Idaho’s Potato Industry Is Struggling

These are some difficult times for Idaho potato growers.

“We're struggling right now," said Jamey Higham, Executive Director of the Idaho Potato Commission.  "The returns our growers are getting are well below the cost to produce potatoes. And we're all hopeful that things can change. But right now, it's a pretty tough time to be in the Idaho potato business.”

Higham says there were several things that came together to make 2025 a challenging year for the industry.  Mother nature, in a unique way, didn’t help growers.

“This year we had a great crop which means we had more potatoes. You know, when the yield is good, you think that should be great for farmers and growers, but sometimes that doesn't work that way. We had a decent amount of acres that we planted this year, and then when you have a yield on top of that, it’s a few percentage points higher, and it just adds up to that supply. But, on the bright side, our quality's been very good this year, and it looks like it should be very good throughout the whole year.”

Higham said low prices, while good news for consumers, mean growers will continue to struggle.  Another issue facing the entire potato industry, Higham noted, was the need to figure out how to make supply line up with the demand.

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