1604

Badger Common’Tater

April 2016

THE VOICE OF WISCONSIN'S POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

Irrigation Issue INTERVIEW: James F. Drought, P.H., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.

Volume 68 Number 4 $18.00/year $1.50/copy

BADGER BEAT Integrated Management of Potato Blemish Diseases SPECIAL RECOGNITION Louis Wysocki to Receive Distinctive Award CLEAN WATER RULE Russell Wilson, Ruder Ware, Clearly Defines WOTUS

James F. Drought, P.H., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. poses

by Hancock Research Station’s high capacity well.

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Badger Common'Tater

On the Front Cover: James F. Drought, P.H., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. stands by Hancock Research Station’s high capacity well after a recent Water Task Force meeting. Photo by Ruth Faivre

8 Badger cOMMON’TATER INTERVIEW:

J ames F. Drought, P.H., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc./Global Water Center, Milwaukee, WI

Departments: ALI’S KITCHEN.................. 76 AUXILIARY NEWS.............. 75 EYES ON ASSOCIATES....... 70

22 BADGER BEAT Integrated Management of Potato Blemish Diseases

38 RUDER WARE: CLEAN WATER RULE Definition of WOTUS Under Clean Water Act

28 SPECIAL RECOGNITION Louis Wysocki to Receive Distinctive Award

GROUNDED ........................ 6 MARK YOUR CALENDAR..... 6 MARKETPLACE.................. 72 NEW PRODUCTS............... 63 NOW NEWS...................... 56

Feature Articles:

NPC NEWS........................ 68

50 CRIOLLA TASTING of Columbian potato Strains

POTATO BOARD NEWS..... 67

48 5 REASONS Why Farms Are Getting Bigger

53 OPERATING LOANS Helpful Financial Tool during Times of Low Cash Flow 4

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PEOPLE ........................... 60

WPIB FOCUS ................... 62

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WPVGA Board of Directors: President: Mark Finnessy Vice President: Eric Schroeder Secretary: Gary Wysocki Treasurer: Josh Mattek Directors: Steve Diercks, Rod Gumz,Ron Krueger, Wes Meddaugh & Andy Wallendal Wisconsin Potato Industry Board: President: Heidi Alsum-Randall Vice President: Richard Okray Secretary: Bill Wysocki Treasurer: Keith Wolter Directors: John Bobek, Cliff Gagas, John T. Schroeder, Tom Wild and Dennis Zeloski WPVGA Associate Division Board of Directors: President: Wayne Solinsky Vice President: Zach Mykisen

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WPVGA Staff Executive Director: Tamas Houlihan Managing Editor: Ruth Faivre 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

Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors: President: Paula Houlihan Vice President: Lynn Isherwood Secretary/Treasurer: Gabrielle Okray Eck Directors: Kathy Bartsch, Deniell Bula, Patty Hafner & Sheila Rine

WPVGA Office (715) 623-7683 • FAX: (715) 623-3176 E-mail Address: wpvga@wisconsinpotatoes.com Website: www.wisconsinpotatoes.com Like Us On Facebook: www.facebook.com/WPVGA

Mission Statement of the WPVGA: “To assist WPVGA members to be successful through education, information, environmentally sound research, promotion, governmental action, and involvement.”

Mission Statement of the WPVGA Associate Division: “Our mission is 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; $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) 347-3755, or email: Ruth Faivre: rfaivre@wisconsinpotatoes.com. The editor welcomes manuscripts and pictures but accepts no responsibility for such material while in our hands.

BC�T April

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Grounded Silence is not golden when your livelihood is threatened. Now is the

time for growers to speak up regarding the need to lessen restrictions for high capacity well permits. It is also time to establish sound, valid talking points to support your position.

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What can you do? Get educated. Read this interview for insight and learn everything you can to help communicate your stand on this important issue, not just to legislators but also your friends and neighbors.

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While this issue touches on irrigation, more importantly it addresses high capacity wells, primarily through our featured interview, which focuses on James Drought P. H., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc./Global Water Center.

For almost a year, James and his team of professionals have centered their wealth of experience in groundwater and environmental conditions on supporting WPVGA and its grower members in their quest to address adverse high capacity well legislation.

Currently over 170 permits for new and repair/replacement wells are at a standstill, affecting thousands of acres and sacrificing millions of dollars of potential revenue for growers, Wisconsin and the businesses that serve those growers.

Remember, the squeaky wheel does get the grease!

If you think growers’ efforts go unnoticed, think again. An article this issue about Louis Wysocki, Wysocki Farms, Inc., proves that is wrong.

Louis Wysocki is receiving a 2016 Quality of Life Leadership Award from Saint Michael’s Foundation, largely based on his contributions to committees like the Water Task Force and untiring efforts to help the public understand the impact of agriculture.

