Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative (SIPCO)

As they commence harvesting early season varieties, Idaho potato growers anticipate a hot summer will contribute to highly variable yields and quality, especially in the eastern part of the state.

Rather than relying solely on acreage estimates from a USDA growers' survey, the U.S. potato industry is physically visiting every spud field in Idaho and other major potato production areas for a fourth year.

Idaho potato growers have rejected processors' contract offers, convinced they were insufficient to cover rising input costs and prevention of the emerging disease zebra chip.

Idaho potato growers saw increases in yields, tuber sizes and total production from last fall, according to a report released Nov. 9 by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide, the 2011 spud harvest totaled 127 million hundredweig...