The Washington Potato Commission has formally urged the USDA Agricultural Research Service to prioritise filling vacant positions at its potato breeding programme in Aberdeen, warning that prolonged understaffing is placing years of varietal development at risk.

In a letter sent on December 15 to ARS Administrator Joon Park, the commission highlighted that only two of the programme’s 12 positions are currently filled. The Aberdeen unit is a cornerstone of potato variety development for the Tri-State region, serving growers in Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

“We’re really stressing that we need to fill these positions and get those facilities and individuals to be able to do their jobs as best as they possibly can,” said Geordy Bryant Greene, director of government affairs for the Washington Potato Commission.

The commission’s letter underlines the operational strain caused by staff shortages following recent hiring freezes and budget cuts. “That reality is taking a toll,” the letter states, pointing to the reliance of the breeding pipeline on experienced technicians responsible for daily trial management and the movement of plant material through the system.

“The breeding pipeline depends on experienced technicians who handle the day-to-day work that keep trials on track and materials moving through the system,” the letter continues. “When those positions sit empty – especially after the freezes and budget cuts of the last year – the strain on the remaining team becomes unsustainable. More importantly, years of breeding progress can be put at risk.”

According to the commission, the impact of any slowdown in Aberdeen extends well beyond the research station itself. Advancing new potato varieties is described as “fundamental to the long-term competitiveness of the Tri-State potato industry,” with direct implications for disease resistance, agronomic performance and market alignment.

“For Washington growers, strong research out of Aberdeen isn’t an abstract benefit,” the letter states. “New varieties, better disease resistance and improved agronomic traits directly affect our ability to meet market demand and stay competitive.”

The commission warns that growers in the Columbia Basin, a major production area, are particularly exposed to delays in varietal development as environmental pressures and market requirements continue to evolve.

“We respectfully ask that ARS make restoring the Aberdeen team a priority,” the letter concludes, framing the issue as both an immediate operational concern and a long-term strategic risk for the US potato sector.