1811_Badger Common'Tater by bctater

$18/year | $1.50/copy | Volume 70 No. 11 | NOVEMBER 2018

THE VOICE OF WISCONSIN'S POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

ANNUAL SEED ISSUE

SEED POTATOES & BISON: Match Made in Wisconsin APPLYING STADIUM To Tubers in Storage

INTERVIEW:

Mike Baginski Baginski Farms Inc. & Ag Logistics

Early September witnessed the digging of “Creamer” Potatoes at Baginski Farms Inc. of Antigo, Wisconsin, for The Little Potato Co.

2018 WISCONSIN CERTIFIED Seed Potato Growers Directory OVERCOME BARRIERS TO Farm Succession Success SEED OAT PROCESSOR Helps Potato Growers

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On the Cover: Digging Creamer potatoes for The Little Potato Company, in early September, speaks to the diversity of the Baginski Farms Inc. operation in Antigo, Wisconsin. This issue’s interviewee, Mike Baginski has also expanded the farm to include a transportation arm of the business—Ag Logistics.

8 BADGER COMMON’TATER INTERVIEW:

A fourth-generation potato farmer, and the third generation growing seed potatoes, Mike Baginski, president of Baginski Farms Inc., says huge changes have occurred in each decade. “Every year we try to grow, but we do it with less labor and more efficiently in every step,” Baginski says. A beautiful aerial view shows a Lenco potato harvester in action.

DEPARTMENTS: ALI’S KITCHEN.................... 73 AUXILIARY NEWS............... 54 BADGER BEAT.................... 50

16 SEED OAT PROCESSOR AIDS POTATO FARMERS Schumitsch Seed processes oats for local crop rotation

30 MARKETPLACE

Potato industry provides baked potatoes, fries and scholarships at Spud Bowl

34 NOW NEWS

State FFA officers pay visit to Kakes Farms. Photo courtesy of Lisa Haefs

EYES ON ASSOCIATES......... 64 MARK YOUR CALENDAR...... 6 NEW PRODUCTS................ 70 NPC NEWS......................... 62 PEOPLE.............................. 26

FEATURE ARTICLES:

PLANTING IDEAS.................. 6

22 42 46 56

POTATOES USA NEWS........ 66

SEED POTATO GROWER had an interest in raising livestock, so he chose bison DON’T LET YOUR FAMILY FARM legacy suffer due to lack of a succession plan HERE’S YOUR COMPLETE 2018 Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato Growers Directory SYNGENTA STADIUM is effective on dry rot and silver scurf during potato storage

BC�T November

SEED PIECE........................ 52 WPIB FOCUS...................... 55

Sowinski Certified Seed Farms

Isolated Growing Area – Foundation/Certified

Manager: John Hein Phone: 715-369-3225

Paul Sowinski

5818 Fire Lane Rhinelander, WI 54501

Varieties Grown

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Phone: 715-272-1192 Fax: 715-272-1658

Sowinski Trucking, LLC has sanitary equipment for your transportation needs. dispatch@sowinskifarms.com WPVGA Board of Directors: President: Josh Mattek Vice President: Gary Wysocki Secretary: Rod Gumz Treasurer: Wes Meddaugh Directors: Mike Carter, Mark Finnessy, Bill Guenthner, Eric Schroeder & Eric Wallendal Wisconsin Potato Industry Board: President: Heidi Alsum-Randall Vice President: Richard Okray Secretary: Bill Wysocki Treasurer: Keith Wolter Directors: John Bobek, Andy Diercks, Cliff Gagas, John T. Schroeder & Tom Wild WPVGA Associate Division Board of Directors: President: Casey Kedrowski Vice President: Joel Zalewski

Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association Board of Directors: President: Charlie Mattek Vice President: Dan Kakes Secretary/Treasurer: Roy Gallenberg Directors: Jeff Fassbender & J.D. Schroeder

WPVGA Staff Executive Director: Tamas Houlihan Managing Editor: Joe Kertzman Director of Promotions & Consumer Education: Dana Rady Financial Officer: Karen Rasmussen Executive Assistant: Julie Braun Program Assistant: Danielle Sorano Coordinator of Community Relations: Jim Zdroik Spudmobile Assistant: Doug Foemmel

Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors: President: Kathy Bartsch Vice President: Devin Zarda Secretary/Treasurer: Datonn Hanke Directors: Jody Baginski, Brittany Bula, Deniell Bula & Marie Reid

WPVGA Office (715) 623-7683 • FAX: (715) 623-3176 E-mail: wpvga@wisconsinpotatoes.com Website: www.wisconsinpotatoes.com LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/WPVGA

Secretary: Cathy Schommer Treasurer: Rich Wilcox Directors: Chris Brooks, Paul Cieslewicz, Nick Laudenbach & Kenton Mehlberg

Mission Statement of the WPVGA: To advance the interests of WPVGA members through education, information, environmentally sound research, promotion, governmental action and involvement. Mission Statement of the WPVGA Associate Division: To work in partnership with the WPVGA as product and service providers to promote mutual industry viability by integrating technology and information resources. Badger Common’Tater is published monthly at 700 Fifth Avenue, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409

Subscription rates: $1.50/copy, $18.00/year; $30/2 years. Foreign subscription rates: $30/year; $50/2 years. Telephone: (715) 623-7683 Mailing address: P.O. Box 327, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409 Or, subscribe free online: http://wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe/ ADVERTISING: To advertise your service or product in this magazine, call (715) 630-6213, or email: Joe Kertzman: jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com. The editor welcomes manuscripts and pictures but accepts no responsibility for such material while in our hands. BC�T November

MARK YOUR

Calendar

Planting Ideas

NOVEMBER

8 14

FALL FIELD DAY Langlade County Airport and Research Station, 10 a.m. and lunch Antigo, WI MCCAIN GROWERS AWARDS BANQUET Sentry World Stevens Point, WI

JANUARY 2019

7-8 9-10 11

POTATOES USA WINTER MEETING Austin Convention Center Austin, TX POTATO EXPO 2019 Austin Convention Center Austin, TX NPC ANNUAL MEETING Austin Convention Center Austin, TX

FEBRUARY

5-7 WPVGA GROWER EDUCATION CONFERENCE & INDUSTRY SHOW Holiday Inn Stevens Point, WI 20-21 INTERNATIONAL CROP EXPO Alerus Center Grand Forks, ND 20-28 POTATO INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Oregon and Washington, D.C. 25-28 POTATO D.C. FLY-IN Capital Hilton Washington, D.C.

MARCH

11-14 26-28

JUNE

10-12

JULY

16 18 25

POTATOES USA ANNUAL MEETING Hilton City Center Denver, CO WISCONSIN PUBLIC SERVICE FARM SHOW Experimental Aircraft Association grounds Oshkosh, WI UNITED FRESH McCormick Place Chicago, IL ASSOCIATE DIV. PUTT-TATO OPEN GOLF OUTING The Ridges Golf Course Wisconsin Rapids, WI HANCOCK AG RESEARCH STATION FIELD DAY Hancock, WI ANTIGO FIELD DAY Langlade County Airport and Research Station Antigo, WI

To me, it’s the story of the year, but it’s also a

familiar storyline—one of agriculture, and particularly potato and vegetable growing in Wisconsin. It speaks to farmers being stewards of the land, environmentally conscious, hardworking, cooperative and caring. On October 4, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), representing grower and associate members, joined the Village of Plover and other partners at a groundbreaking ceremony (as shown in the image above) to celebrate the first phase of on-the-ground restoration projects to be implemented as part of the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project. Who are those other partners? They include the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Department of Natural Resources, Montgomery Associates, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Dewitt, Ross & Stevens, among others. It was a groundbreaking event that struck four Wisconsin legislators as important enough to be in attendance. Braving the bitterly cold early morning temperatures were Sen. Patrick Testin, Rep. Scott Krug, Rep. Katrina Shankland and Sen. Luther Olsen. They were there because, as Sen. Testin put it, it was the first time since he’s been in government that conservation groups, the agriculture industry and a village have worked together on groundwater quantity and quality issues. In April of 2017, the WPVGA’s Water Task Force approved a funding request from the Village of Plover for approximately $64,000 to begin a project collaboration with the aforementioned partners. As WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan states, “The funding helped launch the flow enhancement project that is important because the Little Plover River is an outstanding water resource located within the heart of a major potato and vegetable production area.” And the growers care. This is the type of thing Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers do that makes me go home after work and tell my wife all about the incredible event I witnessed that day and why it mattered. Read the full story in the “Now News” column of this issue. And enjoy late autumn in Wisconsin. Please email me with your thoughts and questions. If you wish to be notified when our free online magazine is available monthly, here is the subscriber link: http://wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe.

Joe Kertzman

Managing Editor jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com

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Interview

MIKE BAGINSKI, President, Baginski Farms Inc.

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater

NAME: Mike Baginski TITLE: President COMPANY: Baginski Farms Inc. LOCATION: Antigo, WI HOMETOWN: Antigo, WI YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: 20 PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT: Expedited Services Inc. SCHOOLING: Antigo High School ORGANIZATIONS: Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association, Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association and United of Wisconsin FAMILY: Wife, Erin, and children, Grace (16 years old), Margaret (12) and Theodore (8) HOBBIES: Boating, skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and traveling

Above: Mike and Erin Baginski of Baginski Farms Inc. call Antigo, Wisconsin, home, which is also headquarters to the transportation arm of the business—Ag Logistics. 8

BC�T November

A fourth-generation potato grower, and the third generation

growing seed potatoes, Mike Baginski has been around the business his whole life and says huge changes have occurred in every decade. “Every year, we try to grow, but we do it with less labor and more efficiently in every step,” he says. In 1962, Mike’s grandfather, Ted, his father, Ted Jr., and two uncles, John and Florian, changed from growing chip stock potatoes to seed potatoes.

“Through the years, they managed to create a solid business and a customer list that has stayed loyal to us to this day,” Baginski relates. “As a young kid, I was always around the farm. It was fun, and from an early age, I knew agriculture was the path I wanted to take,” he says. Mike’s father wasn’t going to let him off that easy. After high school, when Mike was in college, his dad said, for him to return to the business, he needed to work somewhere else for a while. Mike moved to Maryland to work for his uncle’s company, Expedited Services Inc., which specialized in transportation and warehousing. “My uncle, Dan Spreng, really taught me a great deal about business and management, which helped me

greatly when I decided to come back to the farm,” Mike remarks. “In 1998, I bought out my father and uncles, which was a very smooth process,” he continues. “I give them a lot of credit because they trusted their retirement in my hands.” What other family members work with you on the farm, and in what capacities? Erin, my wife, works in our office, my uncle, John, works seasonally and my father, Stosh, is always available for whatever is needed to be done. Why seed potatoes, and why is the Antigo area a good place to grow seed potatoes? Antigo is a perfect area to grow seed potatoes. It is such an isolated area with cool nights, which helps with disease pressure. Our area is about 20 growing days

Teddy Baginski, Mike and Erin’s youngest, yield samples Goldrush potatoes.

Fingerling potatoes are hilled on Baginski Farms in 2018, with approximately 120 acres of specialty potatoes (fingerlings and Little Potato Company “Creamers”) grown this year.

shorter than the Central Sands, which makes it tough to compete with the yields that come out of that area, so seed is such a good fit here. Focusing on quality and disease-free seed is a mainstay of the Wisconsin seed industry

and russets. What’s the most popular variety and why? The industry has changed so much in the last 10 years. Everyone is looking for the perfect variety that fits into their niche market, yellows especially.

You guys grow yellows, reds, whites

What works great in one area doesn’t work at all in another. Right now,

the demand for yellows in the fresh market is rising and everyone is trying to find a replacement for Yukon Gold. Wisconsin is our major market, and the Norland and Goldrush varieties have been popular for us for a long time. continued on pg. 10

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 9

Of other varieties, which ones stand out and why? We are currently growing 16 varieties, and each of them has some good characteristics. We have a few privatized yellows that have really caught our eye, but the verdict is not out on them yet. I am proud of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program on their ability to help us propagate the Silverton variety into FY3 (third generation) levels that are virus free.

How’s business? Business is good— I would have never imagined 10 years ago that we would be doing the things we are doing today. Specialty potatoes have become a huge part of our business. We started growing private seed for companies that control all aspects. In some ways, these companies are following the model of the corn and bean companies to market their products.

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Above: Potatoes were planted under blue skies, in 2018, on the farm.

In 2014, we saw that transportation was becoming a huge issue, so we created Ag Logistics Inc., which has now grown into eight company trucks and 15 trailers. I believe, by providing our own transportation, it helps our customers by removing another headache that they don’t need to deal with when planning for planting season What are you growing the most acres of? One hundred and thirty acres of reds, 55 for whites, 160 acres of russets, 135 for yellows and 120 acres of specialty (fingerlings and Little Potato Company “Creamers.”) How about rotational crops? Rotational crops are always a struggle; we have tried so many with very little financial success. When the prices of corn and beans were at profitable levels, it brought a lot of opportunities to us, including sweet corn, which brought us a great return and we loved what it did for our soil. Unfortunately, that only lasted for a few years, so we went to a rotation of oats and soybeans. Soybeans are a wild card as a constant yielder, but we love the way the crop conditions our soil.

