It's put me in a position that at the very best, I'll break even. The growers group negotiates for farmers in Central Washington and Northeastern Oregon. Potatoes have been the backbone of Mid-Columbia agriculture for decades. But low prices not only will hurt agriculture, but also the Mid-Columbia economy. Farmers will buy fewer trucks, fewer implements, fewer groceries.
Potatoes are a very delicate, sensitive crop with many risks.
If everything goes OK, growers will be all right. There was a cushion before. The potato growers represent about 200 farmers in Oregon and Washington and about 50 percent of the acreage devoted to processing potatoes. Processing potatoes, used for french fries, represents about 80 percent of the region's output. Potatoes destined for the produce aisle make up the rest.