Johnson Agriprises in Washington: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Johnson Agriprises is a family potato operation at Connell, in Adams County, in Washington's Columbia Basin. A 2012 Potato Grower profile described a fourth-generation farm that settled the area in 1906 and was growing 2,200 acres of potatoes, mostly for the Lamb Weston plant at Connell.
| Location | Connell, Adams County, Washington (mailing address Othello) |
|---|---|
| Founded | Family settled in the area in 1906 |
| Sectors | Potatoes (processing and organic fresh), wheat, seed peas, bluegrass |
| Scale | 2,200 acres of potatoes, per a June 2012 profile |
| Why it is elite | Large Columbia Basin potato grower with four generations on the land |
| Ownership | Johnson family; Nick Johnson with his father and uncle at the time of the profile |
| Official website | Potato Grower magazine profile, June 2012 |
History of Johnson Agriprises
The family settled near Connell in 1906, and Nick Johnson's grandfather began growing potatoes in the late 1960s. By 2012 Nick, a fourth-generation grower, ran the operation with his father Gavin and his uncle Orman, and his young daughter was counted as the fifth generation.
This history comes from a 2012 trade profile, so acreage and varieties may have changed. Readers should confirm current details directly.
What Johnson Agriprises Grows and Raises
About 90% of the potatoes went to the Lamb Weston plant in Connell, with varieties such as Russet Burbank, Ranger and Umatilla. The remaining 10%, grown organically, went to the fresh market, including Russet Norkotah, Yukon Gem and Rodeo. Rotation crops included wheat, seed peas and bluegrass, and organic side crops included onions, asparagus and mint.
All fields were under center pivot irrigation. Fields were scouted three to four times a week for late blight and other pests, and the farm employed 12 full-time workers. Planting began at the end of March, and harvest began in late August for colored varieties and mid-September for the others, timed to the processor's requests.
How Johnson Agriprises Makes Money
Processing potatoes
Most potatoes are delivered to a nearby processing plant, which fits the farm's harvest schedule to the processor's needs.
Organic fresh potatoes
A smaller organic block sold to the fresh market gives a higher-value channel for about one tenth of production.
Rotation crops
Wheat, seed peas, bluegrass and organic onions, asparagus and mint add income and help manage soil disease between potato crops.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Johnson Agriprises
First, a strong processor relationship can anchor a farm, with harvest timing built around buyer needs.
Second, a small organic block can test a premium market without risking the whole farm. Third, close scouting and rotation protect potato quality, which is where the margin depends most.
In farm satire, the potato is the humble hero, and 2,200 acres of it in the Columbia Basin is a lot of heroism. At farm.FM we file center pivots under farm humor because watching a mini-circle built from leftover parts is peak farm ingenuity. Ranch humor needs cattle, but potato country's farm jokes about late blight scouting are written with deep respect.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
How to Contact Johnson Agriprises
Website: https://www.potatogrower.com/2012/06/a-century-in-the-columbia
No official website, address or phone was found in public sources, so none is listed. This profile is from 2012, so confirm current details through WSU Extension in Adams County or the Washington State Potato Commission.
Johnson Agriprises Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Potato Grower profile - A Century in the Columbia Basin
- Potato Grower on Washington potato investment - Costs and risks of growing potatoes in Washington
- WSU Extension agriculture - Potatoes, irrigation and soil guidance
- WSDA agriculture snapshot - Washington potato and commodity values
- NASS Washington Census release - 2022 Census of Agriculture results
Johnson Agriprises FAQ
Where is Johnson Agriprises?
It is at Connell in Adams County, in Washington's Columbia Basin.
What does Johnson Agriprises grow?
Mainly potatoes, with wheat, seed peas and bluegrass in rotation.
How many acres of potatoes did it grow?
A 2012 profile reported 2,200 acres of potatoes.
How can I contact Johnson Agriprises?
No public contact was found, so use WSU Extension or the state potato commission.
Johnson Agriprises shows how a Columbia Basin family built a large potato business around a processor and careful rotation. Read the Washington farms guide for more on the state.