Potato industry impacts economy all over state

MOSES LAKE — No matter which part of the state you call home, the impact of Washington’s potato industry is one that is felt throughout every community within the Evergreen State.

This claim is based on recent findings the Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) received regarding the economic contribution of potato farming, processing and other related activities to the State of Washington.

The WSPC asked the IMPACT Center of the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University to review the connection between potato farming activities and various processing sectors in the State to determine the crop’s economic value to Washington.

The report looked at the economic output from five key sectors in the industry including potato farming, frozen potato processing, fresh packed potatoes, dehydrated potato products and potato chip manufacturing.

The findings indicate the Washington State potato industry can remain sustainable and continue to help grow the State’s economy if allowed to continue without domestic disruptions in regulation, transportation, and trade.

“We found this report to be very beneficial to quantify the economic contribution of the State’s potato economy,” said Matt Harris, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Potato Commission. “It provides key statistics that show just how important potatoes are to our state’s economy and that the value they bring goes far beyond each individual farm.”

Maintaining a vibrant potato economy is critical to the state’s health, Harris said. Any dramatic regulatory change or disruption in trade and transportation will have a damaging effect to current jobs and local communities within the state.