IDAHO FALLS — Officials with two large fresh potato packing operations in Eastern Idaho say they’re working to increase their product offerings in the growing organic category.

Wada Farms, based in Pingree, intends to make its first organic spud shipments during the work week beginning Oct. 26. Idaho Falls-based Potandon Produce is exploring options to grow its overall organic supply base, said Ralph Schwartz, vice president of sales, marketing and innovation.

Schwartz said his company started supplying organic spuds about five years ago and has seen steady growth of about 2.5 percent per year. Last year, Potandon created its own organic label, featuring 3-pound bags of russets, reds and yellows.

Schwartz said Potandon contracts for organic spuds with established organic growers in Washington, Colorado and Wisconsin.

“We anticipate (organic) to continue to grow,” Schwartz said. “I think it is here to stay. A lot of the younger generation, they pay attention to what they consume and what they put into their bodies.”

Wada Farms planted its first organic spud crop this spring and recently harvested 100 combined acres of certified organic russets, reds and golds in Eastern Idaho, said Kevin Stanger, vice president of sales and marketing. Stanger said Wada had a good first organic crop, with yields roughly 60 percent of conventional spuds. Wada intends to increase to 150 to 200 organic acres next season, Stanger said.

“We’re trying to diversify our risk in the marketplace from growing 100 percent conventional Russet Burbanks,” Stanger said.

Stanger said the addition of organic spuds is also aimed at improving customer convenience. “We had a lot of customers who would always ask us, ‘Hey, do you do organics?’ And it’s not like they need a truckload, just a pallet here and there,” Stanger said.

Stanger said Wada used a lot of manual weed control in its organic acreage, hiring about 20 Shoshone-Bannock Tribal members to aid in roguing fields. Growing organic potatoes also necessitates that Wada raise organic rotation crops in years in which spuds aren’t planted.

To meet USDA organic certification, producers must use only organic-approved products on their fields for three years, among other requirements. Shilo Murdoch, a farm manager with Wada, said his company has leased ground that had been left fallow in recent years and improved irrigation systems for organic production. In addition to the current organic spud crop, Murdoch said Wada planted some wheat for organic flour and mustard as a cover crop, due to mustard’s ability to act as a natural fumigant in lieu of chemicals that can’t be used in organic production. The wheat and mustard fields will be planted in organic spuds next season.

“We probably don’t have a large enough land base for our organic program right now,” Murdoch said. “We’re going to be looking for some more ground.”