Ashton farmer experiments with mineral oil on crops

An eastern Idaho farmer says he’s experimenting with mineral oil on his potato crops as a cheaper alternative to limit the transmission of diseases spread by aphids.

The Capital Press reports that Clen Atchley sprayed mineral oil over 130 acres over his potato fields in Hawaii earlier this year. He says that he’ll begin using the oil on his fields in Idaho if the crops harbor fewer viruses than his other seed fields.

Atchley added that he spent $5 an acre on the product after talking to experts at a National Potato Council annual meeting over the summer.

Mineral oil use may be new to many states across the United States, but the practice has been gaining traction in Montana.