How does the seed potato business differ from the rest of the industry? The two biggest factors that come to mind are cleanliness and attention to detail. We pride ourselves on being clean. I was taught at an early age that cleanliness is your best asset to being a good seed grower. Jeff Sinkler, who takes care of storage and shipping, is a constant cleaner, and once you are clean, it is so much easier to stay clean. Do growing techniques differ, and if so, how? Growing techniques differ from farm to farm and year to year. Every winter, we make a crop plan, but it has to be fluid. It all starts out with the spring—our ground has a great memory, so if we work the ground wet, it seems to remind us every day for the rest of the year. In my years of farming, I have yet to have a year where all things went as

Russet Burbank potatoes are irrigated on Baginski Farms using drop nozzles to save water and increase efficiency.

planned. Sometimes our employees get so frustrated when we change plans on the go, but at the end of the day, we have to be willing to change to get the best product. What are the challenges of being a certified seed potato grower? To propagate a seed variety to a commercial amount can take up to three to four years.

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With all the new public and private varieties in the marketplace, and the commercial grower’s demands, it is tough to make a long-term commitment on a variety. It seems as soon as we get on a long-term plan with a variety, another one comes along with better traits and we start all over. continued on pg. 12

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 11

What makes seed potato growing special to you? I could never imagine having a job where I’d do the same motions over and over; this is what made me so interested in agriculture. Planning, production and marketing is a cycle that starts over fresh every year, and the day to day duties never are the same. Is there pressure on you being a fourth-generation grower? Yes, there is a huge amount of pressure. My father has taught me everything

I know about farming. This farm’s legacy was and still is his passion at 81 years old.

Above: A Lenco harvester and Spudnik 4- and 6-row windrowers are employed for potato harvest.

When I came back, if he said the sun was shining, I would look for every cloud in the sky to prove him wrong, but at the end of the day he was right 99 percent of the time.

Do you have to be adaptive in some ways, and to what challenges or changes? We must be adaptive in every aspect of business. In the farming side of things, our biggest challenge we face is labor, so we need to be willing to change our growing practices by adapting to new equipment to minimize labor.

Farming has evolved into such a big business, but if you don’t have a quality crop, you would have nothing to market. Seeing this farm pass on to the next generation is now my dream.

continued on pg. 14

With the trucks being part of the Ag Logistics fleet, the rig at right is parked in front of the Baginski Farms shipping facility in Antigo, Wisconsin. 12 BC�T November

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 12

Baginski Farms produced a healthy crop of Modoc red-skinned fresh market potatoes in 2018.

Harvest was picture perfect in 2017.

As for the business end of it, we need to be willing to try new markets, because if we decline an opportunity, I guarantee someone else will go after the business. What changes have occurred in the

last five or 10 years? My father and uncles did such a good job retaining employees who worked for them over 40 years. I was so worried on replacing that retiring workforce with a new generation of great employees.

In the last 10 years, we have accumulated, in my opinion, some of the greatest young guys available who embrace technology that can help the farm be as efficient as possible.

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From Sinkler, who is a secondgeneration employee, to guys I knew in school and even a young man (Charlie Husnick) who started mowing lawns for us as a seven-yearold, they have helped this company roll on to another generation. They take such a load off my shoulders, and I couldn’t be prouder as the owner of this company What do you hope for the future of the farm? It’s extremely important for me to see this company passed in whatever way possible. Farms across the country are continuing succession in so many ways today, from families to employee ownership. I have two daughters and a son, and if one of them would like to join, it would make me extremely proud. RIght: A John Deere 9570RX is employed to prepare fall tillage on Baginski Farms.

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Seed Oat Processor Helps Potato Growers Schumitsch Seed Inc. cleans, dehulls and sells oats, aiding spud farmers with rotational crops By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater What was once a quaint seed oat cleaning operation owned and operated by a lone potato farmer in Antigo, Wisconsin, has evolved to become a sizable rotational crop specialist for almost every potato farm in Langlade County. Schumitsch Seed Inc., situated on the

southwest outskirts of Antigo, has survived through three generations and continues to grow and partner with potato farmers in helping them succeed with their rotational crops. Although Schumitsch Seed doesn’t currently do any farming, it is engrained in its history. Joe

Schumitsch moved to the outskirts of Antigo in the 1940’s, at Schumitsch Seed’s current location, where he built and maintained a simple dairy operation. Lester Schumitsch, Joe’s son, continued to farm the location in the years after Joe had passed and started growing potatoes on the land, phasing out dairy farming. In 1962, Lester purchased a Clipper grain cleaner and the seed oat business began. He started out with just his own oats at first and did well selling the seed. Lester picked up a few good distributors and demand soon

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Above: From left to right, Darrel Daniels, a Wisconsin Syngenta sales representative, Jay Schumitsch of Schumitsch Seed Inc. and Pat Prasalowicz, a crop specialist for Insight FS, overlook an experimental oat field with plant growth regulator applied. Image courtesy of Travis Dewitz

A robotic stacking arm, named “Lester,” stacks seed oats onto a pallet at Schumitsch Seed Inc. Image courtesy of Travis Dewitz

outweighed supply. When the neighbors caught wind of what Lester was doing, they also started growing seed oats for him to clean and sell as part of their potato rotations. Fast-forward through the late ’70s and ’80s, and Scott Schumitsch, the youngest of Lester’s three sons, expanded on the seed business, taking on many more potato farmers’ oats as they moved to three-year rotations.

A worm's-eye view of Schumitsch Seed Inc. shows bucket elevators and bins. Image courtesy of Travis Dewitz

to make it through those tough times.

bringing them as much value as possible for their crops.

He spent the 1990’s figuring out how to make his business model work without having to fall back on the financial dependence of local farmers, while at the same time

He reinvested year after year in expanding his storage, as well as the first phase of oat milling, or what is called “dehulling.” continued on pg. 18

Growing Quality Seed for 64Years!

Lester eventually sold the farmland, and every building on the property was retrofitted to either store seed oats or hold all the grain cleaning equipment. Business was moving right along, but eventually hit tough times in the late ’80s. POOR GROWING YEARS “The combination of some really poor growing years filled with drought in ’88 and ’89, along with poor markets for the seed had me upside down. I was going through some tough times,” Scott relates. “I met with the potato growers at the time, telling them my situation and how I was going to call it quits, but they basically told me that they weren’t going to let me quit and would pull me through,” he says. With the financial support of the local potato growers, Scott was able

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BC�T November 17

Seed Oat Processor Helps Potato Growers . . . continued from pg. 17

“Essentially, oats are a nutritious grain for feeding livestock or for food, but the husk or hull is largely inedible fiber. To hit most good enduse markets, the hull needs to be removed,” Scott says. “For instance, all oatmeal that is consumed by humans has gone through a process to remove that hull,” he adds. “It’s an expensive process that is largely ‘secretive,’ and there is a big learning curve to the art of doing it correctly.” A LEG UP “I was fortunate enough to be able to partner with some people in the industry that gave us a leg up. One company was particularly helpful to us,” Scott remarks. “They were, and continue to be, a good-sized commercial oat mill for human-consumption oatmeal, and we supplemented their milling needs while they were going through growing phases in the 2000’s,” he

Three proud proprietors of Schumitsch Seed Inc. include, from left to right, Jay, Penny and Scott Schumitsch. Image courtesy of Travis Dewitz

explains. “They cut a lot of our learning curve and gave us some important tips and knowledge.”

In the early ’90s, when Schumitsch first started processing, or dehulling, oats, they weren’t efficient. “It

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would take us anywhere from 35 to 45 hours to make a load, or 50,000 pounds of finished product,” Scott admits. “It’s remarkable to think about that.” “Today, with all of the improvements we’ve made, we can make a load in under three hours,” he says. “We made maybe 20 loads per year of dehulled oats in the early ’90s, and last year alone we produced 750 loads.” Besides dehulling oats, Schumitsch has tried other grains and crops over the years to see if there were more valuable rotational crops for potato farmers to grow besides oats. They tried winter wheat for many years in the 2000’s. Scott developed a market for a soft winter wheat that would end up in granola bars. The payback for the farmers was great and everything looked good on paper. But it brought up a host of other issues that eventually made them give it up. If it wasn’t problems with large losses due to winter kill, then it was problems with mycotoxins in the grain putting the levels beyond what could be sold for human consumption and having to sell it off at a fraction of the price. FOCUS ON OATS Eventually, after several years of trying new growing techniques and failing to come out ahead with winter wheat, the farmers and Schumitsch decided to focus solely on oats. It isn’t just wheat they’ve tried growing over the years, but also sunflowers, soybeans, barley and corn. Each has its own host of issues that they learned from and always ended up going back to oats. “We’ve been doing this for so long and have tried many things, but in this area and because of how these seed potato growers have to farm, oats just always seem to work best,” Scott says.

Valuable Antigo foundation seed oats are watered at Schumitsch Seed Inc. Image courtesy of Travis Dewitz

a large interest in the business since he was a child. “When I was in high school, I was able to get into a cooperative program to leave school early to go to work around 1 p.m., and run the mill until 9 o’clock every

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night,” Jay says. “It was important to learn day-to-day operations and the ins and outs of running the machinery in the mill,” he explains. continued on pg. 20

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Today, Schumitsch Seed is welcoming the next generation. Jay Schumitsch, Scott and Penny’s only son, has taken BC�T November 19

Seed Oat Processor Helps Potato Growers . . . continued from pg. 19

Jay has inherited a large portion of Scott’s previous duties running the business, while Rick Wild has taken over Red Robin Seeds (the seed brand of Schumitsch).

the higher the proportion of hull to groat. Neither commercial oat mills nor feed mills want light test weight oats—there is just no value to them,” Scott says.

SIDE PROJECTS Scott mainly focuses on side projects. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association, he also works with the University of Wisconsin on developing better oat genetics.

The University of Wisconsin has recently hired a new plant breeder, Lucia Gutierrez, who is enthusiastic about bringing in newer, improved varieties to Wisconsin farmers. She understands the lack of good highquality Wisconsin oat genetics and is working diligently to fix this issue.

One of the biggest problems they see in today’s varieties is lack of test weight. “For years there has been a large emphasis on creating varieties with a high yield, but not really on test weight. Without test weight, you don’t have a valuable oat,” Scott states.

“I’ve talked to guys who have been in crop sciences for decades focusing on oats. They’ve met with Lucia and have had great discussions with her. They’re always impressed by her wide array of knowledge and are excited about the talent and value she is going to bring to the Wisconsin farmer,” Scott relates.

“All of the nutrition and feed value is in the groat [hulled kernel], and generally the lighter the test weight,

Meanwhile, back at the plant, Jay focuses on plant efficiencies as well

as continuously searching for new end-use markets for the oats they process. “I’ve made a lot of new friends in the industry,” Jay says. “I’ve even traveled overseas to take a course on milling oats from start to finish.” OAT-MILLING WORLD “The oat-milling world is a very small group of people,” he allows, “but every one of them that I’ve met so far has been a good-intentioned and kind person. I’m excited to work in this industry for years to come.” Jay says there is a lot of value to the oats that local potato farmers grow. “I know there is a lot of value in what these guys do. The key is going to be finding that perfect niche,” he says. “I picture us turning into a highly specialized farm-to-table operation. We have the ability to one day separate each farm’s oats into separate bins/lots and run them in small batches, what the industry refers to as ‘identity preserved grains,’” Jay continues. “We can package their oatmeal into small packages and tell each farm’s story on the back of the oatmeal package. Consumers love that story, and it’s something unique to us and our area,” he adds. Unfortunately, right now, Schumitsch Seed lacks a lot of the expensive equipment to make this happen. However, Jay is excited and ambitious about the future. Through years and reinvestments, one day he believes they’ll reach this goal. “I have a lot of years to continue to build and expand upon what my dad and grandpa have taught me,” he remarks. “I will always remember that the only reason we’re here today, supporting 12 full-time employees with goodpaying jobs, is because of the backing of our local potato farmers through tough times,” he stresses. “It’s truly a remarkable and inspiring story that I’ll forever be grateful for.”

20 BC�T November

Seed Potatoes & Ridge Point Bison Sowinski Seed Farm manager adds bison to his Northcentral Wisconsin operation By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater A buffalo herd is one sight most people don’t expect to see on a Wisconsin, or any, seed potato

farm, but that’s just what visitors to Sowinski Seed Farm might experience.

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Farm Manager John Hein Jr. says, for almost as many years as he’s been growing seed potatoes, he’s had an interest and desire to raise livestock. “As my wife, Mandy, can attest, I was not sure what that would mean, early on, as I went back and forth researching the many livestock options,” Hein explains. “Ultimately, I decided bison was my calling.” “I am not sure if that stems from my childhood when my father entertained the idea of raising them for himself or from my own research efforts, but that was my conclusion,” he relates. What was years of research and weighing of options became a reality within of year of his decision. Hein grew up following his dad, John Hein Sr., around the seed potato farm. “I look up to him and have always soaked up as much knowledge as I could from his experiences,” the Above: One majestic sight that visitors to Sowinski Seed Farm in Starks, Wisconsin, might not expect to come across is that of buffalo grazing in the pastureland of nearby Ridge Point Bison.

