Potato planters near American Falls, Idaho. (File photo courtesy Kamren Koompin)

Potato acreage is down by about 9% in Washington and unchanged from year-earlier totals in Idaho, Oregon and California, according to a midyear report by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The nationwide total of about 912,000 potato acres planted — including 315,000 in Idaho, 145,000 in Washington, 43,000 in Oregon and 20,000 in California — is down by just over 1.9% from 930,000 in 2024, according to NASS survey-based estimates.

Northwest acres contracted by fry processors dropped by a higher percentage than total planted acres, “meaning there will be a lot of potatoes trying to find a home at harvest time” in fresh and open markets, said Dale Lathim, Potato Growers of Washington executive director.

Also in the region, “it looks like we are going to have a phenomenal crop” with yields and quality well above historical averages in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alberta, he said. If a strong crop materializes, the number of potatoes entering the market would increase proportionately.

Given overall demand, carryover storage and reduced processor orders, “we should have reduced planted acres significantly more than we did,” Lathim said.

As for potatoes grown earlier and stored, “my gut tells me there are going to be less to work through this year than last year,” Idaho Potato Commission CEO Jamey Higham said. “It’s too early to tell.”

Growers make their own decisions about which crops to plant in which amounts, he said. And with prices down for potatoes and assorted other crops, “there are not a lot of good options out there in any of the commodities,” a factor in Idaho potato acres essentially staying flat from 2024.

IPC field counts produced an estimate of 313,045 acres planted this year, including 32,859 designated for seed production, according to the commission website.

With planted acres similar to that of 2024, commission board members likely will set a budget “that is also fairly flat” for the fiscal year that starts Sept. 1, Higham said.

NASS has had total Oregon planted acres at about 43,000 for some time, and “it is very unlikely that we still have 43,000 planted potato acres in Oregon,” said Gary Roth, executive director of the state’s potato commission. “Our largest segment is processed-potato acres in the Columbia Basin, and those farms have seen contracted acre cutbacks.”

Oregon’s current planted-acre total probably is below 43,000 given processors’ reduction of about 8,500 contracted acres over the last few years combined, he said.

“We may have had some increases in chipping potatoes, but not nearly anything that would offset 8,500,” Roth said.

The U.S. continues to see increased pressure from foreign competition, “and it remains unclear what future planted acres could be,” he said.

NASS covers many crops in its annual acreage report for the U.S., released June 30.