Washington Potato Industry Votes To Continue Marketing Order

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that potato producers in Washington voted to continue their federal marketing order program. The Washington potato marketing order provides authority for grade, size, quality, maturity and container regulations. The State of Washington Potato Committee locally administers the marketing order.

The continuation of the marketing order was favored by 86 percent of potato producers voting in the referendum, representing 88 percent of the volume produced by those voting in a referendum held from June 9, 2017 through June 23, 2017.

The marketing order requires USDA to conduct a continuance referendum every six years. In order for the program to continue, potato producers in Washington had to approve the marketing order by either two-thirds of the producers voting in the referendum or by those representing at least two-thirds of the volume of potatoes produced by those voting in the referendum.

To participate in the referendum, producers must have produced potatoes in Washington from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.

USDA would have considered terminating the marketing order if continuance was not favored by a two-thirds majority of voting producers or a two-thirds majority of the volume of potatoes represented in the referendum.

More information about the marketing order for Irish potatoes grown in Washington is on the 946 Washington Potatoes page on the AMS website.