The bison are a personal interest of Sowinski Seed Farm Manager John Hein Jr., who wanted to apply his farming knowledge and background to livestock.

son says of his father. “I learned a lot about farming from my dad, and as I got older, from my cousins. I was always interested in farming.” John Hein Sr.’s uncle, Henry Sowinski, was the founder of Sowinski Farms and got the elder Hein into farming in 1969.

NATURAL TRANSITION “When Sowinski Farms purchased Spafford Farm in 1993, my dad was given the opportunity to manage what is now the seed farm,” John Jr. says. “Our family relocated to Starks from Sugar Camp, Wisconsin, to live on the farm.” “There was no formal transition

of the manager role from my father to me,” he adds. “The transition started over a decade ago and evolved naturally as I took over more and more of the responsibilities.” This year, 300 acres of seed potatoes were planted and harvested on continued on pg. 24

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Seed Potatoes & Ridge Point Bison. . . continued from pg. 23

The buffalo on Ridge Point Bison farm took a backseat to the 300 acres of seed potatoes that were planted and harvested on Sowinski Seed Farm in 2018, primarily Frito Lay varieties, but also Atlantic, Snowden, Hodag and Manistee. John Hein Jr., who introduced bison onto his own Ridge Point Bison farm, is behind the wheel of the tractor on Sowinski Seed Farm.

Sowinski Seed Farm, which primarily included Frito Lay varieties, but also Atlantic, Snowden, Hodag and Manistee. “The bison are a personal interest of mine,” Hein, who started with seven and now has 10 buffalo, one of which recently calved, says. “Ultimately I wanted to do something on my own to utilize my farming knowledge

and background, applying them to livestock.” Hein says bison meat is leaner than beef, lower in fat and calorie content, and higher in protein. “Bison are generally not treated with hormones or antibiotics,” he explains. “They are handled as little as possible and spend their lives in grass rather

than in feedlots.” “Bison is preferred to beef in taste tests as well,” Hein continues. “It has a sweeter, richer flavor than beef.” There’s also a market for buffalo meat, with supply in Northcentral Wisconsin not meeting demand. BUFFALO HARVEST “For us, personally, we’ve been trying to harvest two animals per year,” Hein notes. “We have done little-tono advertising to date and sell out of steaks within weeks.” “We do not have any issues moving our meat at this point, and we anticipate this will continue, even as we grow due to demand,” he projects. “In our area, access to bison meat, especially fresh meat, is limited.” The future is not just about meat and potatoes. Although meat is the most common byproduct of buffalo, most parts of the animal can be used. Hides are tanned, skulls are cleaned for display and manure can be used for fertilizer. Though he intends to grow the herd and pasture size each year, Hein explains that, to date, the two farm

24 BC�T November

operations—seed potatoes and Ridge Point Bison—have not intersected significantly. “Who knows, maybe in the future— the bison manure would greatly improve the soil’s organic matter, add nutrition, increase nutrient uptake and improve drought tolerance,” Hein proposes. “It would be very exciting to see the potato crop results after the bison were on the land in the off rotation. Hein’s not about to leave it all to chance, though. He and his wife recently joined the Wisconsin Bison Producers Association, himself as a board member and Mandy as treasurer. “With our farm and roles within the association, we are excited to promote bison as an important part of our North American heritage and agricultural marketplace,” he concludes.

One of the 10 buffalo on Ridge Point Bison farm recently calved, boding well for the future of the herd.

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BC�T November 25

People

WPVGA Hall of Famer Jeffrey Wyman Passes Away Memorial fund supports student development in applied agricultural sciences

Jeffrey Alan Wyman passed away September 15, 2018, at his home in Oregon, Wisconsin (age 73). Jeff was always at home in his garden celebrating the gifts of the earth and enjoying time with family and friends. He also loved travel and new experiences, living life to its fullest in everything he did. His kind heart, thoughtful and generous nature, and easy smile touched those around him. Jeff is survived and loved dearly by his wife, Patricia Ann Wyman (nee Dussling), children, Andrew (Wendy), Megan (Paul) and Benjamin (Heather), and grandchildren, James and Katherine. He will also be dearly missed by his siblings, nieces, nephews and extended family. Born at Stable Cottage in Ampney St. Peter on June 10, 1945, Jeff grew up in the Cotswolds of England with his parents, Sydney and Freda, and his seven siblings (Raymond, Cecelia, Pauline, Ivor, Janet, Mary and Lesley). He shared many fond memories of his childhood and young adulthood. After graduating from the University of Manchester, he traveled to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar to pursue graduate school at the University of Wisconsin

(UW)-Madison. While at the UW, he participated and enjoyed playing rugby and met the love of his life, Patricia. They were married June 21, 1969 and started their grand adventure together. That adventure included moving back to England before returning to the States and taking a position at the University of California-Riverside. In 1979, Jeff and Pat returned to

Madison for his position in the UW Department of Entomology. Jeff took a sabbatical to England (Wellesbourne), in 1988, with Pat and family, which gave them a chance to reconnect with his beloved family and roots. Although he loved England dearly, after returning to the States, he truly felt it was his home and proudly became a U.S. citizen in 2002.

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FULFILLING CAREER He enjoyed a fulfilling career as a professor of entomology at UWMadison, specializing in Extensionbased pest management research in vegetable crops. He chaired the department from 1984 to 1988. He was passionate about working closely with farmers, researchers and industry colleagues to develop progressive and sustainable pest management systems that were both economically and environmentally sound. Jeff’s responsibilities as project coordinator for the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (WISA) encompassed sustainability issues impacting cropping systems in Wisconsin and nationally. Water is an important component of agricultural systems throughout the United States, and WISA therefore works closely with the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association’s Water Task Force to address water-related issues in the Central Sands and provide leadership and some funding. Jeff represented WISA on the Water Task Force. He mentored numerous students— including those attaining Ph.D. and master’s degrees—and followed their careers with interest. His work was based primarily in Wisconsin, but expanded to national and international levels, including work in Europe, northern Africa and Asia. Jeff received numerous honors and awards from a variety of organizations, such as the Entomological Society of America (Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension 1999, 2000), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Secretary’s Honors Award 2003), Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Researcher of the Year (1991, 1996, 2005) and induction into the WPVGA Hall of Fame (2009). He was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in the Potato Association of America in 2010.

He and Pat enjoyed many off-thebeaten-path road trips across the country, particularly loving New Orleans and the western states, sampling regional food and looking at outsider art and historic sites. HAT FOR EVERY OCCASION Jeffrey was never without a hat. He had a vast collection and delighted in finding gems anywhere from antique stores to high-end haberdasheries. He always wore the appropriate hat to fit the occasion. Jeff was a lifelong sports fan, attending many games across a variety of sports, particularly Badgers and Packers games. After retirement, the development of the yard and garden took on a new dimension with expanded landscaping and the completion of a long dreamed of pond. And, he did all the work himself. Jeff had incredible mental and physical strength and endurance throughout his life.

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Jeff enjoyed lifelong friendships and close connections with a diverse community, including fellow colleagues at the University, vegetable crop farmers and industry scientists, the rugby circle, fellow students and classmates, family, friends, neighbors and generally everyone he met. He will be missed. A memorial service was held at the UW Arboretum, October 4, and arrangements were made through Cress Funeral Homes (www.cressfuneralservice.com). In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Jeffrey A. Wyman Memorial Fund to support student development in applied agricultural sciences consistent with Jeff’s wishes. To support this memorial fund, please make support payable to the “Jeffrey A. Wyman Memorial Fund” and send support to: Dr. Walter Dickey, University of Wisconsin, Intercollegiate Athletics, Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53711.

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People. . .

continued from pg. 27

Gayle West Passes Unexpectedly Gale Lynn Noble West, age 76, of Plover, Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly at home on September 9, 2018. Gale was born August 5, 1942 in Van Nuys, California, the son of G. Merrill and Irma (Noble) West. As a child, the family moved to Plover and began to farm. He attended Morrill Grade School and graduated from P.J. Jacobs High School in 1960. Gale married the love of his life, Joanne Marie (White) West on April 4, 1964, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. The couple settled in Plover for a year before moving to Stevens Point. He graduated from the Agriculture Short Course at UW-Madison, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Stevens Point and a Certified Administrative Manager Degree through the Administrative Management Society. Gale began working at West’s Dairy as general manager from 1970-1972. Afterwards, he and Joanne moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he was the assistant executive director for the Iowa Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association. His family then moved back to Stevens Point, where he was executive director and president of the Community Industries Corporation. From 1970-1990, Gale was the director of business affairs and human resources for The Katz Company, Inc. In 1990, he was corporate secretary and minority partner of Katz (now Katz Produce Sales, LLC). In 2004, Gale became an operation representative for Potandon Produce, LLC, and was an independent consultant in the agricultural industry, in 2005, until his retirement. During retirement, Gale served as treasurer for Altenburg Farm School. 28 BC�T November

Gale was a civic leader involved in many arenas, including the Stevens Point School Board; Village of Plover Planning Commission; Plover Police and Fire Commission; in food safety for the potato and vegetable industry; agri-business organizations and as president of the Maine Cemetery Association. LOVE OF LIFE, FAMILY He enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, UW-Stevens Point basketball games, traveling, family gatherings, his grandchildren’s sporting and school events, cooking, bread making, volunteering, his land, and most of all, loved being with his family. Gale is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joanne Marie; two children, Brad (Cherylynn) West, of Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and Sarah (Jenifer) West, Cheverly, MD; six grandchildren, DeAundra (Ross) Lynch, Karla West, Chaela West, Crystal West, Dominic West and Ivan West; and one greatgrandchild, Josslyn Lynch. He is also survived by five sisters, Yvonne Yacoub, Satellite Beach, FL, Marilyn (Jim) Wegner, Two Rivers, WI, Cheryll (Stan Kovach) West, Stevens Point, WI, Linda (Ron) Olds,

Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and Merridee (Glen) Trzebiatowski, Plover, WI; one brother, C.P. Jack (Mark Bias) West, Tampa, FL; and many nieces and nephews. In-laws include Richard (Jan-Ann) White, Middleton, WI, Janice White, Stevens Point, WI and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, their son, Jeffrey, Joanne’s parents, Robert H. and Janet White, and one brother-in-law, Dr. Nazieh Yacoub. The family would like to thank the Plover emergency personnel and the Plover Police Department for the compassionate and professional care given. A mass of Christian burial for Gale was held September 15 at St. Bronislava Catholic Church, with burial in the Maine Cemetery. Friends and family gathered to share memories at the church. Shuda Funeral Service has been assisting the family. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.shudafuneral.com. A memorial in lieu of flowers was to be established in Gale’s name.

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Marketplace

Pointers Pull off Spud Bowl Win, One Potato at a Time!

By Dana Rady, WPVGA Director of Promotions & Consumer Education

In the history of the Spud Bowl over the last 32 years, the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Stevens Point Pointers football team has racked up a record of 28-4. That’s a pretty amazing record. So, what do we attribute it to? Wisconsin potatoes, of course! This annual event is hard to pass up, which is why few people do in and

around Stevens Point and the UW campus. After all, who doesn’t like free food? And when that food is a piping hot Wisconsin baked potato and fresh French fries while watching a football game, it doesn’t get much better.

Above: Nick Somers of Plover River Farms (right) and Chet Biadasz (left) work the fryer, September 15, at the 32nd annual Spud Bowl in Stevens Point. McCain Foods of Plover generously donated 1,000-plus servings of French fries.

by Worzella & Sons of Plover) with butter and sour cream or freshlymade fries (provided by McCain Foods in Plover), or one of each, that they washed down with refreshing

Attendees of the 2018 Spud Bowl in Stevens Point, September 15, indulged in a baked potato (donated

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Spud Bowl coordinator and UW-Stevens Point Women’s Hockey Coach Ann Ninnemann gets ready for the big game, September 15. Thanks to donations by Worzella & Sons, she and the men’s football team were “Powered by Potatoes.”

The Spudmobile was a big hit with fans at this year’s Spud Bowl held at Community Stadium in Stevens Point.

Cliff and Carole Gagas of Gagas Farms kept busy baking over 600 potatoes donated by Worzella & Sons, Inc.

Point Root Beer.

a prize.

The day began with a “Spud Hunt,” where students and families searched for 50 different “golden potatoes” hidden in various areas of the football grounds. Once found, they brought the numbered potatoes to the Spud Bowl tent where they were awarded

SPUD HUNT PRIZES Prizes ranged from t-shirts and gift cards to chips and Pointer merchandise. The Spud Hunt provided a great way for people to attend the game and engage in a fun activity before kickoff.

And although the temperatures were warm, the comfort of a baked potato, French fries and a Pointer win were enough to seal the deal! The Pointers took on Dakota State, beating the team 51-28 and bringing home their first victory of the 2018 season. continued on pg. 32

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Sponsors of the 2018 Spud Bowl

Marketplace. . .

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Deserving UW-Stevens Point students were awarded scholarships during the 32nd annual Spud Bowl. From left to right are scholarship winners Maria Lewandowski, Rose Paul and Adam Wysocki; Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Executive Director Tamas Houlihan; and Nick and Dianne Somers of Plover River Farms. Not in attendance were scholarship winners Bobby Uttecht and Joel Mroczenski.

