Washington potato farmers report shortage of truck drivers

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – Potato famers in rural northwestern Washington say they don’t have enough truck drivers to deliver their products out of state.

The Skagit Valley Herald reported a shortage of truck drivers is causing farmers to lose sales during the peak of their shipping season.

The shortage is in part caused by commercial truck drivers on strike over a new federal law. The law that goes into effect in December requires drivers to use an electronic device to automatically log miles driven.

Farmers say drivers are also scarce because many are delivering supplies to communities in Texas and Florida that were damaged by recent hurricanes.

Statistics by the Washington State University Skagit County Extension show the rural county grows potatoes on 12,000 acres and it is the area’s most lucrative crop.