Dry conditions brought an early close to Michigan's 2025 potato harvest in October, with growers wrapping up fieldwork just before rainfall arrived.
At Walther Farms' Three Rivers operation, harvest concluded on October 20. "We did face a little bit of heat stress during the late season, which can cause quality issues," said Megan VandeGiessen. "However, we haven't seen any so far, which we're grateful for."
She added that field and storage conditions were generally favorable at the end of the season. "Harvest wrapped up on October 20th. Our average yields from the 2025 crop and initial storage quality looked great, and it was overall a great season in Southwest Michigan."
Walther Farms, a Michigan-based third-generation family business, produces commercial and seed potatoes across about 7,280 hectares in the U.S.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, nearly 60 per cent of Michigan remains under drought conditions despite recent rains, though dry conditions eased by around 10 per cent over the past week.
Source: Brownfield