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By Dale Lathim, Potato Growers of Washington
As this winter’s cycle of potato conferences, grower meetings and contract negotiations wound its way across the industry, one theme surfaced again and again: the critical importance of high-quality seed at a price that allows the rest of the system to work.
When I entered the potato industry on Nov. 1, 1993, I brought with me a solid foundation in agriculture and business – but very little potato-specific knowledge. In fact, at the time, my primary qualification was that I enjoyed eating potatoes. Fortunately, I had mentors like Fred Dormaier and Gary Johnson who were willing to invest in my education. Their first directive was clear and non-negotiable: attend the Montana Seed Potato Seminar.
That seminar, still held every year during the second week of November, was where they insisted my potato education begin. Their reasoning was simple but profound: a successful potato crop starts with good seed. They also understood that although I was working with growers in Washington, Montana was – and remains – a cornerstone of the seed potato industry. Knowing those growers and the challenges they face was essential.
The trip to Missoula, Montana, was eye opening. I met not only Montana seed growers, but producers from other seed regions and, just as importantly, Columbia Basin growers who would go on to form the foundation of my career. It was there that I began to appreciate the interconnectedness of our industry – how decisions made in one segment ripple quickly through the rest.
One moment from that meeting has stayed with me for more than three decades. A prominent university potato breeder was presenting on the promise of newly released processing varieties. Ranger Russet and Umatilla Russet were hailed as breakthroughs, destined to replace older genetics. Then came the statement that caught everyone’s attention: while Russet Burbank accounted for more than 50 percent of processing acres in 1993, by the year 2000, there would be zero acres left. The new varieties, we were told, were simply too superior.
Thirty-two years later, Russet Burbank is still very much with us. It remains one of the top four varieties by contract acreage in most frozen processing regions and continues to anchor several fresh markets as well. The prediction, while well-intended, proved to be a lesson in humility.
Over the years, we have watched a parade of “next big things” come and go – varieties that seemed poised to displace Burbank, only to be sidelined by a fatal flaw. Sometimes it was consumer resistance, as with GMO offerings. Other times it was pushback from major restaurant chains that valued consistency of taste and texture over agronomic advantages. More recently, Clearwater Russet appeared to be a rising star, only to see processors now pulling back and confining it to limited windows that fit specific product mixes.
Each time a promising new variety emerges, the seed industry is asked to respond quickly, ramping up production to meet forecasted demand. That process takes years and requires millions of dollars in investment. And when enthusiasm fades, seed growers are often left holding inventories that are difficult, if not impossible, to market. Over my career, I have seen this scenario play out more times than I can count.
Today, we find ourselves there again. Processors continue the search for a variety that delivers higher yields, better recovery, or ideally both – advantages that ultimately allow them to manage costs downstream. Growers, for their part, have been willing participants, experimenting with new genetics in partnership with processors. But after repeated cycles of adoption and retreat, many are beginning to ask hard questions. When new varieties fail to deliver meaningful improvements in contract economics, is the risk worth it?
At some point, processors must recognize that seed growers can only absorb so many misses before the system strains. Likewise, contract growers must acknowledge that results achieved on trial acres do not always translate cleanly to commercial scale on their own farms.
There is a better path forward. Slowing the pace, taking incremental steps, and allowing new varieties to prove themselves across multiple seasons and regions would reduce risk for everyone involved. Rushing to judgment – whether toward rapid adoption or rapid abandonment – has already cost the industry more than many of these varieties will ever return.
In potato country, some truths endure. And among the most enduring is this: no matter how promising the genetics, success still starts with the seed – and with the patience to get it right.