Potatoes...A Fiscal Giant

 Just how big is the potato industry in Idaho? Well it might be suggested…in fact it has been suggested that it can be compared to the giant auto industry. KPVI News 6 in Pocatello recently reported that the suffering car industry makes up about eight or nine percent of the nation's work force and as a result of it’s enormity it could never fail. They go on to suggest that because the agriculture industry makes up 29 percent of the total work force one could easily conclude the same thing. We know what has happened to domestic car makers but agriculture???

 One thing’s for sure, and that is that Idaho potatoes are doing their part. So much so that many other states and businesses demand Idaho potatoes over any others grown in the world. To that end, Idaho still produces twenty-five percent of the nation's total potato crop. Here’s Frank Muir, CEO and President of the Idaho Potato Commission with a report on this last year: “Agriculture in general and potatoes especially have a very positive future. During this past year our farmgate revenue hit an alltime record in the State of Idaho…over $838 million.”