North American Potato Production Slips as Acreage Declines

Higher yields are cushioning lower acreage, but reduced production could support firmer potato prices into 2026.

Carol_Ann_Sayle_05_27_16_USA_TX_Boggy_Creek_Farm_001.jpg red potatoes in a basket

FarmHER, Inc.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — North American potato production edged lower in 2025, reflecting reduced acreage and uneven yields across major producing countries. According to a new report (PDF Version) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), combined U.S. and Canadian potato production totaled 538 million hundredweight, down 2 percent from 2024.

U.S. potato output was estimated at 412 million hundredweight, also down 2 percent year over year, driven largely by a sharp reduction in planted and harvested acres. Harvested U.S. potato acreage fell to about 895,000 acres, the lowest in a decade, even as average yields climbed to a record 461 hundredweight per acre, helping limit the production decline.

In Canada, potato production dipped 1 percent to 126 million hundredweight, as higher acreage was offset by lower yields. Mexico moved in the opposite direction, with 2024 potato production rising 7 percent to 46.8 million hundredweight, supported by steady acreage and improving yields.

Across North America, total potato acreage declined in 2025, while productivity gains helped stabilize supplies. Price data for 2025 remain incomplete, but earlier years show elevated values following tighter supplies.

The top three U.S. potato-producing states include Idaho, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Idaho, by far the largest producer, typically accounts for about one-third of total U.S. potato production. Idaho leads in both acreage and total output, driven by irrigated production and processing demand. Washington is the second-largest producer, with strong yields and a heavy focus on processing potatoes (frozen fries, dehydrated products). Ranking third is Wisconsin, supplying both fresh and processing markets, particularly in the Upper Midwest.

Related Stories
Strong corn exports offer support, while soybeans and wheat remain weighed down by ample global supplies, according to the USDA’s latest WASDE report for February.
Higher livestock prices reflect resilient demand, even as disease and herd shifts reshape 2026 supply expectations.
Kevin Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance discusses the importance of grain bin safety and joint efforts with Nationwide to provide farmers and first responders with access to critical, life-saving rescue tubes.
A transition from traditional, technology-specific subsidies toward a performance-based, technology-neutral framework
Producers across the country spent the week balancing spring planning with tight margins and uneven moisture outlooks. Input purchasing stayed cautious, while marketing and cash-flow decisions remained front and center for many operations.
Rebuilding domestic textiles depends on automation and vertical integration, not tariffs or legacy manufacturing models.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Tight global supply is likely to keep fuel and fertilizer costs elevated.
Improving dairy prices could support stronger milk checks later this year.
Smaller beekeepers may find opportunities despite ongoing colony health challenges.
Technology returns depend on management, not just adoption.
The sugar policy debate affects prices, trade, and farm stability.
Strong feedlot demand keeps beef-on-dairy calf premiums elevated.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.