07/18/07 Idaho potato acreage increase

Idaho farmers plan to harvest 348 thousand acres of potatoes this year. National Ag Statistics Service says that's a 6.1 percent or 20 thousand acre increase over 2006. United Potato Growers of Idaho president Jerry Wright thinks that 20 thousand figure may be high. WRIGHT "We're really confident that the increase is not in the fresh acres. They are all dehy contract acres. The truth is we believe honestly that we've got somewhere between ten and 15 thousand, not 20 thousand incremental acres." Wright says at 15 thousand extra acres based on last year's yield it could mean an additional two million hundredweight of excess spuds after this year's harvest. That's why a series of meetings will be held around the state over the next three weeks. Wright says all growers, United members or not, should be at those meetings. WRIGHT "The reality is that this is everybody's responsibility to get together and put together the strategies that we need to be able to balance this crop and if we need to to take that two million hundredweight out." United will inform growers of meeting times and places and they will be posted on their website, www.unitedpotato.com. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott