February Is Idaho Potato Month
You could really make the case that this should be a national celebration. After all, potatoes have been a staple in America since 1719, after being introduced in the 1690s.
Now extremely popular, this crop has certainly made its mark. There were approximately 1.05 million acres of potatoes harvested in 2017 at a value of $3.7 billion dollars.
About 60% of those harvested potatoes become French fries, potato chips, dehydrated goods, and other potato products. Imagine if ten, even twenty, percent of your French fries disappeared. I am sure you would not be happy.
Potatoes have serious pest and disease problems. Keeping crops clean is critical for retaining high harvest percentages so that producers can deliver to your table.
Plant Sentry™ is upholding its promise to prevent the accidental shipment of regulated plants that could put your potatoes in harm’s way. There are many vegetable shipment regulations put into place for very good reason.
Some vegetables are regulated for Colorado Potato Beetle and Potato rot diseases. Potato plants cannot be shipped interstate or intrastate unless they go through a rigorous certification process. Certifying that plant material is clean and free from injurious pests and diseases is very important to potato growers. In fact, a massive amount of research is completed every year to keep potatoes ahead of these severe pests and diseases.
The next time you go to purchase a plant online, make sure that you are using a reputable vendor. These vendors use systems that put the potato farmer first, allowing for a healthy supply of the valued commodity (potatoes) to satisfy your needs.