Another great aspect about Spud Bowl, besides the food, is the highly beneficial contributions the event makes to educational scholarships. This year, five deserving UW-Stevens Point students each received a $750 scholarship to put towards their studies.

The scholarships are made possible in large part through generous donations from Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association member growers and Associate Division members. Over the last 30 years, more than 100 students have received over $100,000 in scholarships.

Above: UW-Stevens Point quarterback Matt Urmanski prepares to throw a pass. Urmanski threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns in the Pointers’ 51-28 win over Dakota State (SD) in the 32nd annual Spud Bowl. Left: Wayne Solinsky of Jay-Mar scoops up one of over 1,200 servings of French fries. 32 BC�T November

Allen Supply Company, Inc. Anderson, O’Brien, Bertz, Skrenes & Golla, LLP Big Iron Equipment* BMO Harris Bushman Potato Sales Inc. Bushmans’ Inc. Central Door Solutions, LLC Chet Biadasz Compeer Financial CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Del Monte Corporation Delta Dental of Wisconsin DeWitt Ross & Stevens Law Gagas Farms, Inc. Hamerski Farms, Inc. Heartland Farms, Inc. Helbach Farms LLC Insight FS Isherwood Family Farms Jay-Mar, Inc. Jubilee Produce, Inc. Lands’ End, Inc. Len Dudas Motors Lineage Logistics Mark Toyota Scion McCain Foods Mortenson Brothers Farm, Inc. Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems NRG Media (Hot 96.7) Nutrien Ag Solutions, Inc. Okray Family Farms Omernik & Associates, Inc. Paragon Potato Farms, Inc. Plover River Farms Inc. Point Brewery Prairie Star Ranch Inc. Portage County Bank-Almond Portage County Dairy Committee Potato Plant, Inc. Prairie Star Ranch Riesterer & Schnell, Inc. River Cities Bank Roberts Irrigation Company, Inc. Rural Mutual Insurance-Jenni Mancl Sentry Insurance Service Motor Company Soik Sales Spectra Print Team Schierl Companies Trig’s Volm Companies Warner & Warner, Inc. Wisconsin Public Service Wood Trust Bank Worzella & Sons, Inc. WPVGA WPVGA Associate Division Wysocki Family of Companies *Bolded names are Major Sponsors ($500+ or in kind.)

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Now News WPVGA Helps Break Ground on Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project First phase on-the-ground restoration projects now underway The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association joined the Village of Plover and other partners at a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the commencement of the first phase on-the-ground restoration projects to be implemented as part of the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project (LPRWEP). The event took place on October 4, 2018 at the Little Plover River Conservancy Area on Black Oak Drive. “The WPVGA fully supports the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project because it is the right thing

to do,” said Tamas Houlihan, WPVGA Executive Director. “We have been working on issues related to the Little Plover River for many years, and in April of 2017 the WPVGA’s Water Task Force approved a funding request from the Village of Plover for approximately $64,000 to begin a project collaboration with the following partners: The Village of Plover, the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, Montgomery Associates, DeWitt, Ross & Stevens, DNR, UWSP, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and others,” Houlihan said.

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“This funding helped launch the flow enhancement project that is important because the Little Plover River is an outstanding water resource located within the heart of a major potato and vegetable production area,” he added. “The WPVGA is happy to collaborate with any and all stakeholders to maintain and improve this watershed,” Houlihan remarked. “Moving forward, I expect the WPVGA to contribute a lot more to ensure the success of this project.” Since its inception, the project has received more than $2.1 million in investments, including funds from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Natural Above: Village of Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney describes the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project at a groundbreaking event on October 4. Among those pictured are WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan (far left), state legislators Scott Krug and Patrick Testin (second and fourth from left), and WPVGA growers Nick and Dianne Somers (far right) of Plover River Farms.

Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state government and the WPVGA. Houlihan commended the leadership of Village of Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney in bringing diverse stakeholders together, as well as the leadership and cooperation of WPVGA farms such as Mryon Soik & Sons, Worzella & Sons, Plover River Farms, Heartland Farms and the Wysocki Family of Companies. COLLABORATIVE HISTORY He said it is not unusual for the WPVGA to work with conservation groups, as the Association has a long history of seeking out and working collaboratively with a number of environmental groups such as the World Wildlife Fund, the International Crane Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife and many others. “Many WPVGA members are active environmentalists who truly love and appreciate the land and water upon which they work,” Houlihan said. “This is an extremely positive collaboration that is demonstrating how a number of different stakeholders with varied interests can work together to voluntarily find solutions to complex and oftentimes difficult situations,” he concluded. The WPVGA’s primary goal in working on the project is to protect the Little Plover River watershed and its associated streams, lakes and wetlands while promoting a sustainable agricultural industry.

WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project on October 4. Houlihan commended Village of Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney (right) for bringing diverse stakeholders together on the project, while also praising the leadership and cooperation of WPVGA farms Myron Soik & Sons, Worzella & Sons, Plover River Farms, Heartland Farms and the Wysocki Family of Companies.

Little Plover River and the quality of life of the surrounding community. The LPRWEP aims to use best available data and voluntary conservation actions to: • Increase the flow and improve the aquatic health of the Little Plover River • Implement voluntary water management projects that improve the health of the Little Plover River Watershed

• Improve and expand fish and wildlife habitat and public recreation opportunities and access “We plan to do all of this while maintaining a healthy and viable agricultural industry in the area,” Houlihan said. “We believe that this project can serve as a model and lead to other collaborative efforts in other areas of the state. It’s an extremely exciting project and I am proud that the WPVGA is a strong partner in it.” continued on pg. 36

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Following the program, participants were invited to take a short driving tour to learn about additional restoration work that is taking place in, adjacent to and upstream of the Little Plover River. Collaborators from Montgomery Associates, Wisconsin Wetlands Association and other restoration partners were at the sites to discuss the objectives of these stream and wetland restoration activities. The LPRWEP is a multiparty collaboration convened by the Village of Plover to improve the health of the

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BC�T November 35

Now News. . .

continued from pg. 35

State FFA Officers Visit Kakes Farms Seed potato grower shares operation and opportunities with future workforce Accompanied by Wisconsin FFA Executive Director Cheryl Zimmerman, 11 state officers visited Kakes Farms Ltd. in Bryant, Wisconsin, to learn about the seed potato growing operation and its role in the agriculture, food and natural resources industries. Wisconsin FFA Officer Mitchell Schroepfer, who worked for Kakes Farms during summers in high school, arranged the visit, October 3, which

included a tour of the sorting, grading and storage facility and machinery such as a new state-of-the-art grading line and a Lenco potato harvester. In turn, the FFA officers shared information regarding their own Wisconsin agricultural education and activities, expressing an interest in exploring opportunities to work together and ensure a talented workforce and knowledgeable consumers.

“Business visits such as this are tremendously valuable to our state officers as they gain knowledge and experience they can disseminate to local students during their year of service,” Zimmerman says. “It’s also important to the Above: Of the many interesting facts Wisconsin FFA officers learned at Kakes Farms Inc. are that seed potatoes are stored in the facility at 38 degrees Fahrenheit and 90-95 percent humidity.

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development of our state-level programming as we gather information on how we can further meet industry demands,” she adds. Dan Kakes of Kakes Farms Ltd. said his team can now grade potatoes approximately 30 percent faster with the new grading line, and with three holding tanks as part of the operation, can start grading in the morning and have eight truckloads done by the end of the day. TRUCKLOADS OF POTATOES He explained to the FFA officers that the facility can load a truck in 12 minutes out of the tanks, and load 8-10 semis in a day, shipping seed potatoes to commercial growers throughout the Midwest. Kakes Farms grows Snowden, FL 1867, Atlantic and Goldrush varieties on a three-year rotation with oats, clover or alfalfa. Stressing the importance of the seed potato business, Kakes says, “If we

HERE TO HELP YOU GROW

Mitchell Schroepfer (left), who worked for Dan Kakes (right) of Kakes Farms during summers in high school, arranged for he and 10 of his fellow Wisconsin FFA officers to visit and learn about the seed potato growing operation in Bryant, Wisconsin.

don’t have a good potato year, the other years don’t matter. That’s how much is tied up in seed, and there are stringent laws for growing Wisconsin foundation certified seed potatoes.”

washing the facilities are stressed highly here. All certified seed is grown in Hawaii during the offseason first, where it might express disease symptoms that aren’t expressed in

“Cleanliness, flushing out and power

continued on pg. 38

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Antigo, WI 800-324-5755 Marshfield, WI 800-324-5752 Medford, WI 800-324-5753 Stevens Point, WI 800-324-5754 Thorp, WI 800-324-5758 Wausau, WI 800-324-5751

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BC�T November 37

Now News. . .

continued from pg. 37

Wisconsin. Certified seed has to pass the winter test,” Kakes stresses. Potato storage is at 38 degrees Fahrenheit with 90-95 percent humidity, he relates.

Kakes Farms grows 215-240 acres of seed potatoes and has a loyal customer base, with 90 percent of the crops grown in the 2018 season already sold and some contracts still needing to be renewed.

Of the 80,000 bags of seed potatoes grown on the farm, 6,000 will be kept and stored to plant again on location next year.

Brickner’s of Wausau Introduces Ram AgPack

Ag financing and a bundle of farm management tools are part of the package During a little football game, a couple years back—the Superbowl—Ram offered the agriculture industry a partnership. Ram and Brickner’s of Wausau says the partnership they’re offering is one built on mutual understanding and respect, one “that’s there when the sun rises and stays with you through the best and worst, until long after the sun sets.” Through its network of agriculture dealers, the car manufacturer put together a package of farm and ranch management tools and is offering it on the hood of every new Ram truck. From predictive analysis software to crop nutrients that will help gain bigger profits, Ram AgPack offers special ag financing through AgDirect along with a bundle of farm management tools worth thousands of dollars. The Ram AgPack includes: • Powered by Farm Credit, AgDirect flexible payment terms to match a farm’s income stream, offered

exclusively through local Ram Certified Agriculture Dealerships • 25 percent off MSRP on Rhino Ag products plus a gift card valued for between $25-$250 • $1,000 toward AgroLiquid Crop Nutrition • $1,000 toward a new Reinke irrigation system • $500 toward parts on an existing Reinke system • Industry exclusive discounts on many Gallagher livestock products

Hartman Farms Inc. FOUnDatIOn & cErtIFIED POtatOEs WISCONSIN CERTIFIED ED SE POTATOES

Dark Red Norland Red Norland • Goldrush Russet Norkotah • Superior

Michael Hartman & Sons

N2846 County Highway HH • Antigo, WI 54409 • 715-623-7083 Michael Cell: 715-219-1802 or Todd Cell: 715-610-6477 Over 40 Years’ Seed Growing Experience — Three Generations 38 BC�T November

• 1-year subscription to Agrible’s Premium Farm Management Analytics Suite • Additional Manufacturer Incentives from CaseIH, New Holland, Business Link and On The Job Use Ram’s $500 Farmers in America Bonus Cash to purchase a truck and receive the AgPack bundle of farm and ranch management tools to help realize greater efficiency and profitability. Ram Ag Specialist Craig Steckling sums it up best: “Appreciation for agriculture’s needs has set deep roots with this dealership and the Ram brand. We stand ready to offer the industry something no other truck dealer can—a partnership that understands and delivers to those needs at every level.” For more information, contact Brickner’s of Wausau, 2525 Grand Avenue, Wausau, Wisconsin, 715-842-4646, www.bricknerfamily.com. Or, find a Ram Certified Agriculture Dealership at RamAgDealer.com.

Additionally, these measurements power a cloud-based artificial intelligence core that stitches measurements together to provide unprecedented damage understanding at every point in Understory’s networks. With this patent, Understory is the only company capable of deploying cost-effective weather sensor technology worldwide to enable the collection of real-time and accurate weather data.

Understory Receives Patent to Build Weather Stations

Proprietary technology significantly reduces cost of building weather sensors

On the heels of its mechanical strainbased weather sensor patent, this secondary patent significantly lowers the costs of creating resilient weather sensors and positions Understory to radically alter the global weather sensing infrastructure. “Scientific-grade weather sensors previously cost around six figures due to components, assembly, installation, service maintenance and the necessary layer of communication to receive data,” explains Understory Chief Executive Officer and Founder Alex Kubicek. “In contrast, Understory’s method of manufacturing weather stations utilizes commoditized components that cost an order of magnitude less,” Kubicek says. “With the cost barrier significantly lowered, we are creating resilient sensors that can be deployed anywhere in the world and last up to 10 years in the field without human interaction.” Understory’s networks are comprised

of patented weather stations that form full-stack, rugged, tamperproof, maintenance-free, precision solutions. YEAR-ROUND DATA These stations, with their patented solid-state technology, measure 50,000 times a second to provide research-grade hail, wind and rainfall data year-round.

Understory is recreating the weather data infrastructure from the ground up, with 500 stations deployed across five major U.S. metropolitan areas, a national expansion underway to increase its sensor network to 5,000 sensors by the end of 2019 and a growing international presence. Understory is globally enabling better access to real-time, granular weather data to drive more informed decisions across industries. For more information, visit www. understoryweather.com. continued on pg. 40

Understory, a weather network and analytics company based in Madison, Wisconsin, announces that it received a patent for its cost-effective method of manufacturing weather stations.

