. It is Washington’s second lowest Dec. 1 inventory since 2008, matching December 2021 stocks. USDA reports that processors used 21.9 million cwt of new-crop potatoes prior to Dec. 1. That is 1.5 million cwt less than they used during the same timeframe a year ago.
Oregon’s 2025 potato crop totaled 26 million cwt, which is 134,000 cwt, or 0.5%, less than the 2024 crop. At 20.5 million cwt, Oregon’s Dec. 1 potato stocks are up 500,000 cwt, or 2.5%, from year-earlier holdings. USDA reports that early-season processing use totaled 13.2 million cwt. That is 400,000 cwt more than year-earlier usage, a 3.1% increase. Dec. 1 stocks in the other processing states are mixed. At 19.3 million cwt, Wisconsin’s reported Dec. 1 potato stocks exceeded the year-earlier inventory by 1.8 million cwt, or 10.3%. North Dakota had 17.9 million cwt of potatoes in storage on Dec. 1, 1.6% less than it held in 2024. At 12.7 million cwt, Maine had 4.5% fewer potatoes in storage than the year-earlier inventory. Minnesota had 11 million cwt of potatoes left in storage on Dec. 1, down 7.6% from the previous year.
NAPMN estimates that U.S. processors used 65.5 million cwt of potatoes from the 2025 potato crop for purposes other than dehydration (mostly French fry production) prior to Dec. 1. That is 1 million cwt less than the 2024 usage rate, a 1.5% decline. It follows an estimated 1.1% increase for late-season usage from the 2024 crop. Total June-November usage in this category is estimated at 94.5 million cwt. That is 693,000 cwt, or 0.7%, less than June-November 2024 estimated usage. If the stocks data are correct, total Dec. 1 stocks in the Pacific Northwest are down only 3.7% from a year earlier. That leaves more than enough potatoes to run PNW plants at planned levels. Fryers in the Midwest and Maine also have access to an adequate supply of raw product. Reports indicate that some processors have reduced production significantly,
while others have picked up some of the business.
Canadian supply situation
Canada’s 2025 potato crop is the third largest on record, behind 2023 and 2024. Canadian growers produced 125.8 million cwt of potatoes in 2025. That fell 1.2 million cwt short of the 2024 crop. The country had 94.1 million cwt of potatoes in storage on Dec. 1. That exceeded year-earlier holdings by 1.1 million cwt, or 1.2%. The Dec. 1 inventory is 8% larger than the five-year average supply. Stocks are up from last year in Alberta and British Columbia, but they are down in the Maritime Provinces, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. Processing potato supplies are up 0.6% from December 2024 holdings.
At 28.9 million cwt, Alberta’s Dec. 1 potato stocks exceeded the 2024 inventory by 5.8 million cwt, or 25.4%. Intended use data show that the province’s processing potato stocks are up 3.8 million cwt, or 20.8%, to a record 21.8 million cwt. The province’s processing capacity has expanded significantly during the past several years. Manitoba had 18 million cwt of potatoes in storage on Dec. 1. That is 10.4% less than the 2024 inventory. It included 14.6 million cwt of processing potatoes, down 1.8 million cwt from last year’s inventory. Quebec’s Dec. 1 potato stocks fell 6% below year-earlier holdings to 9.5 million cwt. At 3.7 million cwt, processing potato stocks are down 305,000 cwt from last year. New Brunswick had 12.2 million cwt of potatoes left in storage on Dec. 1. That nearly matched the year-earlier holdings. At 8.2 million cwt, processing potato stocks are up 168,000 cwt from the 2024 inventory. That leaves New Brunswick with its second largest Dec. 1 processing potato inventory on record.
Prince Edward Island (PEI) held 18.3 million cwt of potatoes in storage on Dec. 1. That is 10.2% less than year-earlier holdings. The late-summer drought took a toll on yields. At 11.4 million cwt, PEI’s Dec. 1 processing potato stocks fell 1.3 million cwt below the December 2024 inventory. That is the lowest Dec. 1 processing potato inventory since 2020.
The four major French fry producing
ssing supply Update
provinces held 55.6 million cwt of processing potatoes on Dec. 1. That is 839,000 cwt more than the year-earlier inventory, a 1.5% increase. Most of the increased supplies are in Alberta, while raw-product supplies are also up slightly in New Brunswick. Processing potato stocks in PEI and Manitoba are down significantly relative to year-earlier inventories. Overall, Canada has an abundant supply of raw product from the 2025 crop, though supplies have been shipped to PEI to cover the island’s supply gap.
Conclusion
The oversupply situation the North American potato industry faced during the past two years has continued into the 2025-26 processing season. Domestic demand for French fries and other frozen products appears to be strong. Industry data indicate that buyers purchased 1.3% more U.S. frozen product between June and November than they did during the same period in 2024.
In addition, global French fry exports are up 0.2% for the year ending Sept. 30, 2025 (October data are not yet available due to the government shutdown). The U.S. exported 298.2 million pounds of French fries and other frozen products during August and September 2025. That is 12.6% less than year-earlier shipments.
On the other hand, Canada’s AugustSeptember French fry exports totaled a record 503.1 million pounds, up 0.8% from year-earlier movement. Shipments to the U.S. were down 3.7%, though total sales to offshore markets jumped by 33.5% during the period. Most of Canada’s extra shipments have gone to Mexico, up 89.1% from a year earlier. Canada may continue to ramp up the export pace during the remainder of the season.
