| PROJECT SUMMARY |
| Idaho potato growers face a tremendous financial risk with the cost of raising potatoes at $1,500-$2,500/ac. In addition to traditional risk management tools, such as pre-season contracts and crop insurance, growers also apply “insurance” inputs as a form of risk management. But by increasing the cost of production, often without an offsetting increase in returns, this strategy increases their financial risk. A recent study has shown a net benefit (~$100/a) to growers striving for maximum economic yield, through field specific management, when compared to growers following the more traditional yield maximizing practices. The objectives of this project were to promote maximum economic yield using written/web publications, three workshops, and one-on-one consulting with interested growers to evaluate their potato production operation economics. Over 100,000 potato acres were represented by 101 growers attending the workshops, with 33 making a strategic plan and 63 making substantive changes in their risk management strategies. |
| NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 101 |
| TOPICS COVERED |
| Product and enterprise diversification |
| Financial records, analysis, and bench-marking |
| Understanding of economic risks associated with new production technologies |
