See why potato farmers are destroying millions of potatoes

Trade war with China. Not CoVid.

Did you watch the video?

No, .gov shut down the restaurants and 55% of the destined potatoes had no where to go but into a hole.

This .gov shutdown has set back the economy for you, me, our children and grandchildren.

Grow your own potatoes.

This should never happen in the USA. Not to that degree. Not when we are crisis mode. Someone at the Dept of Agrculture should coordinate with others so large lots are processed and dehydrated rather than just wasted.

There were issues duringthe Dust Bowl where livestock was going to die and no one acted in time. It's criminal to waste food.

It would be smarter for the government to buy resources and then collectively sell them, thus farmers have a guaranteed buyer, and make a profit, while the US government can then process them and use them for the military, school lunch program, the poor, etc.

Continuing to act like everything will work out, when we have the pandemic and trade wars, is nuts.

I'm assuming it's because so many of their potatoes go to restaurants and school cafeterias where most end up left uneaten anyway. So probably not so big a loss as it seems.

It's probably the tip of the iceberg. Historically the US government had a commodity program and during late sixties and seventies, food was processed like pork into a shredded canned kind and the poor could receive it. That is way smarter than EBT cards and far more frugal.

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Imagine if we were at war and thus happened?

There was quite a few times during the lockdowns that our locals grocery stores had no potatoes among the many other things that just disappeared. So if they were/are just throwing them in hole, it's not because of supply and demand.

Seeing stores here in NE Ohio with crazy sales and the products aren't coming back because the stores don't have anymore coming in, none.

Seems like the crazy times are just starting

It's not hard to see that most businesses are operating at 25% to 75% of their once revenues. Between alienating customers with masks, and not getting enough people through the door due to Covid limitations, it's not hard to see this country will implode if this nonsense continues.

Agriculture is not the only issue. The supply chain, is not the only issue.

Businesses which could barely survive on revenues prior, have much less to work on today. The collapse IS in progress make no mistake. It's only through the trillions released to everyone with a pulse, they can keep it propped up. It will be, temporary of course.

Didn't watch video yet but how could this be when potatoes aren't even utilized once harvested. They aren't usually harvested this time of year either. Potatoes go into a shed and sit for over a year before being shipped. The sheds are primarily in the eastern part of Idaho. Potatoes from last year are ready to be shipped. Same with onions. Harvest time isn't until Sept-Oct.

Turn me into vodka. Oh I forgot it’s a satanic waste ritual

and for apartment dwellers.. I suppose you mean in a flower pot?

It's moronic to just pile them up as that will create a terrible insect and vermin issue.

That doesn't make sense. Even if we're not eating at restaurants we're still eating somewhere, so those potatoes are still needed.

And if they're destroying them then there is or will be a shortage.

Probably canceled contracts for those being stored from last year. No customers to buy them.

Covid killed the economy.

A 5-gallon bucket works great.



Won't embed, here's the link. This guy is great!

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They can be grown in a garbage bag.

Potatoes can't be kept for an extended period of time. They do break down. It all depends on the type of potato, such as red (table eating), white (potato chips), russet (restaurants - french fries), that was grown.

In my area, I know of some farmers that lost their russet crop due to restaurants being shut down. They weren't able to sell them, no buyers. Those who planted reds and whites seem to have done okay.

I could answer that question with a phone call on Monday. Anyone could. I think its worth an extra 5 minutes to see. Dont you?

ONLY because citizens of this country refused to wear masks, stay home, and social distance. FREEDOM, you know. Well, don't complain! You've got your freedom AND a destroyed economy to boot.

Heck, even during the flu epidemic of 1918 people wore masks!

Communism. None of the above.

I have dried potatoes sealed in mylar bags/ 5 gal buckets since 2012 failed doom are still good, we ate some few weeks ago. Well, still expensive and complicated for farmers to buy processing machinery.

They had commies here in 1918? Get me a time machine, stat!

Nice video thank you

If only Clarence Birdseye had invented freezing, the potatoes might have been cut into french fries and saved!

If dehydration were a preserving method there'd be boxes of instant potatoes now, alas.

Fine then, just chuck them into a hole, don't even think of using them for feed stock for pigs or compost heaps.