The USDA NASS has provided an update on the U.S. potato crop in its weekly crop progress report (https://www.nass.usda.gov/) for last week. Here’s a sample of what the latest report showed. There are some states with no report and we assume it’s because planting hasn’t started yet.
Oregon – The report shows 79 percent of Oregon’s 2024 potato crop has been planted thus far, up from 68 percent last week. The five-year average of what has been planted by this time of year is 69 percent, so the state is ahead of its average. Last year at this time, 56 percent of the crop had been planted.
The NASS also reports that 32 percent of the crop has emerged.
Washington – Just to the north, 78 percent of the potato crop has been planted in Washington. That’s up from 66 percent a week ago and well above the five-year average of 57 percent. A year ago 54 percent of the crop had been planted.
Idaho – The NASS shows 31 percent of the 2024 crop having been planted. That’s a slight increase of 8 percent from a week ago when it was 23 percent and slightly behind the five-year 37 percent average. It is ahead of last year’s planting, which stood at 24 percent.
Wisconsin – Planting is three-quarters complete with 75 percent of the crop in. This is two weeks ahead of last year and the average.
Michigan – The only report we saw for Michigan says, “Early planting of potatoes was ahead of schedule.”
North Dakota – The report states 15 percent of the state’s potatoes have been planted, which is ahead of the 3 percent average at this time of year.
Minnesota – The state’s potato growers have 19 percent of the crop planted, which is well ahead of last year’s 1 percent at this time of the year and slightly ahead of the five-year average, which is 12 percent.
Colorado – Potatoes planted outside of the San Luis Valley stands at 15 percent, which is slightly behind last year at this time when it was 21 percent. The five-year average is 23 percent.
Potatoes planted in the San Luis Valley stood at 6 percent last week, which is about where it was last year when it was 7 percent. The five-year average is 14 percent.