The President of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association has indicated a reduction in vegetable crop acreage within the state, attributing the decrease to lower demand influenced by imported canned vegetables. According to Tamas Houlihan, this shift is leading to a notable decline in farmer income, with reductions in acreage and price ranging from ten to twenty percent. The situation is compounded by the full warehouses of vegetable canners and the increased cost of tin-plate steel, a consequence of tariffs that disproportionately benefit foreign canners. Houlihan noted, "When you look at a can of corn, one-third of the price you're paying is for that steel can."
Adjustments in crop rotation practices are being made, with some growers transitioning from a four-year to a three-year rotation, favoring potato cultivation. This change is driven by the relative profitability of potatoes over the past decade. However, the industry faces challenges with potato overproduction, not only in Wisconsin but also in Idaho. The vegetable market is further impacted by a decline in canned goods consumption following the COVID pandemic.
Source: brownfieldagnews.com