Idaho Potato shortage forces early harvests

This season’s harvest is shaping to be a bit backwards for Aberdeen, Idaho, grower Ritchey Toevs.

Normally by Aug. 23, Toevs would be winding up his grain harvest, leaving his potatoes in the ground for another month. Due to cool, damp weather this summer, Toevs will wait a bit longer on his wheat. He began pulling spuds, however, on Tuesday.

It marked the earliest start to Toevs’ spud harvest ever, though his potatoes are also behind by nearly a couple of weeks.

He’s among a group of suppliers to the ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston plant in American Falls who were asked by the processor to pull a percentage of their potatoes early to address an apparent shortage in inventory.

“It’s in the contract. That’s one of the things they can ask for,” Toevs said, adding growers are paid an early harvest incentive.