Its patented, no-moving-part creation method enables the collection of real-time, directional weather data at a fraction of the cost.

Michael Lensmire 715-344-4984 | CLAconnect.com

WEALTH ADVISORY | OUTSOURCING AUDIT, TAX, AND CONSULTING Investment advisory services are offered through CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.

BC�T November 39

Now News. . .

continued from pg. 39

Youth Apprenticeship Program Helps Fill Jobs Workforce development is one of the biggest hurdles that growers face Youth Apprenticeship (YA) is a schoolto-work program designed to help employers identify and employ young workers interested in their field. In turn, these juniors and seniors in high school continue toward

graduation, gain valuable work experience and specific job skills, earn a wage, and upon completion are awarded a Certificate of Occupational Proficiency by the Wisconsin Department

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40 BC�T November

of Workforce Development. Youth apprenticeships are possible in a wide range of occupations, from construction and IT to health sciences and agriculture. Between 75 and 85 percent of YA employers offer their youth apprentices permanent positions at the completion of the program, the best testimonial possible of the program's value. Key Attributes for Employers Hiring: • Y A coordinators help identify potential youth apprentices and assist with coordinating interviews, but employers determine who to hire and may opt not to hire any youth. •M entors: Before hiring a youth apprentice, employers are asked to identify an individual who will act as a mentor at the workplace for the apprentice. • E ducation/Training Agreement: Signed by the apprentice, their parent, the employer, the school principal and the local YA coordinator, this agreement enumerates the expectations and responsibilities of each party during the apprenticeship. • S kills Checklists: Each type of apprenticeship offers a list of skills that youth are expected to learn at the workplace. These are shared with employers prior to hiring the apprentice. To find out more about Youth Apprenticeship, visit http://ya.wi.gov. For a quick one-page description of the program’s main elements and answers to frequent questions received from employers, see “Hiring Youth Apprentices: Fact Sheet for Employers” available at: https://dwd. wisconsin.gov/youthapprenticeship/pdf/ hiring_ya_fact_sht.pdf. And feel free to contact YA staff at the Department of Workforce Development with any questions by calling 608-267-6705, or emailing ya@dwd.wisconsin.gov.

You’d be healthier, too, if you spent your winters in Hawaii.

100% of Wisconsin Seed Potatoes must be winter tested to be eligible for certified seed tags.

• While all state seed potato associations winter test their foundation lots, some do not winter test 100% of their certified seed lots. • Wisconsin does, and this assures you get only the top-quality seed. • With the Wisconsin Badger State Brand Tag, you get one grade, one standard–certification that counts.

Don’t bet your farm on untested seed potatoes. Check the winter test results and Begin with the Best — Wisconsin! WISCONSIN CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES

Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association, Inc.

P.O. Box 173 • Antigo, WI 54409 • 715-623-4039 • www.potatoseed.org

For a directory of Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato Growers, scan this code with your smartphone.

Overcome Barriers to

Farm Succession Success Don’t let your family farm legacy suffer due to a lack of productive conversation By Amy Ebeling, attorney, and Michael Wildeck, agriculture consultant, Ruder Ware, LLSC Sustaining a farm business over generations is something to be celebrated, but at the same time can be an enormous challenge.

operations typically demand fewer public services and costs to taxpayers as opposed to other developed, nonagricultural uses.

Besides the positive economic impact to the local community, there is also a public benefit from land held in farms that would otherwise be fragmented among a multitude of other owners.

For farm owners themselves, building a profitable operation and sustaining long-term viability creates a welldeserved sense of accomplishment and pride. It’s the family farm legacy!

Studies have shown that farm

Yet, while 78 percent of families

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42 BC�T November

intend to pass their businesses to their children, only 34 percent have created a formal succession plan. Even fewer have an up-to-date plan that accounts for current property values, changes in family member roles and other considerations that will change over time. NEXT-GEN TRANSITION Unfortunately for many farm owners, a successful transition of business ownership to the next generation may be in serious jeopardy. The consequence of failing to plan can be severe. For example: potential farm heirs may Above: Three generations of Gagas Farms, Inc. family members include, from left to right, Cliff, Don and Curtis Gagas. All are involved in the daily operations of the Stevens Point, Wisconsin, farm and have defined roles, leaving it in good, capable hands.

leave the farm because they don’t see a path to own and control the business; farm heirs might not have the necessary management skills or may be unprepared to manage when they haven’t increased their responsibilities over time; and farm heirs might find that they are unable to buy out non-farm heirs. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Extension titled “Communication Barriers to Family Farm Succession Planning” is frequently cited as an authoritative paper on the topic. Researchers who conducted the study “… sought to identify barriers to productive conversations and obstacles to making decisions regarding the future of their family farm.” The research team was surprised to find that in half of the families, respondents felt unable to make immediate progress with farm succession planning due to unresolved issues or uncertainty tied to the lives of individual family members. Study participants frequently described specific examples of these “family issues”: 1. Passive Communication – more emphasis on what was implicitly understood rather than explicitly

Sustaining a farm business over generations is something to be celebrated. Posing by boxes of the family-branded “Liberty Potatoes” are Joe (left) and Joey Bushman of J&J Potatoes, Inc., Galloway, Wisconsin.

communicated; a reliance on intrinsic understanding of respective roles and responsibilities 2. Delays in Planning Due to Unresolved Issues in the Lives of Adult Children – personal issues with children’s career choices and their personal relationships 3. Waiting for Children to Make Career Decisions – parents feeling

that they had to wait until their children made their own decisions to stay on/return to the family farm 4. Concern About the Stability of Successor’s Family/Marriage – parents having concerns about personal relationship issues in the lives of their children continued on pg. 44

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COMPANIES For more information visit volmcompanies.com or call 800.253.4737 BC�T November 43

Overcome Barriers to Farm Succession Success. . . continued from pg. 43

5. Efforts to Incorporate Children’s Perspectives into Conversations About the Farm – although it was understood by almost all parents that farm succession planning cannot be driven unilaterally by the senior generation, there was variation in how they went about asking for, or accommodating, children’s perspectives and concerns None of this would come as a big surprise to the attorneys that are experienced in succession planning work. Modern farms are highly specialized businesses, and with the addition of family ownership and control, can create a highly charged emotional atmosphere that makes ownership transfer complex. As challenging as these situations may be, however, we’ve found that farm succession planning can help minimize future disagreements by reducing the number of surprises. Most farm succession planning attorneys are also skilled facilitators.

Left to right are Gabe Seis, Calvin Seis, Ed Stevens and Dana Seis (Gabe and Calvin’s mom) of Sterling Farms, LLC, a family potato growing operation in Grand Marsh, Wisconsin.

Group facilitation is critical when you need to tackle issues like: dealing with your own mortality; giving up operational control; affordability concerns; and treating non-farm heirs in an equitable way. Ground rules can be helpful, such as:

1. Be Respectful of Others – be open-minded, check your ego at the door, listen to what others have to say and provide positive, constructive comments 2. Confidentiality – what’s said here, stays here After the growing season is often a good time to think more strategically about family and farm business goals. If you are unsure how to take the first step in farm succession planning, you might check with the advisors you already use and trust. Your farm consultant, loan officer and accountant may make up a good start. Of course, any member of our legal team at Ruder Ware is also available for that first call. We work as a team, so you can be sure of reaching the right professional for your needs. The main thing is to be proactive and get it done. It’s too important to put off.

44 BC�T November

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2018 WISCONSIN CERTIFIED SEED

POTATO GROWERS DIRECTORY

WISCONSIN CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES 100 Years of Seed Growing Tradition

Above: Potatoes are harvested on Bushman Associates land near Shantytown, Wisconsin, in September 2018.

PRIMARY BUSINESS PHONE NUMBERS ARE BOLD-FACED. BAGINSKI FARMS N3474 County H, Antigo, WI 54409 Office/Farm (715) 627-7753 Fax (715) 623-5412 Out of State (888) 446-7753 Mike Baginski (715) 627-7838 Mike Baginski Cell (715) 216-1240 Email mike@baginskifarms.com Website www.baginskifarms.com Colomba, CW08370-2RY/W, Goldrush, Jelly, Malou, Modoc, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Norland (Red Selection), Perline, Pioneer Russet, Radley, Russet Burbank, Silverton, Soraya, Superior BULA POTATO FARMS, INC. W11957 Highland Rd, Antigo, WI 54409 Office/Warehouse (715) 275-3430 Office/Warehouse Fax (715) 275-5051 Dennis Cell (715) 216-1614 Adam Cell (715) 216-1613

Email dennis@certifiedseedpotatoes.com Blushing Belle, Caribou Russet, Goldrush, Molli, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Revel Russet, Silverton, Superior, Umatilla Russet, W9133-1Rus, W9433-1Rus, W9576-11Y, Yukon Gold BUSHMAN’S RIVERSIDE RANCH, INC. N8151 Bushman Road, Crivitz, WI 54114 Farm (Crivitz, WI) (715) 757-2160 Jeff (715) 927-4015 Jon (715) 454-6201 Fax (715) 757-2243 Email jssuchon@gmail.com Caribou Russet, Silverton CETS LLC ASTROTUBERSTM N77 W24677 Century CT, Sussex WI 53089 Office (262) 246-1799 Fax (262) 246-1762 Cell (262) 391-4705 Website: www.cetstech.com

Your One Call Storage Solution

1-800-236-0005 • www.ronsrefrigeration.com

24 Hour Emergency Service 46 BC�T November

Computerized Control Systems Refrigeration • Humidification • Ozone Electrical Design & Installation Potatoes • Onions Sprout Inhibiting Sprout Nip® • Amplify® • Shield®

EAGLE RIVER SEED FARM LLC Ron Krueger, Farm Mgr. 4334 Chain of Lakes Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521 Eagle River Warehouse (715) 479-8434 Fax (Eagle River) (715) 479-8792 Ron Krueger Cell (715) 891-0832 Email rlkrueger@charter.net 07H 56 Dorm1, 07H 83 Form1, Atlantic, CW08370-2RY/W, Frito-Lay Varieties, Goldrush, Hodag, Lamoka, Manistee, Mercury Russet, Modoc, Molli, MSV 313-2, MSW 044-1, MSX 540-4, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Norland (Red Selection), Russet Norkotah Sel 8, Silverton, Snowden, Soraya, Superior, W9968-5 FLEISCHMAN, DAVID FARMS N2568 Cty Hwy HH, Antigo, WI 54409 Office (715) 623-6353 Cell (715)-216-2343 Fax (715) 627-0183 Email davidfleischmanfarms@gmail.com Goldrush, Mercury Russet, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Norland (Red Selection), Russet Norkotah, Silverton, Superior, Yukon Gold FRITO-LAY, INC. 4295 Tenderfoot Rd, Rhinelander, WI 54501 Andrew Sieker (715) 365-1622 Cell (620) 791-8808 Fax (715) 365-1620 Frito Lay Varieties

New grading line! Accurate sizing to meet your needs!

GALLENBERG FARM, DARWIN W8636 County B, Bryant, WI 54418 Office (715) 623-6586 Adirondack Blue, Adirondack Red, Austrian Crescent, German Butterball, Kennebec, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold GALLENBERG FARMS, INC. W7932 Edison Rd, Bryant, WI 54418 Farm (715) 623-7018 Roy Gallenberg (715) 627-2906 John Gallenberg (715) 623-2295 Fax (715) 627-2043 Email gallenberg@hotmail.com Goldrush, MegaChip, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Oneida Gold (W6703-1Y), Red Endeavor (W6022-1R), Superior, W8405-1R GUENTHNER FARMS, INC. N4653 Chillie Rd, Antigo, WI 54409 Farm (715) 627-7683 Bill Guenthner (715) 627-2792 Tom Schmidt (715) 216-1953 Fax (715) 627-0507 Goldrush, Langlade, Reba, Red LaSoda 10-3, Teton Russet (A008-ITE) continued on pg. 48

David J. Fleischman Farms Wisconsin Certified Seed Potatoes

B-size Seed Available! w, Stored in brand ne ty. ili fac ge ra sto e B-siz

State-of-the-art Storage Facilities 1- 2- 3-Year Contracts N2568 Hwy HH • Antigo, WI 54409

715-623-6353

Fax: 715-627-0183 • Cell: 715-216-2343

Beautiful Yukon Gold Crop! Attractive • Smooth Skin

We treat all seed as if we were going to replant it ourselves.

