Jack Wallace, co-owner and sales manager of G&D Wallace/Wallace Farms, is extending an invitation to current and future customers to visit the farm in Burlington and find out how generational expertise translates to production of the finest quality potatoes in Washington’s Skagit Valley. “We have been growing potatoes in the Skagit Valley for more than a century, and currently three generations are involved in the business,” Wallace said. “Experience is relevant to producing great results, and we are focused on doing the best possible job for our customers.”

According to the website, 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.”

Information provided by the Washington State Potato Commission reveals that farming operations in the fertile valley include 11 potato growers and four seed producers.

Generations of the Wallace family have been growing premium conventional and organic potatoes in Washington's Skagit Valley for more than a century. Conditions during the production season have been favorable in 2013, and the company expects to market high-quality product to its customers in North America. (Photo courtesy of Wallace Farms)Wallace Farms was founded 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 company grows and markets conventional red, white, gold and purple potatoes as well as organic red and russet potatoes.

Wallace has been walking the fields and is pleased with the condition of this year’s potato crop. “I have been out taking samples in the field and can report that the crop looks great,” he said. “The reds have a nice shine and a deep red color, and the whites and golds are very bright and clean.”

Wallace Farms was able to begin planting much earlier this year due to dry weather in May. Wallace said the summer has been mild, and growing conditions have been good. “The weather has not been a factor this summer except that we have had to irrigate more than usual — which adds to our costs of production. The dry summer will probably result in a decrease in tonnage from Skagit Valley. But quality should be even better than usual.”

The harvest is expected to ramp up around Sept. 3. “Although our potatoes may be ready sooner, we like to wait long enough for good skin set so that our product has better shelf life and so that we have a steady supply for our customers,” he went on to say.

Although the company’s acreage has remained unchanged this season, Wallace said, “We always try a few new varieties, and we adjust the allocation between varieties to take care of our customers’ needs.”

The harvest will finish around Thanksgiving. “We usually have a few whites in the ground even after Thanksgiving that we use to supply our customers with field-fresh whites,” Wallace commented. “We will continue to sell potatoes from storage after harvest ends until April.”

Potatoes are marketed under the “Samish River” and “Skagit Meadows” brands to retailers, wholesalers and foodservice customers throughout North America. “We do pack in our customers’ private-label bags and cartons,” Wallace added. “We can simultaneously fill six carton labels at once through our automated system.”

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 that are excellent for displays.

Looking at the export side of business, Wallace said product movement into Canada is strong. “The Canadian market is important to us, and we work very hard to provide the quality and sizes that they require,” he commented. “We belong to the CPMA. It seems that the strength and timing of our Canadian export business is closely tied to their local supply. Our Canadian business picks up when they begin to finish with their local product.”

The Wallace family recognizes the importance of fine-tuning operations to stay abreast of the latest technological developments. “My brother, Norm Wallace, is our technology wizard, and he is always making changes to our line,” Wallace explained. “One of the benefits of longevity in this business is that your first attempt at anything can always be improved. It is only through years of refinement that problems are resolved. Each year we evaluate our operation and work on improvement.”

To illustrate, Wallace said the company has automated its process for handling and filling reusable plastic containers to make the process more efficient while, at the same time, reduce bruising. “Our automatic fillers raise the RPCs so that drop is minimized,” he noted. “We also made other changes throughout our operation to eliminate mechanical damage. These improvements make a difference to our customers because they enhance the shelf life of our product.”

Food-safety considerations are equally important. “We take food safety seriously because it matters to our customers,” Wallace said. “We devote enormous resources to ensure that our potatoes are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in accordance with the latest food safety procedures and practices. Because all of the potatoes sold under our brands are actually grown and packed by Wallace Farms, we are able to credibly guarantee the safety of our product — unlike many farms or commercial packinghouses that sell product sourced through brokers and grown by several different growers, or that outsource crucial activities such as chemical applications. Wallace Farms is a farm in the traditional sense in that we maintain direct control of all of our potato fields from planting through harvest.”

The company’s packinghouse, harvest crew and all potato fields are managed according to strict food-safety standards developed under the Global Food Safety Initiative and certified by PrimusLabs under its PrimusGFS audit scheme. “All of our fields are inspected and meet the strict certification requirements.”