washington state potato commission

Farmers are typically an optimistic bunch, but unfortunately, many things that control their success or failure are beyond their control.  For example, the health of the U.S. and foreign economies has a direct impact on what farmers can do year in and year out.  Chris V...

For the past eight plus weeks, much of the international focus and concern for the farming community has been on trade and tariffs.  But, for potato growers there are other international concerns.  Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission said over the past 2-3 years, China and India have become major players, and competitors with the United States when it comes to

This was a good year for the Washington/Oregon Potato Conference.  The largest potato conference in North America got a little bigger this year, with a record attendance of over 3,000 attendees, surpassing last year’s attendance of 2,600, which at that time was a record.   “Widel...

The 2025 Washington/Oregon Potato Conference takes place this week in the Tri-Cities.  Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission said with over 2,600 attendees and nearly 170 vendors, this is the largest potato Conference in North America.  Voigt s...

Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission said he started this harvest season with a lot of optimism, but now he’s a bit more cautious.  Voigt said it’s not clear what impact, if any, the prolonged heat of July and August had on this year’s late season varieties, so there is some reason for concern.  But, despite those issues...

Growers in Central Washington are breathing a sigh of relief after crews were able to repair damage to a breached irrigation canal.  On Monday August 5th, the East Low Canal breached, cutting water to Columbia Basin irrigators. "You know going five, six, seven, 10-14 days without water and a potato crop would be very detrimental and once you fall behind an irrigation you just can't catch back

With a global population now just north of eight billion people, the agriculture industry will be called on more to feed people across the planet.  One of those areas that can help farmers meet those needs, said Christ Voigt, is continued research and development, not only of commodities, but of technology to make the farming process more efficient.  The Exe...

The past two years have been challenging for potato growers across the Pacific Northwest.  Last year, the growing and planting season was delayed thanks to a late spring snow storm that dumped several inches of snow in several locations.  An...

The supply chain continues to be a challenge for Americans, not only when it comes to products coming into the United States, but goods heading out.  Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington state Potato Commission said they continue to struggle when it comes to getting product overseas, despite red hot demand for U.S. potato...

2021 was a challenging year for the ag industry across the Pacific Northwest, and those ramifications are still being felt.  Chris Voigt Executive Director of the Washington state Potato Commission says last year's heat dome, the extremely hot temperatures the region experienced in late June, led to a smaller crop than expected.  He...