Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 POTATO GROWER 5 Seed and chipping potatoes in the area have also suffered damage. Bruce Huffaker of North American Potato Market News estimated on August 3rd that as many as 13,000 acres (fresh, seed and chipping com- bined) have been lost in North Dakota and 1,500 in neighboring northwest Minnesota. Counties hardest hit in North Dakota are Pembina and Walsh. Lesser damage has been reported in Minnesota counties Kittson and Polk. Losses to the Red River Valley fresh crop could be close to 1.8 million hundredweight which will likely set an unwanted record. Supplies should be adequate the first half of the shipping season, but look for many wash plants to wrap up much earlier than normal in the spring. Prices for red potatoes should be higher this year because of the short crop, but that won’t come close to compensating the heavy losses taken by some grower. On a brighter note, potato fields south of Grand Forks and outside the imme- diate Red River Valley appear to be in much better shape. Hammer-Lok Steel Building Systems | 44434 Harvest Ave. • Perham, MN 56573 | 1-844-203-4565 | www.hammer-lok.com Full service Design Build General Contractor for all your produce storage needs. High winds toppled a large tree onto this hail shredded potato field near Crystal, North Dakota.