Of the five top potato producing states, only Washington has all of the ideal conditions to produce good Russet potatoes. Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, knows a thing about potato growers in the state. Because of this he received the “Potato Legislator of the Year” honor by the Washington Potato and Onion Association and the Washington Potato Commission.

Sheldon, chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee, understands the great value of the potato industry in our state. Washington produces approximately 4,403,000 tons of potatoes annually, and the industry employs thousands of people.

“Our state has 300 potato growers who produce 20 percent of the world’s potatoes,” Sheldon said. “I believe in the importance of nurturing an industry with tremendous value to our economy such as this. It really puts our state on the map in terms of volume and quality of potatoes grown and processed throughout Washington each year.”.