Washington’s Skagit Valley is a breath-taking location and home to significant agricultural production. According to www.visitskagitvalley.com, “The Skagit Maritime Valley has over 93,000 acres of active farmland. The Skagit River comprises the third-largest watershed on the West Coast of the continental United States with a delta graced by working farms and wildlife refuges. The Skagit Flats is one of the most popular areas for birding in Washington state.

“The valley’s culture is rich Jack Wallace’s daughters, Maria and Gina, are proud of their family’s heritage in the Skagit Valley. (Photo courtesy of G&D Wallace/Wallace Farms)in farming, fishing, nature and art. Culture is a word that comes out of cultivation, turning the soil over … turning and returning. Experience the culture and beauty of one of the last authentic open space farming valleys in Washington state and the West Coast.”

Farmers who grow potatoes in the valley are able to take advantage of the area’s unique features.

Ryan Holterhoff, director of marketing and industry affairs for the Washington State Potato Commission in Moses Lake, WA, told The Produce News Aug. 10, “The mild marine climate and rich soil create perfect conditions for red, white and yellow potatoes.”

According to Mr. Holterhoff, the valley is home to 11 growers and four seed producers. Approximately 10,000 acres are planted for potato production, with 8,000 of these for fresh potatoes and the balance for seed production. “Last year’s yield for fresh was approximately 390 hundredweight per acre,” Mr. Holterhoff said.

One of the valley’s producers is G&D Wallace/Wallace Farms. The Wallace family has been growing potatoes in the Skagit Valley since 1903 after emigrating from Ireland. The current company was founded in the 1950s by brothers George and Dick Wallace, who farmed the same land farmed by their father, Robert Wallace, and their uncles, George and Tom Wallace.

Today the legacy of Wallace Farms, located in Burlington, WA, is carried forward by co-owners George Wallace and his sons, Jack and Norm, and by Dick Wallace’s son, Tim. The company grows and markets conventional red, white, gold and purple potatoes as well as organic red and russet potatoes.

Jack Wallace spoke with The Produce News Aug. 8 and provided some insight about potato production in the Skagit Valley and the outlook for the current season. “The only thing we know for sure is that every season is different, and it rarely turns out the way we anticipate,” he said.

Weather is always a factor for the coastal area. “Once again, we had a challenging spring with lots of cool, wet weather that delayed planting for some of the crop,” Mr. Wallace said. “This season, we will get started on time — just after Labor Day. But we will have a portion of our crop that will be late. Much of Skagit Valley’s potato acreage was planted late and, although the crop looks good due to a nice growing season, the overall tonnage harvested may fall short unless we have an ideal fall for harvesting late fields.”

The unique climate and rich soil give potatoes grown in the Skagit Valley their characteristic qualities. The potatoes vary in color from pure white to cherry red, and potato skins are remarkably smooth.

The company’s production acreage is relatively unchanged from 2011. “We are making some changes to our plant this summer to enhance efficiency and to improve potato handling,” Mr. Wallace added. “It seems that we always have changes to make to address issues that came up during the prior season. We do not anticipate any major changes to our markets.”

Packinglines and field equipment are fine-tuned each summer to produce the best possible packs. “We are very responsive to our customers’ needs, and we can act rapidly to fill a request,” Mr. Wallace commented. “Our customers expect the best, and we work very hard to deliver just that.”

Wallace Farms markets its potatoes under the “Samish River” and “Skagit Meadows” brands to retailers, wholesalers and foodservice providers throughout North America. Some product is also exported to the Pacific Rim.

Customers can take advantage of a full range of packing options to meet their needs. These include three-, five-, 10-, 15- and 20-pound poly bags and one- to three-pound mesh bags.

Additionally, Wallace Farms offers 50-pound master containers and high-graphics cartons which are excellent for displays.

The company is third-party audited to ensure the highest level of food-safety practices and is fully compliant with the Produce Traceability Initiative.