National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says potato growers are still trying to determine how much support they may receive from the administration’s newly announced $1 billion allocation for specialty crops. Quarles said growers nationwide are dealing with steep financial strain from trade issues, rising labor costs, and weakening demand from major buyers. “When you look at just the potato industry and what we’re facing in this economic crisis, the estimates are roughly half a billion dollars in grower losses just in the Russet variety. That would consume half of that billion dollars with just one variety of potatoes and when you spread that out across all of the various specialty crops, there’s just a much greater need than the $1 billion provides.” Quarles said industry groups are working with USDA and Congress to secure additional aid.
