Idaho's unique environment provides nearly perfect growing conditions for potatoes. The soil, clear clean water, clean air and climate in Idaho make potatoes superior to any potato grown anywhere else.

The potato game has been good to Mark Coombs and his family, and he's been sure to pay back to the industry when and where he can. Coombs is perhaps best known as the face of Idaho potato growers in the Idaho Potato Commission's series of commercials that have run on national television the past three years.

Famous Potatoes The slogan World Famous Potatoes came back in 1953, sans potato, disappeared in '54 and '55, and came back in '56. In 1957 “World” was dropped from the slogan, making it “Famous Potatoes.” That's the slogan that has stuck ever since, though you can buy your way out of it by getting a personalized or specialty plate.

Bingham County Bingham County in eastern Idaho alone produces almost as many potatoes as the entire state of Maine.

Idaho is as well known for its potatoes, trout and precious stones as it is for its unspoiled, rugged landscapes.

“Poor weather during the growing season really decreased volume, and the quality of open storage-shed potatoes didn't hold up,” he noted. With fewer No. 1 potatoes to market, growers turned to processors. “What we saw in June was a lot of processors offering double the price for a dump truck of potatoes,” Russo said.

His name is Dallas Bartholomew. But those in the know call him "Tater Guy." "So I hold a giant potato in the Hog Pen, and it's basically kind of a dedication to Carson Shaddy," Bartholomew said. Shaddy played second base for the Diamond Hogs from 2015-2017.

The potato isn't real, but if it was, it would definitely feed a crowd if you could wait long enough for it to grow. A four ton spud like the one on the giant truck would take 7,000 years to reach maturity. However, it would make 20,217 servings of mashed potatoes or 1,000,000 average size French fries.

It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes. Every single diet I ever fell off of was because of potatoes and gravy of some sort. To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.

Famous Potatoes Vehicle registration plates of Idaho

Major production regions are adjacent to the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho, where water is available for irrigation. Southwest- 7% of the potato acreage - 8% of production. Counties include: Ada, Canyon, Elmore, Owyhee, Payette, Valley.

Located in the heart of the best potato country in Idaho, Sun Valley Potatoes, Inc. is the first Idaho potato farmer Cooperative, and supplies 280,000,000 pounds of Norkotah and Russet Burbank potatoes to the fresh market.