YELLOWS – Yukon Gold WHITES – Superiors RUSSETS – Goldrush, Russet Norkotah, Mercury, Silverton REDS – Red Norland, Dark Red Norland

WISCONSIN CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES BC�T November 47

2018 Seed Directory. . . continued from pg. 47

GUENTHNER POTATO CO., INC. PO Box 320, Antigo, WI 54409 Office (715) 623-7877 Fax (715) 623-7127 Robert Guenthner (715) 623-7877 Email rhodagpci@gmail.com Frito-Lay Varieties, NY152, Superior

Email jwmattek@gmail.com Atlantic, Frito-Lay Varieties, Hodag, Lamoka, Manistee, MegaChip, Pike, Pinnacle (W5015-12), Silverton, Snowden, W6609-3

HAFNER SEED FARMS, INC. W8243 County B, Bryant, WI 54418 Office/Warehouse (715) 623-6829 FAX 715-623-4203 David Hafner 715-623-6902 John Hafner 715-623-6829 Kevin Hafner 715-216-1606 Email khafner1@hotmail.com Atlantic, Goldrush, Pinnacle (W5015-12), Russet Norkotah, Silverton, Snowden, Superior HARTMAN FARMS, INC. N2846 County HH, Antigo, WI 54409 Michael Hartman Home (715) 623-7083 Michael Hartman Cell (715) 219-1802 Todd Hartman (715) 610-6477 John Hartman (715) 216-2059 Goldrush, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Norland (Red Selection), Russet Norkotah, Superior KAKES FARMS, LTD. W8539 Kakes Rd., Bryant, WI 54418 Farm (715) 623-6348 Dan Kakes (715) 623-7268 Dan Kakes Cell (715) 216-6348 Fax (715) 623-4614 Atlantic, Frito-Lay Varieties, Goldrush, Snowden MATTEK, J. W. & SONS, INC. N5798 Star Neva Rd, Deerbrook, WI 54424 Farm/Office (715) 623-6963 Fax (715) 627-7245 Jim Mattek (715) 623-7391 John Mattek (715) 623-6864 Joe Mattek (715) 623-3156 Cell (715) 216-0599

NORTHERN SAND FARMS 11263 Cty Hwy M, Crandon, WI 54520 Justin Bula 715-889-0666 David Bula 715-478-3349 Stan Bula 715-889-2911 Email justin.bula@gmail.com Goldrush, Hodag, Pinnacle (W5015-12), Snowden, Tundra (W2310-3), White Pearl RINE RIDGE FARMS, INC. W8132 County O, Bryant, WI 54418 Farm/Office (715) 627-4819 WATS (888) 853-5690 Fax (715) 627-4810 Ken Rine (715) 623-6791 Ken Rine Cell (715) 216-0760 Dan Rine Cell (715) 216-0765 Email rinerdg@yahoo.com Hodag, Lamoka, MegaChip, NY152, Waneta SCHROEDER BROS. FARMS, INC./SCHROEDER FARMS, LTD. N1435 County D, Antigo, WI 54409 Office/Farm (715) 623-2689 Fax (715) 627-4857 Warehouse, Schr. Farms, Ltd. (715) 627-7022 John T. Schroeder (715) 623-5735 Pete Schroeder (715) 627-4069 Robert Schroeder (715) 623-3113 Eric Schroeder Cell (715) 216-0186 Farm Email farm@sbfi.biz John T Email johnt@sbfi.biz Eric Email eric@sbfi.biz Atlantic, Baby Boomer, Blushing Belle, Frito-Lay Varieties, Goldrush, Lamoka, Manistee, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Norland (Red Selection), Pike, Russet Burbank, Russet Norkotah Sel 8, Russet Norkotah TX296, Silverton, Snowden, Soyara, W8893-1R, W9133-1Rus SEIDL FARMS, INC. N5677 Chillie Rd, Deerbrook, WI 54424 Farm/Office (715) 623-6236

Rine Ridge Farms, Inc. W8132 Hwy O, Bryant, WI 54418

Contact Ken & Dan

Specializing in NEW Chip Varieties

715-627-4819

Foundation and Certified Seed Potatoes Lamoka

48 BCï¿½T November

Megachip

NY152

Hodag

Waneta

Toll Free: 1-888-853-5690 FAX: 715-627-4810 EMAIL: rinerdg@yahoo.com

Fax (715) 623-4377 Art Seidl (715) 623-6236 Jeff Fassbender (715) 216-4433 Atlantic, Goldrush, Hodag, Norland (Red Selection), Russet Norkotah, Snowden SOWINSKI FARMS, INC. - CERTIFIED SEED 4698 Tenderfoot Road, Rhinelander, WI 54501 Paul Sowinski (715) 272-1192 John Hein, Seed Mgr. Cell (715) 401-0408 Farm/Office (715) 369-3225 Fax (715) 369-3226 Email sfiseedfarm@gmail.com Atlantic, Frito-Lay Varieties, Hodag, Manistee, Pinnacle, Snowden SUNNYDALE FARMS, INC. W9751 County I, Bryant, WI 54418 Farm (715) 627-7401 Mike Shafel Cell (715) 216-4531 James Shafel Cell (715) 216-4532 Fax (715) 627-4114 Email sunnydaleseed@yahoo.com Atlantic, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Norland (Red Selection), Snowden, Superior, W8405-1R, W8893-1R, W9576-11Y, Yukon Gold VERMONT VALLEY COMMUNITY FARM LLC Organic Seed Potatoes 4628 Cty Hwy FF, Blue Mounds, WI 53517 David or Jesse Perkins (608) 212-7816 Email potato@vermontvalley.com

Website www.organicpotatoseed.com Adirondack Blue, Adirondack Red, Austrian Crescent, Carola, French Fingerling, German Butterball, Goldrush, Kennebec, Magic Molly, Norland (Dark Red Selection), Oneida Gold, Peter Wilcox, Red Endeavor (W6002-1R), Red Gold, Superior, W8405-1R, Yukon Gold WILD SEED FARMS, INC. W9797 Cherry Rd, Antigo, WI 54409 Warehouse/Office (715) 623-3366 Fax (715) 623-5245 Tom Wild Cell (715) 216-1223 Dan Wild Cell (715) 216-1225 Email wildseed@antigopro.net Atlantic, Frito-Lay Varieties, Red LaSoda 10-3, Superior WIRZ, INC. N3581 Wirz Lane, Antigo, WI 54409 Donald Wirz (715) 627-7739 WATS (888) 257-7739 Fax (715) 627-4523 Cell (715) 216-4035 Shop (715) 627-2860 Email wirzinc@yahoo.com Website www.wirzinc.com Atlantic, Lamoka, Manistee, MegaChip, Pike, Snowden, White Pearl

BCï¿½T November 49

Badger Beat

UW Recruiting Seed Potato Pathology Scientist Applications invited from those with expertise in any area of plant pathology By Amanda Gevens, Alex Crockford, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology, Seed Potato Certification Program

Healthy seed potatoes are the key to success for growers, and seed potato certification helps them raise a profitable crop. Since 1913, the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program (WSPCP) has inspected and certified Wisconsin seed potatoes. The WSPCP, a program within the University of Wisconsin (UW)Madison Department of Plant Pathology, started as a collaboration between farmers and UW faculty. Both the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection also provide program oversight. Our goal is to provide farmers with seed potato planting stock that is healthy and without varietal mixture. We do this through inspections and laboratory testing of the seed potato

crop and through the expertise of Wisconsin growers. Early generation seed stocks produced in our potato tissue culture laboratory and at the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm aid in this endeavor by providing Wisconsin farmers with a reliable source of healthy seed potatoes. Seed Potato Pathology is a critical and rewarding research area and one in which we are currently recruiting for within the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences’ Department of Plant Pathology.

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Above: Shown is a test plot of W6609-3 seed potatoes as part of the 2017 variety trials at the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

Below, we provide our position description that is also available at the UW-Human Resources website by visiting https://www. ohr.wisc.edu/weblisting/External/ PVLSummaryPrint.aspx?pvl_ num=96133, or find the general university jobs website at https:// jobs.wisc.edu/. SUBMIT, SHARE, POST We invite those with interest in the position, or with interest in sharing this posting, to do so, far and wide. Our objective is to get the best scientist in this position to continue leading our program forward. The Department of Plant Pathology at UW-Madison is searching for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of plant pathology. Applications are invited from individuals with expertise in any area of plant pathology. The incumbent will investigate aspects of plant pathology in areas of the incumbent’s choosing with some emphasis on diseases pertinent to the production and trade of seed potatoes and will contribute to the

teaching mission of the department. The incumbent will have access to rich intellectual as well as infrastructural resources in their administrative association with the nationally renowned Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program (WSPCP). The position carries an approximate 70 percent research/20 percent teaching/10 percent administrative distribution of effort, and a nine-month appointment (with opportunity to fund summer salary through other sources). An advisory group will support the incumbent in directing the WSPCP in initial years. Focus areas could address various aspects of potato pathology, including, but not limited to: diagnostics; infection biology, including plant defense mechanisms; ecology, epidemiology, genomics or population genetics of pathogens relevant to seed potato production; and systems biology of seed potato production. We expect the incumbent to develop a program that bridges fundamental and translational research. Collaboration is expected with colleagues specializing in horticulture, microbiology, entomology and related disciplines. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a vigorous extramurally-funded research program while teaching and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students. Teaching may include an introductory undergraduate biology and/or plant pathology course, and/or a senior capstone or graduate level course in the candidate’s area of expertise. REQUIREMENTS Requirements include: a Ph.D. in plant pathology, plant biology, microbiology, entomology or related discipline; a strong foundation in the principles and concepts of plant

pathology and relevant research experience; effective oral and written communication skills; and a positive attitude for teamwork, including the ability to lead and motivate others. UW-Madison attracts outstanding graduate students and offers highquality research and teaching facilities, both in Madison and in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, the latter at the Lelah Starks Elite Seed Potato Farm. The successful candidate will join a thriving community of potato researchers and Extension specialists locally and nationally. Many opportunities exist on the campus for collaboration across a broad array of disciplines. Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is a picturesque and progressive city with a strong economy and a vibrant cultural environment. To apply, compile the following into a single pdf file: cover letter;

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statements of teaching and research interests; and curriculum vitae, and submit to: gevens@wisc.edu. Arrange to have copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts, and three letters of reference emailed to the same address. Questions regarding the position may be directed to the position search committee chair, Dr. Amanda Gevens, gevens@wisc.edu. Applications received by January 1, 2019 will be assured full consideration; review of applications will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. The University of Wisconsin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is committed to maintaining and growing a culture that embraces diversity, inclusion and equity, believing that these values are foundational elements of our excellence and fundamental components of a positive and enriching learning and working environment for all students, faculty and staff.

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Seed Piece

Wisconsin Seed Potato Outlook Remains Optimistic Weather events posed biggest challenges to the 2018 seed potato crop By Alex Crockford, program director, Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program Wisconsin had its weather challenges for 2018. Much of potato ground in Wisconsin received a major snow dump while seed shipping was in full swing and commercial planting season was underway.

The abnormally cool month of April and 18-20 inches of snow delayed frost coming out of the northern soils, truck availability for seed shipping and seed cutting operations for many seed growers.

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Despite this, May was one of the mildest in recent years, with relatively low precipitation and warm temperatures. Late May had very high temperatures and early June brought rain, delaying some planting and hilling operations into early and mid-June. Seed potato acreage planted was up again in 2018, with slightly over 9,300 acres. The increase includes cultivars used for fresh market russets, specialty potatoes and potato chips. Acreage in the certified seed potato program has gradually increased since 2013, up 1,000 acres over that time period. The sun and warm temperatures pushed along all crops, and the seed potato crop emerged quickly with very few disease concerns; blackleg was difficult to find, and mosaic levels were very low. Above: Certified Wisconsin seed potatoes are loaded into a Kverneland UN 3300 planter as Joe Augustine looks on at Schroeder Brothers Farms, Inc., in Antigo, Wisconsin.

During mid-summer, growers noticed that tuber set was quite variable with notable exceptions on either side of the norms. DRY VEGETATIVE PERIOD Most of the vegetative portion of the growing season was drier than in recent years, with northern Wisconsin growers running irrigation pivots far more often than in recent memory. The dearth came to an end during mid-to-late bulking and vinekilling stages of the crop. Dryland corners are showing a marked difference in yield and tuber size. With the dry and heat, growing degree days pushed Colorado Potato Beetle and cutworms to the forefront. Fortunately, we have many chemistries to handle the pressure. No late blight was found in the northern Wisconsin seed areas, with relatively low amounts of white mold present, and only in susceptible varieties. Aerial blackleg was also quite low in 2018. There were no mosaic rejections (PVY

>1 percent) for the season, and at the end of season, only a handful of lots were down-classed to certified (PVY .25-1 percent). Harvest began with great digging weather, followed by half-day harvests with above average high temperatures, switching dramatically to consistent mist and rain, and cool and cloudy conditions pushing harvest into early October. The bulk of harvest has had nice cool nighttime temperatures for running air systems. Quality has been generally very high throughout the harvest period. Depending on the cultivar, some yields have been reportedly lower than average, and in some cases, much higher. RETIRED SEED GROWERS Ron and Ken Mach of Mach’s Sunny Acres retired in the spring of 2018. The brothers grew Red Lasoda, Superiors, Atlantics and Accumulators. Ron was active with potato industry organizations, and in 2011, was

named the National Potato Council Seed Potato Grower of the Year. We congratulate them and are glad to see their farm and facilities continue in seed potato production. As we look forward to the postharvest testing in Hawaii, Wisconsin will continue to PVY ELISA test all latent varieties, and all seed lots re-entering certification will be ELISA tested. All Wisconsin seed lots receiving a Wisconsin certified seed tag must be post-harvest tested, and the upper tolerance for PVY is 5 percent. The University of Wisconsin (UW) has begun recruiting for a UW-Madison seed potato pathology faculty position within the Department of Plant Pathology (see “Badger Beat” this issue). This position will be associated with Wisconsin’s prominent seed potato industry. The certification program looks forward to partnering in making new discoveries related to seed potato issues.

