The Spud Story
Photo Credit: Monika Grabkowska
Potatoes Originated in the Andes
While the exact time is uncertain, between 3000 and 2000 BC the Incas grew potatoes in the Andes Mountains, and, specifically, around the edges of Lake Titicaca.
Grain was a common crop of the time, but did not grow well in the Andean climate.
Potatoes are highly productive and resilient to a variety of climates, which allowed those who resided in the Andes to both grow potatoes in the mountains and also preserve them by leaving them outside at night to freeze (McNeill 1999, 3).
While the potato's resilience was beneficial for crop success, the toxic compounds that prevented attack from microorganisms were also toxic in humans.
Animals native to the Andes would eat clay before eating the potatoes, so that the toxins were absorbed during digestion.
It's believed that those who lived in the Andes also ate potatoes covered in clay, to prevent the effects of the toxins (Mann 2011).
(Photo Credit: Evan Sanchez)
Potatoes were first introduced to North American colonies in 1621 when the governor of Jamestown, Francis Wyatt, received crates of vegetables (including potatoes) from Nathaniel Butler, the governor of Bermuda.
It wasn't until 1719 that the first permanent potato farming areas were planted in North America, specifically in New Hampshire (Potatoes USA 2019).
(Photo Credit: Wikimedia)
Photo Credit: Richie Nolan
Irish Potato Famine
“Peasant as a conceptual or theoretical category is underdeveloped and often misleading, because it does not specify relations and/or conditions of production in the agrarian sector. In short, it is a general category with little or no explanatory power” (Braa 1997, 194)
In the 17th century, English settlement in Ireland displaced Irish "peasants." The "peasants" moved to western Ireland, where the soil was sandy and wet. Potatoes flourished in these conditions, and so Irish "peasants" became heavily dependent on them (Braa 1997, 194).
Around 1820-1830, severe weather caused a decrease in potato production. Then, in 1845, a disease called "blight" came to Ireland from North America and caused a severe decrease in potato production, resulting in Ireland's Great Potato Famine from 1845-1848. To this day, no one knows how the North American "blight" reached Ireland (Braa 1997, 209-210).
(Photo Credit: Wikimedia)
Where are potatoes produced?
(Photo Credit: Richie Nolan)
As a state, Idaho contributes most significantly to American potato production
While Idaho is famous for crops like potatoes, a more surprising finding is that China produces most of the world's potatoes:
"As the largest potato producer in the world, China's MY2017/18 fresh potato production is forecast at 97 million metric tons (MMT), due to an expansion of potato area" (PotatoPro 2018).
China's Four Potato-Growing Regions:
- Northern Single Crop Zone:
Represents half of China's potato-growing area
- Southwestern Mixed Crop Zone:
- Represents 35% of China's potato-growing area
- Central Double Crop Zone:
- Represents 10% of China's potato-growing area
- Winter Crop Zone:
- Represents 5% of China's potato-growing area
(PotatoPro 2018)
(Photo Credit: chuttersnap)
Canada's Two Potato-Growing Regions:
- Prince Edward Island:
- This region accounts for most Canadian potato production and is the oldest Canadian potato-growing region, having begun in 1790.
- Lethbridge, Alberta:
- This region is reminiscent of the Andes Mountains, because the cold temperatures prevent attack from insects and provide melted snow to water the potatoes (Cavendish Farms, 2018).
Labor Mediates Growth and Processing
While potatoes are brought up out of the ground with a mechanical harvester, the weeds that grow around the potatoes must be removed first in order for the harvester to work correctly.
In organic fields, this must be done manually, because no chemicals are used to kill the weeds. This means that people are hired to physically pull weeds from around long rows of potatoes in the heat of the day.
"Organic produce not only has created somewhat healthier conditions for these farmworkers, it has also meant more work. Since the growers cannot use herbicides, weed removal is accomplished by hand. That means workers are hired to remove them, instead of spraying the fields with chemicals" (Bacon 2015).
(Photo Credit: Markus Spiske)
Where are potatoes processed?
(Photo Credit: Rob Mulder)
Simplot is an international agricultural company that has many potato processing locations, including:
- Pocatello, Idaho
- Othello, Washington
- Moses Lake, Washington
Simplot is also in China, likely because they have partnered with McDonald's as the fast-food restaurant's biggest frozen french fry supplier.
"Simplot has diversified and grown into an international agribusiness that grossed $5.8 billion in sales last year. McDonald's remains its largest customer" (Kyle 2016).
(Photo Credit: Sepet)
This is my Dad:)
What potatoes mean to me
In my Commodity Chain Interview, my dad told me that his special dish was hamburger patties and fried potatoes. This meal was significant to him, because he and my grandpa have hunted together for forty years, and haven't missed a Thanksgiving hunt together for the past twenty of those years.
So, when I think of potatoes, I think of Oklahoma (where my dad was born and raised), I think of him and my grandpa sharing special camping traditions, and I now think of how ubiquitous these tubers really are.
Summary map of potato growth, processing, and distribution
References
Bacon, David. "For potato farmers, 'organic' means hard labor." People's World, 8 May 2015, https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/for-potato-farmers-organic-means-hard-labor/ . Accessed 26 November 2019.
Braa, Dean M. “The Great Potato Famine and the Transformation of Irish Peasant Society.” Science & Society, vol. 61, no. 2, 1997, pp. 193-215.
Crops grown in Idaho. Idaho State Department of Agriculture, https://agri.idaho.gov/main/about/about-idaho-agriculture/idaho-crops/ . Accessed 25 November 2019.
“File: Irish Potato Famine Memorial, Cleveland, OH (28692218457).jpg.” Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77954273 . Accessed 25 November 2019.
“File: Virginia map 1606.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1577538 . Accessed 25 November 2019.
Fun Facts About Potatoes. Potatoes USA, 2019, https://www.potatogoodness.com/potato-fun-facts-history/ . Accessed 25 November 2019.
Kyle, Zach. “New McDonald’s french-fry video stars Idaho potato farmer, a Simplot supplier.” Idaho Statesman, 27 November 2016, https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article117450058.html . Accessed 25 November 2019.
“Major Idaho Potato Growing Areas by County.” Idaho Potato, 2019, https://idahopotato.com/uploads/media/17-1004GrowingAreaMap-8.5x11.pdf . Accessed 25 November 2019.
Mann, Charles C. “How the Potato Changed the World: Brought to Europe from the New World by Spanish explorers, the lowly potato gave rise to modern industrial agriculture.” Smithsonian, November 2011, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-potato-changed-the-world-108470605/ . Accessed 25 November 2019.
McNeill, William H. “How the Potato Changed the World’s History.” Social Research, vol. 66, no. 1, 1999, pp. 67-83.
Potato Facts. National Potato Council, 2019, https://www.nationalpotatocouncil.org/potato-facts/ , Accessed 25 November 2019.
PotatoPro. “Potato Production in China to rebound this marketing year.” PotatoPro, 1 January 2018, https://www.potatopro.com/news/2018/potato-production-china-rebound-marketing-year . Accessed 25 November 2019.
“Simplot’s U.S. Operations.” Simplot, 2019, http://www.simplot.com/about/us_operations . Accessed 25 November 2019.
Unsplash. Unsplash, Photos for everyone, 2019, https://unsplash.com/ . Accessed 25 November 2019.
“Where We Grow.” Cavendish Farms, 2018, https://us.cavendishfarms.com/en/our-story/where-we-grow/?region=Lethbridge . Accessed 25 November 2019.
