The Wisconsin Russet potato storage supply will likely finish up the first week in August and then transition to harvesting new crop potatoes in the state. "Our current stocks are comparable to last year at this time," says Christine Lindner, Alsum Farms & Produce Marketing Manager.
"The tight supply of new crop red potatoes available on the market has caused a red-hot market," says Lindner.
On storage crop Russets, along with Wisconsin, Idaho, Washington, and Colorado are all shipping those along with yellow potatoes while new crop red potatoes are shipping out of Florida and California.
As for potato demand, it's steady heading into summer. "Prices are well below last year at this time for the Russet potato category and the yellow potato category. The tight supply of new crop red potatoes available on the market has caused a red-hot market," says Lindner.
Promotable potatoes
That said, eyes are already turned to quality new crop potatoes which will begin shipping from Wisconsin by late next month at competitive prices. "That will allow retailers to run promotions on new crop potatoes during the latter half of the summer months and into fall," says Lindner.
As she notes, growing consistent quality crops can be challenging while contending with weather conditions, from flooding to drought, all of which influence the growing season and drive the marketing year ahead. "The past month we've experienced more rains that led to flooding and loss of acres due to the excessive rains," says Lindner. "This is drastically different as last summer we were in a drought and had to use our irrigation system for most of the summer growing season. Despite the rains this season, our stands are looking good as well as the plant growth. We anticipate a good quality crop." 
Last week, Alsum Farms and the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center hosted more than 80 farmers, and educational and industry leaders at its Arena farm for a Farmer-Led Field Day on managing pollinator habitats.
Looking ahead, Alsum Farms has planted nearly 3,000 acres of Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Certified (a program the grower was a founding member of) Russet, red and yellow potatoes between its two farming locations in Arena and Grand Marsh, Wisconsin. (Its farms' potato supplies are about 50 percent of the potato volume it markets annually.)
Increase in yellow plantings
Planting of the new crop began on April 10th and finished on May 17th. "Our total acres for 2024 are nearly the same as last year. We have cut back on our red potato acres and increased our yellow potato acres," says Lindner.
The grower has also dedicated 50 acres to prairie restoration and pollinator habitat to cultivate a sustainably grown food supply.
Test digs at its farms on Russet and yellow potato varieties are indicating a promising year. "It's still a little early to tell on yields and size profile but our early yellow varieties are sizing up well," she says. "Wisconsin potato harvest of yellow and red potatoes is poised to begin the last week of July and Wisconsin Russet potatoes are on track to begin harvest the week of August 12th."
Meanwhile, Alsum Farms is continuing with its work in sustainability practices which it has done for almost three decades. Last week, it and the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center hosted more than 80 farmers, and educational and industry leaders at its Arena farm for a Farmer-Led Field Day on managing pollinator habitats. It has also dedicated 50 acres to prairie restoration and pollinator habitat to cultivate a sustainably grown food supply.
For more information:
Christine Lindner
Alsum Farms & Produce
Tel: +1 (920) 348-6774
[email protected]
www.alsum.com