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BC�T November 53

Auxiliary News By Devin Zarda, vice president, WPGA

If you live in Wisconsin, chances are you’ve experienced a rough growing season. We had too much rain when we didn’t need it and not enough when it counted.

I know that many nights didn’t have restful sleep in our house because of worries about the crops, checking irrigation (or is it called irritation?) and late nights working before the next storm arrived. We always joke that we don’t gamble because we do it for a living, so why risk our money twice? Farming isn’t for the faint of heart. When it’s good,

it’s good. However, when it’s bad, it’s beyond challenging. It is difficult seeing the fruits of your labor when the last view of your crop is it being loaded into a truck and taken away from the farm. You know you’re helping feed people, but you don’t have proof. This is even one more step removed for us since we grow seed at our farm. But, it isn’t always such a sad story. There are times when my soul feels full because I get to talk to people about potatoes, our farm and the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA).

CONSUMER CONNECTION I get a chance to connect with end consumers for at least three days every year. The first of those this year was helping the Auxiliary sell baked potatoes at the Wisconsin State Fair. I look forward to this event every year because I get to see people eating lots of taters. The seed for those potatoes might have come from our farm or another just like us. It’s also fun to see kids make the connection of where their food comes from when they meet a grower. Too many kids today can’t tell you where their food comes from.

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This year, I also got to spread the message that Wisconsin (and the Midwest) grows potatoes, and I got to do it on the largest platform we’ve ever had. I went to the Minnesota State Fair with the Spudmobile. After we got over the friendly heckling of “What is the Wisconsin Spudmobile doing at the Minnesota State Fair?”, we were able to really connect and talk with people. I can’t tell you how many times people would comment that they didn’t know Wisconsin, or the Midwest, grows potatoes. I have some videos on my phone of how we harvest (pull-behind harvester and track tractors), of the grading process, how we store potatoes and then load the semis when we’re finally shipping in the spring. FARMING IS COOL These videos helped one little guy realize that farming is cool. When he looked at me and said that he wanted to be a farmer, my heart warmed. Do I expect this kid to become a farmer? Probably not. But maybe he will ask for local potatoes when he’s at the store. Even though there are hard times, there are other times that erase all doubt. The moment with that little boy made all the tears, fears and uncertainties worth it.

Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Spudmobile Assistant Doug Foemmel (left) and Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Vice President Devin Zarda (right) enjoyed visiting with policemen patrolling the Minnesota State Fair, who, in turn, apparently liked the free potato chips and potato stress balls.

There is nothing like volunteering for an organization that simply wants people to know where their food comes from. As a farmer, it’s cool watching them realize their food is grown by a real person. And I’m not going to lie, my second favorite moment of the fair was hanging out with the policemen patrolling the fairgrounds. At first, they gave us a hard time, but then wanted to learn more about

potatoes. They were kind enough to take the accompanying picture with us. That is why we do what we do. If you would like to join the Auxiliary or volunteer at any of our events, please call 715-623-7683 for more information. We’d love to have you join us. Talk with you soon,

Devin

WPIB Focus

Wisconsin Potato Assessment Collections: Two-Year Comparison

Month

Jul-17

Aug-17

Sep-17

Oct-17

Nov-17

Dec-17

Jan-18

Feb-18

Mar-18

Apr-18

May-18

Jun-18

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,396,699.63

728,925.87

1,091,193.52

3,216,819.02

Assessment

$97,708.18

$51,117.39

$76,383.31

$225,208.88

Jul-18

Aug-18

Sep-18

Month

Oct-18

Nov-18

Dec-18

Jan-19

Feb-19

Mar-19

Apr-19

May-19

Jun-19

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,631,620.99

1,724,518.33

1,223,827.03

4,579,966.35

Assessment

$114,203.25

$125,436.11

$95,267.11

$334,906.47 BC�T November 55

Applying Stadium to Potato Tubers Entering Stor age Syngenta fungicide can help to manage Fusarium dry rot and silver scurf

By Amanda J. Gevens, Extension vegetable pathologist, associate professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, as adapted from “Guidelines for Applying Stadium to Potato Tubers,” by Willie Kirk, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences; David Ross, Syngenta Crop Protection; and Phillip Wharton and Nora Olsen, University of Idaho Potatoes are susceptible to a variety of storage pathogens, including Fusarium dry rot and silver scurf. Current recommendations for potato storage diseases include sanitation and exclusion as the primary controls for these pathogens in storage facilities. Offering:

Few fungicides are registered for direct application to tubers for control of these important pathogens and few compounds are available for potato tuber treatment in storage, including chlorine-based disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide.

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Several commercial storage products, like Phostrol (sodium, potassium and ammonium phosphates) and Storox (hydrogen peroxide/peroaxyacetic acid mixture), are registered for control of storage pathogens. Stadium, from Syngenta, is a three-way mixture of azoxystrobin (Quadris), fludioxonil (Maxim) and difenoconazole (Inspire), and the application rate is 1 fluid ounce mixed in .5 gallons of water per 20 cwt. (hundredweight), or one ton, of potato tubers. Above: Syngenta’s Stadium fungicide is registered as an effective treatment for management of Fusarium dry rot and silver scurf for potatoes in storage for both seed and ware markets. Shown are Bushman Associates, Inc. potatoes going into storage near Shantytown, Wisconsin.

In University of Wisconsin trials at the Potato & Vegetable Storage Research Facility in Hancock, Syngenta Stadium, with its azoxystrobin component, has also been shown to suppress pink rot and late blight of potatoes in storage. How to achieve optimum coverage with Stadium on potato tubers entering storage:

or dropping during the application.

• Ensure consistent uniform spray coverage of tubers.

• Be sure the proper spray volume will allow full coverage without leaving the tubers dripping wet.

• Position the spray nozzles at a point where tubers are rotating, turning

• Check calibration regularly during application.

Above: Apply 1 fluid ounce of Stadium mixed with .5 gallons of water per 20 cwt. (hundredweight), or one ton, of potato tubers.

• Constant agitation of spray liquid is required to maintain product in suspension.

continued on pg. 58

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Reds:

Whites:

Russets:

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WISCONSIN N3502 Hwy H • Antigo, WI 54409 CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES Office: 715-627-7753 • Fax: 715-623-5412 • mike@baginskifarms.com BC�T November 57

Applying Stadium to Potato Tubers Entering Storage. . . continued from pg. 57

Optimum spray volume for each storage facility: • Too high of a carrier volume will leave the tubers wet and encourage bacterial rot. • Too low a carrier volume will prohibit adequate coverage and limit protection. • Tubers should look uniformly damp but not dripping wet. • Use .25-.5 gallons per ton. • Note: The target volume (spray per ton of tubers) can vary with tuber size. Smaller tubers have more surface area and may require slightly more carrier volume per ton. For high tonnage systems, resulting in multiple layers of tubers on conveyers, a drop application method is appropriate. For lower tonnage, or a single layer of tubers, roller tables

Syngenta Stadium, with its azoxystrobin component, has been shown to suppress pink rot and late blight of potatoes in storage. Potato bins are pictured at Kakes Farms Ltd. in Bryant, Wisconsin.

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or conveyors may be considered. If tonnage and space allow, roller tables or toll-booth application positions, where multiple layers of tubers are allowed to spread out into a single layer, may be appropriate. Where space does not allow for roller tables, positioning nozzles at a logical drop point is probably the best option. The objective of tuber application is to apply Stadium uniformly across the surface of the tuber in adequate carrier volume to ensure good coverage, but without leaving the tubers visibly wet. Two primary configurations exist: application-table and drop-point application. Using an Application Table • If space allows, a roller-application table or roller-toll-booth-spreading

system can be used for application. This would ideally be positioned just after the final sorting tables. • Shielding is required to reduce exposure close to the sorting workers. • Rollers are required to ensure that tubers are rotating or turning during application. • If the tubers are in a single layer, a roller table is appropriate. • If the tubers are typically two-deep or more, a spreading system may be required to reduce their depth to a single layer. • Nozzles are positioned above the line to spray down onto the rotating tubers. Drop-point Application • If space or other considerations do not allow for a roller table application, a drop-point

application may be used. • The spray is applied to tubers as they fall from one conveyor to another, or off the end of the piler. • Chose a natural drop-point where tubers fall in a single layer and where nozzles can be positioned for best coverage. • Note that for high-tonnage operations where falling tubers remain in multiple layers, nozzles must be positioned both above and below the falling tubers. • If conveyor-to-conveyor drop points are shielded, or where tubers flow several tubers deep from one conveyor to another, then the only choice may be to position the sprayer at the end of the piler. This is not ideal, and certain factors should be recognized: It will be continued on pg. 60

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Or call Jonathon or John E. Bushman: 715-454-6201 BC�T November 59

Applying Stadium to Potato Tubers Entering Storage. . . continued from pg. 59

difficult to inspect, clean and maintain such a system, and the risk of pile contamination or overapplication exists, in case of breakage or a system blowout. It is recommended that Stadium be applied at each drop at the end of a star-roller system, before dropping to the conveyor system into the storage facility. The tubers will be cleaned as much as possible and will still be spread out in a thin layer prior to hitting the conveyor. Two spray bars approximately 2 feet apart will Right: Before applying Syngenta Stadium, tubers are cleaned as much as possible and will still be spread out in a thin layer prior to hitting the conveyor. Two spray bars approximately 2 feet apart will ensure best coverage. Shown here, potatoes are sorted at Midwestern Potatoes in Plainfield, Wisconsin.

60 BCďż˝T November

ensure best coverage. Once setup, tonnage and application volume have been determined, proper calibration is critical. Measure the tonnage throughput per hour. Calculate the spray volume per minute required to apply the volume per ton of tubers, for example, 7.5 gallons per hour for .5 gallons per ton. Measure and verify that the spray application system can deliver the amount required per minute or that it can be adjusted if necessary.

• Constant agitation of the slurry is important during the application process. • Does the operator or facility have appropriate certifications? • Where will the treatment area be situated relative to the pile and workers? • All treatment areas should be enclosed or shielded where possible, or otherwise setup to prevent drift of spray mist. • Check calibration regularly to ensure proper dosage delivery.

General Guidelines and Considerations • Always follow label instructions.

• Application volumes must be adjusted to the capacity of the line and tuber volume being treated.

• Read the label in its entirety.

• Position drip trays below the treatment site to catch waste chemical.

• Instruct and demonstrate the label to all people mixing, handling or applying Stadium fungicide.

• Does the application system have

an automatic cut-off to stop the applicator if tuber flow ceases? • It should be possible to stop all machinery on the line via one switch in case of emergency. • What is the anticipated throughput in tons per hour? • Can a constant throughput be maintained? • Can all parts of the line handle the throughput? • Can any treatment table be consistently filled across its width? • Will the applicator deliver the desired output and maintain an effective spray pattern? • If a conveyor, elevator or piler application system is used, is the “drop” great enough to achieve coverage while small enough to minimize damage?

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NPC News

Potato Industry Leaders Visit Capitol Hill Parties advocate for potatoes at United Fresh Washington Conference

Eric Halverson (right) of Black Gold Farms meets with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) to advocate for potato priorities in the Farm Bill during the United Fresh Washington Conference in September.

Sen. John Hoeven (left, R-ND) met with Eric Halverson (right) of Black Gold Farms to discuss the Farm Bill, trade agreements and fiscal year 2019 spending bills.

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As part of the United Fresh Washington Conference, several industry leaders visited Capitol Hill the last week of September to advocate for potato priorities in the Farm Bill, trade agreements and fiscal year 2019 spending bills. The Hill meetings were particularly timely, as Congress was attempting to deal with each of the high priority issues as the fiscal year ended September 30. Overall, industry members met with over a dozen members of Congress and their staff. In addition to meeting with Capitol Hill leaders, attendees also had the opportunity to hear from Agricultural Ambassador for Trade Gregg Doud on the status of the ongoing tariff disputes and various bilateral trade initiatives.

Farm Bill Expires The Farm Bill expired on Sunday, September 30, as the conference committee was unable to work out key differences between the House and Senate versions for a successor. Without further action by Congress, elements of U.S. agricultural policy will either cease functioning or revert to their historical predecessors as crops begin their individual 2019 year over the next few months.

a new Congress and have to start all over again,” Keeling adds. The major points of contention that have prevented a new Farm Bill from becoming law are largely in the nutrition title of the two bills, though unresolved issues involving payment limits, conservation and specialty crops also exist.

“Unfortunately, it has been several decades since the Farm Bill was passed on time, so this isn’t the end of the world,” says National Potato Council CEO John Keeling.

FUNDING ISSUES On the latter issue, it is still undecided whether the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) will be funded as intended at $80 million, or at the substantially lower figure of $55 million.

“We are optimistic that the opportunity to get a bill done exists between now and December. It is not in producers’ interest to drag this into

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance

Over 30 percent of SCRI is dedicated to the citrus industry, but its “carveout” expired at the end of September.

