Davidson, Coryn Marie, authorThilmany, Dawn, advisorHill, Rebecca, committee memberKomarek, Tim, committee member2025-09-012025-09-012025https://hdl.handle.net/10217/241731https://doi.org/10.25675/3.02051The potato industry plays an important role in Colorado's economy, with the San Luis Valley as the leading production region in the state. The first paper in this thesis will share a 2022 baseline economic contribution analysis of Colorado's potato industry at both the San Luis Valley (SLV) regional and state levels, highlighting employment, labor income, and overall economic activity. To explore how various strategic changes that might be considered within potato supply chains may affect economic activity, the second paper will examine potential value-added market scenarios. Catalyzed by changes in consumer demand emerging in market trends, the first market scenario will model how changes to decrease potato packaging size could change how the potato industry contributes to the SLV regional economy. The second market scenario takes a relatively small niche of the potato industry, organic supply chains, and increases its relative production in the SLV region. Although the organic potato sector makes up only 3% of the potato production in Colorado, the aim of this analysis is to understand what implications would result from increasing the share of organic potato production. By assessing both scenarios, the paper will provide insights into how value-added potato production could shape the future economic contribution of Colorado's potato industry. The results of the 2022 baseline economic contribution analysis show that potato farming in Colorado supported over 3,100 jobs and created $165 million in economic activity. The San Luis Valley region had a total economic output of $328 million and supports over 2,200 jobs through the potato farming industry. The value-added market scenarios also produced positive outcomes. The results showed that increasing the market share of small packages of potatoes increased the farm-gate value of production, employment, and the economic output of the potato industry. Finally, the analysis results from increasing organic potato production show a positive effect on the SLV economy, despite yield loss. Although these scenarios represent estimates of various strategies being considered by potato producers, they provide guidance to sector leadership on how such initiatives more broadly impact regional economic activity.born digitalmasters thesesengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.economic contribution analysisrural developmentvalue-added agriculturepotatoesagricultureSan Luis ValleyText