WASHINGTON (RFD-TV) — U.S. potato production in 2024 totaled 421 million hundredweight, a 4 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the latest Potatoes Annual Summary from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Harvested area dropped to 927,000 acres, also down 4 percent, while yields slipped to 454 hundredweight per acre, a decrease of four from 2023.
The crop’s total value in 2024 was $4.60 billion, representing an 8 percent decrease from the previous year.
Average prices fell to $11.70 per hundredweight, a decrease of $0.60 from 2023. Growers sold 390 million hundredweight, representing 93 percent of production. Sales included 269 million hundredweight to processors, 99.3 million as table stock, and 20.3 million as seed. Feed use declined sharply to 1.35 million hundredweight, a 14 percent decrease.
Shrinkage and loss declined to 26.2 million hundredweight, while growers kept 4.64 million hundredweight for on-farm use, a 20 percent drop.
Processing use reached 274 million hundredweight, a five-percent decrease from 2023, with the most significant declines in frozen products (down seven percent) and chips (down three percent). Dehydrated products held steady, while canning and other specialty uses rose.
Record ethanol production and improving blending demand continue to support corn usage despite rising short-term inventories.
January 15, 2026 11:47 AM
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Tight beef cow supplies and steady demand point to continued record-level cull cow prices in 2026.
January 15, 2026 11:23 AM
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RFD News correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports from Texas on the ongoing water dispute and its implications for U.S. farmers.
January 14, 2026 12:17 PM
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RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney discusses the latest developments in the Supreme Court, trade tariffs, and the future of the USMCA under President Donald Trump.
January 14, 2026 11:54 AM
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A high-stakes legal case in a South Dakota federal court concerning misleading country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL), such as “Product of the USA,” on food products, will significantly impact U.S. agricultural policy for years to come.
January 14, 2026 09:00 AM
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Agronomy experts explain why standing crop residue protects soil and reduces costs for crop growers, while shredding often yields little benefit at higher costs.
January 14, 2026 08:00 AM
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Freight volatility increasingly determines export margins, making logistics costs as important as price in marketing decisions.
January 14, 2026 06:00 AM
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China’s beef policy risk stems from domestic volatility, making export demand inherently unstable. Jake Charleston with Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on cattle markets, risk management, and producer sentiment.
January 13, 2026 02:13 PM
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USDA flash corn sales, Cattle on Feed and Inventory reports, and beef packer antitrust concerns dominate January agricultural market news.
January 13, 2026 01:53 PM
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