Meet Washington Potato Farmer Shelley Olsen

“We’re so much more efficient, and we can do more with less,” she said. “The goal is to produce the best possible product with minimal strain on resources.”

‘Agriculture Is a Way of Life’: Shelley Olsen Shares Need for More Growers in Potato Industry

Shelley Olsen has been farming since the 1980s when she and her husband Chris teamed up with her in-laws in Othello, Washington. But agriculture was in her blood long before that.

“My parents were both in agriculture, and my grandparents were farmers and ranchers on one side and did logging on the other side,” she said.

Today, Shelley and her family grow potatoes for frozen processing.

“We’re currently growing Alturas, Umatillas, Clearwaters, and Rangers,” she said. “We grow whatever the processors ask us to grow, whatever those varieties are.”

For Shelley, agriculture remains a true family affair. Her father-in-law still supports the business at 85. Her two adult sons, Connor and Owen, are also involved in managing the farm. The family recently celebrated a new generation with the arrival of Connor and his wife’s first baby.

Shelley said a lot has changed since she began farming in the 1980s, especially around efficiency.

“We’re so much more efficient, and we can do more with less,” she said. “The goal is to produce the best possible product with minimal strain on resources.”

One challenge facing agriculture in general is what Shelley calls “the depletion of the grower base.”

“There just aren’t a lot of us out there anymore,” she said. “And there aren’t that many of us who have kids who want to come back and farm.”

Meeting the challenge will require more young people who want to live an agricultural lifestyle, Shelley said.

“Agriculture is a way of life, and you have to want to live that way of life,” she said.

Shelley has served on Potatoes USA’s board for eight years, including serving as Chair for the 2024-2025 term. She encourages other potato growers to get involved and have a voice in the industry.

“Being involved gives us the chance to come together and see exactly how our money is being invested in the industry,” she said. “Potatoes USA is incredibly efficient and not afraid to pivot based on market trends. One of their greatest strengths is how quickly they respond. They’re also highly targeted, tailoring efforts to the most receptive audiences to boost potato consumption both in international markets and here at home.”

When it comes to her favorite way to eat potatoes, Shelley is a fan of fries. Outside of the farm and her work with Potatoes USA, she likes to work out, read, and spend time with her grandchild. The best book she read in the past year was “Five Presidents” by former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill.