“The unknown of the tariff issues, of course are leading the charge in what could be a challenge for us,” Luks said. “One of our largest export markets is Canada, with Mexico being close behind. These are our two neighbors being targeted by the administration for these tariffs, so if agricultural products fall in the cross hairs, our growers will feel that.”

Weather is another issue. For instance, last season started out great, but then about midway through the season just prior to harvest, growers began to lose stands of potatoes due to an intense drought that settled on the Southeast. Just after that, growers experienced an inundation of rain, which was too much, too late.

“Weather dictates everything, and it’s the biggest factor effecting crop success or crop failure,” Luks said. “Farmers know how to plant, they know how to irrigate, they know how to fertilize. Weather is the one thing we cannot buy more or less of to help the crop. We can only address the immediate needs of our potatoes and thus work in a microscale.”

Currently, North Carolina potato growers are working closely with the NC State Potato Breeding programs led by Dr. Craig Yencho and Mark Clough, to develop tougher, more disease resistant and climate hardy strains of red and white potatoes.

“Their research works in conjunction with research conducted throughout the country’s major potato producing states, to develop, tweak and test crosses that have genetic traits that are desirable for our growing conditions,” Luks said. “The breeding program is vital to being ahead of the changes in the climate, disease resistance and emerging pathogens that can affect our crops. These trials are conducted on various growers’ farms and have been integral to producing scientific data that allows researchers to breed potatoes for specific traits.”

For 2025, so far, North Carolina growers have planted 100 percent of their normal acreage, the stands are growing and are looking great.

Still, as veteran grower Reuben James stated during the recent 95th Annual Meeting of the NC Potato Association, “you don’t always know what’s coming and you don’t always want what you wish for.”

“He made these remarks in giving a crop report on his year so far, stating the weather has been cooperative and rain has been adequate, so moving forward he and other growers are starting out hopeful,” Luks said. “However, it pays to be cautious and calculated, as in the end, we have no control over the season, as seen last year. 2025 has gone ahead planting full acreage again with potatoes, rolling the dice to hopefully come out with a better story than last season.”