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Spud Nation report estimates potato is $100+ billion industry

The National Potato Council’s first nationwide industry economic report finds the supply chain contributes more than $100 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

Washington state farmer and 2022 President Jared Balcom says the results were surprising.

“We knew we were significant, but it came in higher than what we anticipated which was a good thing,” he says.

CEO Kam Quarles says the analysis is the most rigorous national and international study that’s been conducted.

“The tremendous efforts of America’s potato growers are benefiting this economy in a substantial way and it’s putting people to work across the country,” he says.

On-farm activity and agribusiness services make up about 10 percent or nearly $11 billion of the total economic contribution of the potato supply chain.

The analysis was conducted with 2021 data by economists at Michigan State University.