Idaho Potato Farmers In Trouble

[Meadowlark]

The Idaho Farm Bureau in a news release in November titled, "Farmers are facing dire times financially" noted that after transportation and other expenses are factored in, Idaho farmers this year are receiving an average of $1.97 for each 100 pounds of potatoes they produce, according to the NAPM Grower Return Index. That's compared to $7.19 in 2024.

The break-even point for Idaho potato farmers right now is about $9 per 100 pounds of potatoes they produce. This means farmers are on average receiving way less for their potatoes than what it costs to grow them.

Some reports indicate farmers are leaving the potatoes in the ground rather than spend what it costs to harvest them.

Growing potatoes in the home garden has never been about cost to me...but it wouldn't be at all surprising to see a big shortage of potatoes in the future as farmers adjust to these prices.

 

[Sheal]

Growing potatoes in the home garden has never been about cost to me...but it wouldn't be at all surprising to see a big shortage of potatoes in the future as farmers adjust to these prices.

That's not good news. If there's a shortage that will put the cost of buying them up and hopefully the farmers will get a better price for them.

 

[Meadowlark]

To add some context @Sheal, Idaho produces about 18 billion pounds of them annually or about 1/3 of the total amount produced in the USA.

Yes, the likely outcome would seem to be shortage, then prices go up, and then farmers get better prices. It happens that way here often in the Beef industry.

 

[roadrunner]

What's causing their problems?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

There was talk a while ago of a massive wheat surplus because the US was not supplying international aid anymore. Dunno if anything came of it. It sometimes seems as though growing anything in huge quantity is likely to mean coming a cropper (pun) at some point.