Let’s get it straight.

(the Alliance) is strongly urging Congress to honor the agreement made during the 2014 Farm Bill negotiations to fully fund SCRI. In support of that position, the Alliance sent a joint letter to all members of the conference outlining their needs for an enhanced Specialty Crop Research Initiative, along with maintaining funding for citrus disease research. The Alliance is also pushing for full funding and program enhancements for export programs as the United States is dealing with substantial volatility in global trade. Also, several regulatory reform items remain undecided and are supported by the Alliance membership.

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BC�T 11:12:28 November 15/09/2017 AM

EYES ON ASSOCIATES By WPVGA Associate Div. President Casey Kedrowski, Central Door Solutions

As we get closer to Old

Man Winter knocking on our door, I can’t help but make it a point to congratulate everyone on another year of overcoming adversity. It seems every day I’m reminded of all the different facets of agriculture within the Badger State! Wherever I go and whoever I’m able to talk to, it seems everyone has a tie to the agriculture industry.

A prime example of what I speak of is when I take my kids to the grocery store, in this case Trig’s of Stevens Point, and there is a very nice display touting “Eat Wisconsin Potatoes,” “Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin” or “Powered by Potatoes.” The reason I bring this up is to give credit where credit is due. So many things are taken for granted as everyone is busy being caught up in the day-to-day grind, but somehow

Electronic sorting

committees still need to hold meetings and the voluntary work must get done. I’m proud to be a part of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Promotions Committee, Associate Division, Water Task Force and Grower Ed Planning Committee. Whew, what a mouthful! And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

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Lastly, I’d really like to thank everyone for their time that they commit to making agriculture in Wisconsin something to be proud of. Whether it be monthly, weekly or just volunteering their time at some point throughout the year, it truly is appreciated. The daily grind is real, and to take a few hours out for the sake of the bigger picture is exceptional to see! Before you know it, we are going to be plowing snow and reminiscing on how another year went by, the struggles everyone went through and how all parties involved successfully overcame them. So, cheers to everyone making agriculture in Wisconsin something to be proud of!

Casey Kedrowski

WPVGA Associate Division President

Casey Kedrowski says credit is due to those who volunteer on boards, such as the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Promotions Committee, so that when he walks into Trig’s in Stevens Point with his kids, they can pose (Regan is on the left and Bryce at right) in front of a Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin sign such as shown here.

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Potatoes USA News

Myanmar Chefs Learn Why U.S. Spuds Should Be on Their Menus Early in September, 70 students from the Star Hospitality & Business Management Academy participated in a two-day young chef training in Yangon, Myanmar. The seminar included a thorough training in all aspects of U.S. potatoes in foodservice, including “Why Buy U.S. Frozen Potatoes,” cold chain training, frying instruction and fry oil management, as well as a trends presentation and cooking demo by Chef Norbert Ehrbar. Seventy students from the Star Hospitality & Business Management Academy in Myanmar trained in cooking with U.S. potatoes.

Roughly 87 percent of the participants stated that this information expanded their knowledge of U.S. potatoes.

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Training young chefs using domestic potatoes has a huge impact in a growing market such as Myanmar, by establishing U.S. potatoes as the standard for quality among international chefs to drive demand.

The training, while mainly focused on frozen products, also highlighted the benefits and characteristics of all U.S. potatoes. As the next generation of

international chefs gets excited about the possibilities with U.S. potatoes, the industry can look forward to getting more domestic spuds on more foreign menus in more ways.

Foreign Markets Expanding for U.S. Seed Potatoes Opportunities for U.S. seed growers to reach international buyers are expanding with foreign market introductions that connect growersellers with interested foreign growerbuyers in target markets: Guatemala, Morocco and Myanmar. The industry-sponsored field trials help to create commercial interest in domestic certified seed and compare U.S. varieties to common local ones. In the coming year, plans are underway for a grower market visit to Guatemala, in early 2019, with a

focus on introducing U.S. varieties from states that were recently granted fresh potato access.

be included on their official registry and allow commercial trade to commence.

Commercial interest is growing in Guatemala and additional sales are expected. In Morocco, several U.S. seed varieties are entering the official government registration track in 2019, a requirement before commercialization.

Grower-buyers from each of these markets will visit the United States over the summer of 2019 to learn about the seed potato industry and tour growing areas.

In recent months, in Myanmar, the variety registration process was simplified for seed potatoes, paving the way for U.S. varieties to

If you would like more information about Potatoes USA seed program target market opportunities, please contact Amy Burdett, amy@ potatoesusa.com. continued on pg. 68

Seed Potatoes

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W9751 HIGHWAY I BRYANT, WISCONSIN 54418 BC�T November 67

Potatoes USA News. . . continued from pg. 67

Trilateral Pact Replaces NAFTA A new trilateral pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada will revamp (and rename) the 20-yearold North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to the USMCA (U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement). The new deal, which Canada joined in the 11th hour, retains much of the existing NAFTA text on agriculture, including duty-free access for U.S. agricultural exports. It provides greater access to the Canadian dairy and poultry markets and updates the SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) standards. Neither the

U.S. proposed sunset clause, nor a seasonality provision are included in the new agreement. The agreements do not alter the current U.S. Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico. As a result, the Mexican retaliatory tariff of 20 percent on U.S. frozen French fries remains in place. The new treaty is expected to be signed by President Donald J. Trump and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts by the end of November. Congress and the

legislatures in Canada and Mexico will then have to approve the text, a process that is expected to take several months.

Kakes Farms Ltd. W8539 Kakes Rd., Bryant, WI 54418

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68 BCďż˝T November

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New Products Tasteful Selections Launches Mini Sweet Potato Trays Diverse, expanded tray line includes sweet, savory and trending flavors of sweet potatoes Dedicated to innovation and a satisfying culinary experience, Tasteful Selections®, a specialty potato brand from RPE Inc., has expanded its mini sweet potato tray line offering flavors of sweet, savory and trending favorites. Consumers will notice new flavor options as well as a new Tasteful Selections brand identity. Season & Savor® sweet potato trays

are filled with fresh, mini sweet potatoes and an individual seasoning packet that features one of six diverse, gluten-free flavors. These flavors include fan-favorite Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and new offerings like Sweet Heat, Honey Vanilla, Maple Bourbon, Southwest Chipotle and Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar. All six new seasonings offer a fullflavored experience that will leave consumers wanting more.

“Our consumer is ever changing. Their flavor preferences, healthbased decisions, even the way they shop,” says RPE President Russell Wysocki. “Tasteful Selections is changing to meet customer and consumer demand.” “Each Tasteful Selections mini sweet potato tray offering,” he continues, “caters to a sweet, savory or slightly daring food preference that we’re confident shoppers and their families will love.” Tasteful Selections offers additional new products that made their debuts at the 2018 PMA Fresh Summit, October 19-20, in Orlando, Florida. About Tasteful Selections Tasteful Selections, LLC is a joint venture of RPE, CSS Farms and Plover River Farms Alliance, Inc., and is a vertically integrated grower, shipper and marketer of premium specialty potatoes with unique attributes for size and flavor. 70 BC�T November

RedLine Solutions Offers Inventory Tracking Devices

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Material-handling vehicle operators need a device that can accomplish multiple tasks quickly and easily. The Zebra VC80 from RedLine Solutions comes in two options, the VC80, which runs on Windows OS, and the VC80x, running on Android OS.

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Whether you are managing incoming shipments in a warehouse, containers on or off ships or trains, or even moving baggage to and from aircraft, you need to achieve maximum throughput and accuracy. The Zebra VC80 from RedLine Solutions comes in two options, the VC80, which runs on Windows OS, and the VC80x, running on Android OS. The rugged design of both models is built to handle all-day vibrations, pounding and the toughest indoor

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continued on pg. 72 BC�T November 71

New Products. . .

continued from pg. 71

and outdoor environments, including freezers. With its compact design and flexible mounting options, the VC80x fits easily into vehicles, even in the most space-constrained forklifts, clamp trucks, yard mules and other specialty machines. MAIN FEATURES: • Fits in virtually any warehouse/ material-handling vehicle • Freezer-ready for the coldest supply chain • Maximum rugged design • Repairable on the spot • Comprehensive Windows Operating System (OS) support • Comprehensive Android OS support for VC80x model • Flexible data entry—touch or optional keyboard For more information, contact RedLine Solutions, 888-801-2039, sales@redlinesolutions.com, www.redlinesolutions.com. RedLine Solutions delivers intuitive inventory management and traceability solutions. Working with fresh produce growersshippers for over 20 years, RedLine’s systems optimize stock rotation, assure shipping accuracy, enable traceability, simplify compliance with customer labeling needs and support FSMA and business reporting. Complete solutions include software, hardware and professional services.

PH: 218-346-3357 • Toll Free: 888-884-8070 47418 US Hwy 10 Perham, MN 56573 • w w w . b t u v e n t . c o m

72 BC�T November

Ali's Kitchen

Tater Tot Casserole Evokes Warm Memories

Dish reminds the author of childhood and bundling up on cold winter days Column and photos by Ali Carter, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Tater tot casserole is one of those dishes that reminds me of my childhood and the comfort of being bundled up at home on chilly winter days. This recipe is a basic one, and while we tend to enjoy it as is, you can get as creative as you’d like with different seasonings and additions (try mixing in some shredded chicken and taco spices). Whichever way you chose to make it, I know that this simple recipe will help keep you warm during our Wisconsin winter and perhaps bring back memories of your own childhood! continued on pg. 74

Ingredients • 1 package (32 ounces) frozen potato rounds • 2 cups sour cream • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese • ½ cup French-fried onions (finely crushed)

SUPPORT YOUR FELLOW WPVGA MEMBERS When you need goods or services, please consider asking our Associate Division Members for quotes or explore what they have to offer. Together, we make a strong organization and appreciate how wonderful we are as a group. BC�T November 73

Advertisers Index Ali's Kitchen. . .

continued from pg. 73

DIRECTIONS • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. • Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a bit of butter. • Arrange tater tots/potato rounds in the baking dish. Set aside. • In a large bowl, combine sour cream, cream of mushroom soup and ½-cup of the Parmesan cheese. Pour this mixture over

74 BC�T November

the tater tots. • Sprinkle the remaining ½-cup of Parmesan cheese and the crushed French-fried onions on top of the casserole. • Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until warmed through and the top is golden brown. Enjoy! Find more recipes at www.LifeOnGraniteRidge.com.

Ag Systems, Inc........................................... 29 AgCountry Farm Credit Services................. 37 AgroMetrics.................................................. 9 AgSource Laboratories............................... 10 Ansay & Associates..................................... 27 Baginski Farms Inc...................................... 57 Big Iron Equipment..................................... 11 BTU Ventilation........................................... 72 Bushmans’ Inc.............................................. 3 Bushman’s Riverside Ranch...................50, 59 Chippewa Valley Bean................................ 24 CliftonLarsonAllen...................................... 39 Compeer Financial...................................... 26 CSS Farms................................................... 61 Dagen Heritage Farms................................ 62 David J. Fleischman Farms.......................... 47 Eagle River Seed Farms............................... 53 Fencil Urethane Systems............................ 16 Gallenberg Farms....................................... 30 Hafner Seed Farms, Inc............................... 71 Hartman Farms Inc..................................... 38 Heartland Enterprising LLC......................... 34 Jay-Mar, Inc................................................. 51 JMC Automation in Packaging.................... 23 J.W. Mattek................................................. 49 Kakes Farms Ltd.......................................... 68 Kitchen Farms Inc....................................... 70 Mid-State Truck Service, Inc....................... 36 Midwestern BioAg...................................... 66 Nachurs Alpine Solutions........................... 25 National Potato Council.............................. 69 Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems Inc..... 21 Noffsinger Mfg............................................ 74 Norika America, LLC................................... 65 North Central Irrigation.............................. 31 North Dakota State Seed............................ 20 Nutrien Ag Solutions Great Lakes............... 45 Nutrien Ag Solutions.................................. 14 Oasis Irrigation........................................... 33 Riesterer & Schnell..................................... 35 Rietveld Equipment, LLC............................. 64 Rine Ridge Farms, Inc................................. 48 Roberts Irrigation ......................................... 2 Ron’s Refrigeration..................................... 46 Ruder Ware................................................ 58 Rural Mutual Insurance.............................. 15 Sam’s Well Drilling...................................... 22 Sand County Equipment............................. 75 Schenck SC.................................................. 42 Schroeder Brothers Farms............................ 7 Schutter Seed Farm.................................... 17 Seidl Farms................................................. 60 Sowinksi Farms, Inc...................................... 5 Sunnydale Farms........................................ 67 Swiderski Equipment.................................. 54 Symach/Barry-Wehmiller Packaging.......... 19 Syngenta..................................................... 13 T.I.P............................................................. 76 Vantage North Central................................ 63 Vine Vest North.......................................... 56 Vista Financial Services, LLC....................... 40 Volm Companies......................................... 43 Warner & Warner....................................... 44 Wild Seed Farms......................................... 18 Wirz Inc...................................................... 52 WPVGA Support Our Members.................. 73 WSPIA......................................................... 41

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