Despite the current raw-product supply situation, North American fryers will be challenged to hold on to their current share of the global French fry business. Europe’s offshore exports could expand significantly with the 2025 potato crop, which is 10.4% larger than the 2024 crop. North American fryers will also face stiff competition from China, India, Egypt and Argentina this year.
By Ben Eborn, Publisher,
Key POints
• North America’s 2025 potato crop is the fifth largest on record.
• U.S. Dec. 1 potato stocks totaled 270.3 million cwt, which nearly matches the five-year average.
• At 94.1 million cwt, Canada’s Dec. 1 potato stocks were the second largest on record, behind 2023.
• The oversupply situation the North American potato industry faced during the previous two years has continued into the 2025-26 processing season.
• Domestic demand appears to be strong, while global French fry exports are up slightly from year-earlier levels.
• North American fryers will be challenged to hold on to their current share of the global French fry business.
A year for disciplined decisions
By Dale Lathim, Potato Growers of Washington
Asthe 2026 planting season approaches, growers in the Columbia Basin face a landscape marked by challenging decisions and shifting market dynamics. Crop prices – including those for fresh potatoes – remain at historically low levels relative to production costs, leaving limited options for profitable crop rotation. While potato contracts have demonstrated remarkable stability over the past several decades and continue to offer reasonable profit margins, the current environment demands a disciplined approach to crop selection and rotation.
In an ideal scenario, growers would focus exclusively on contracted potato acreage, maximizing returns without concern for alternative crops. However, agricultural realities dictate otherwise. Potatoes require careful rotation with other crops to manage disease, pests and foreign material. Although contract pricing for potatoes remains stable, it is insufficient to offset significant losses incurred from poorly chosen rotational crops. Selecting a rotation crop without market upside or with high production costs can erode profits from even the most successful potato harvest.
Growers must prioritize gathering
comprehensive market intelligence before finalizing planting decisions. The absence of a clear forecast for profitable crops in 2026 underscores the importance of informed decision-making. Historical trends reveal that open-market potatoes rarely achieve contract prices, and periods of high open-market prices are typically characterized by supply shortages. Conversely, when supply exceeds demand, open-market prices fall, resulting in diminished returns for growers. Over time, open potatoes have consistently underperformed for the grower community.
Beyond crop selection, growers should critically evaluate their production strategies. With contract maximums often set at 103% of historical averages, the pursuit of maximum yields may not align with profitability. Excess production can lead to financial losses, especially when surplus potatoes are sold at steep discounts or must be disposed of at the grower’s expense. Historical data suggests that yield fluctuations due to weather in the Columbia Basin are minimal, reinforcing the value of optimizing input costs rather than maximizing output. Ultimately, sustainable profitability outweighs the pursuit of record yields.
Contract potato growers have experienced relatively stable returns in recent years, and projections for 2026 indicate another satisfactory – if not
exceptional – year. Profit margins are expected to mirror those of the 2020 contract season, a period marked by resilience rather than prosperity. The key difference in 2026 is the surplus production across all rotational crops, which may complicate navigation for growers. Strategic planning, market awareness and disciplined crop management will be essential for success in the coming season.
I wish all Columbia Basin potato growers a successful and well-informed planting season.
These tubers are showing symptoms of pink eye (old name), which is now called periderm disorder syndrome (new name). This problem is not caused by a biological pathogen. Rather, it is a physiological problem that results from environmental factors. Long ago, people thought that Pseudomonas bacteria were responsible, but this was shown not to be true. The disorder got its name because it would often cause the area around tuber eyes to become raised and pink. However, symptoms can be present anywhere on the tubers, and the symptoms do not always look pink. For that reason, the name periderm disorder syndrome was proposed. This is more descriptive because the symptoms are a result of an excessive accumulation of cork material. When the cork material is exposed to UV light, it appears bright blue, thus aiding in the identification of the disorder.
Pesticides are not effective in managing this disorder. This disorder appears to be caused by excessive moisture, warm temperatures and soil compaction. If potato plants in a field die unevenly and irrigation is maintained for the healthy plants, the tubers under dead or dying plants are at a higher risk of developing symptoms. Deep tillage can reduce potential compaction issues and has been reported to reduce incidence of this disorder.
Information for this quiz was taken from Compendium of Potato Diseases, 2nd Ed., and “Keep an Eye on Potato Pink Eye” by Dr. Andy Robinson, North Dakota State University.
Support your potato crop when it needs it the most
For more information visit HELMcrop.com. NUTRIGENOMIC PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES shows that aCalsa SC amplifies protein synthesis, starch and sucrose pathways, and provides comprehensive protection against environmental stress, potato growers to achieve maximum yield potential.
Timing is crucial in farming. The ability to provide your potato crop with the nutrients it needs exactly when it needs it to maximize yield potential is a game-changer in helping each plant make the most of the complex tuber initiation phase when the foundation is set for yield and quality.
BURBANK
BURBANK: Central Michigan, 2024
yield potential — in numbers and quality. This is the goal of aCalsa SC, especially when it comes to potatoes and increasing tuber initiation and development. Through three distinct performance mechanisms, aCalsa SC gives your crop the boost it needs exactly when it needs it.
Enhances Vigorous Growth
aCalsa SC helps plants develop the strength to be prepared for potential environmental stressors and encourage consistent development. By maximizing carbohydrate storage in vines and stolons, aCalsa SC
