Insect Pest Management
The most important insect pest problems for western Oregon and Washington organic potato farmers are flea beetle and wireworm, both of which damage tubers and reduce quality and yield. Potato and tuber flea beetles are a very significant problem in this region of the US. Wireworm is typically only a problem when potatoes are grown in fields with a history of long term sod. However, new wireworm species are moving into the PNW from Canada, so wireworm may become more of a problem in the future.