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.

Ruth Faivre

Managing Editor rfaivre@wisconsinpotatoes.com

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Interview

James Drought P. H. GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc./Global Water Center

By Ruth Faivre, Managing Editor

Name: James Drought P. H. TITLE: Vice President and Principal Hydrogeologist COMPANY: GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc./ Global Water Center LOCATION: Milwaukee YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: 25 Years as a Practicing Hydrogeologist including 2 Years with GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. SCHOOLING: Master of Science Degree, Hydrogeology and Water Resources, UWMilwaukee; Bachelor of Science Degree, Physical Geography and Biology, Carroll College, Waukesha, WI SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Associate Professor and Graduate Advisor, Environmental & Civil Engineering Department, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI; member of: National Ground Water Association, Wisconsin Ground Water Association and Federation of Environmental Technologists AWARDS/HONORS: Graduate Cud Laude, 2010 President of the Wisconsin Ground Water Association, UW Chancellor Appointment to the Wisconsin Groundwater Research Advisory Committee, Several Project Awards from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) HOBBIES: Spending time with family, competitive and open-water swimming, bicycling and fishing 8

BC�T April

The single, most important

issue facing the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) and its Grower and Associate members in 2016 concerns high capacity wells and the need for certainty in acquiring permits for new wells along with those for repair/reconstruction/replacement of existing DNR-approved wells.

Additionally, all of these high capacity well permits must be transferable during property sales, to preserve property values.

The past two legislative sessions failed to reach an agreement regarding this issue, stalling 170 permits that threaten to sideline thousands of acres of cropland that will not yield crops without irrigation.

Into this quagmire, enters Assembly Bill 874 (AB 874/SB239), the last good hope for a resolution to this situation.

AB 874/SB239, which passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate, clarifies the regulatory framework for approved existing high capacity wells and directs the DNR to conduct a study in problem areas.

The Wisconsin Senate reconvened on March 15 to pass/deny remaining bills, including AB 874/SB239 before they adjourn for the remainder of the session until December 2016.

The Wisconsin Senate passed the bill but since they amended the bill by deleting section 5, the bill must return to the Wisconsin Assembly for vote on passage/ denial. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin Assembly has already adjourned until December 2016 so it is highly unlikely that any action will occur before that date, so any current or additional pending high capacity well permits will remain in limbo. continued on pg. 10

TOP: Prior to a WPVGA Water Task Force meeting, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc./Global Water Center team members, James Drought P. H., Vice President & Principal Hydrogeologist and Project Hydrogeologist Ellie Stapleton, posed in front of the Hancock Research Station’s high capacity well, which feeds the irrigation equipment to provide for Hancock’s research crops. Drought and Stapleton were visiting the research station to present a progress report on projects they are coordinating for Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA). Photo by Ruth Faivre

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Interview. . . continued from pg. 8

However, Wisconsin’s growers cannot wait for the slow wheels of the legislative machine and WPVGA decided to search for their own solution on how to resolve the backlog of frozen permits.

After reviewing several consulting firms, WPVGA reached out to James Drought, P.H., Vice President and Principal Hydrogeologist for GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc./Global Water Center to serve as their ‘point person’ coordinating the following efforts over the last year: • Legislative support of the high capacity well bills • Evaluation and development of alternative metrics for stream impairment • Participating and reviewing the Little Plover River Model and Report

• Groundwater modeling in support of new and replacement high capacity wells GZA’S CREDENTIALS Founded in 1964, GZA employs more than 560 hydrogeologists and water professionals, environmental, chemical, geotechnical engineers and other staff in 27 offices throughout the U.S. This full-service company with highly diversified technical services supporting their core practice areas, is currently is consistently ranked among the top 100 firms on Engineering News Record's (ENR) annual list of the top 200 Environmental firms - ranking 89th in 2015 as well as among the top 500 ENR Design firms; ranking 126th in 2015.

GZA has a wealth of experience

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in water issues, engineering and regulatory permitting and offers tremendous depth and perspective in the development, management and protection of groundwater supplies and environmental conditions throughout southeastern Wisconsin, the Midwest and many areas of the United States.

A leader in groundwater services ranging from assessment of source and quality, and remediation alternatives, GZA has gained the respect of the regulatory community for the impartial and high-quality services provided by their firm.

DROUGHT’S QUALIFICATIONS Drought has over 25 years of professional consulting experience in the development, protection/ management of groundwater supplies, groundwater soil and groundwater remediation and litigation support services. continued on pg. 12

Left: Milwaukee headquarters for GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. is located in the Global Water Center.

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Interview. . . continued from pg. 10

Drought received a Master of Science Degree in Contaminant Hydrogeology and Water Resources from UW-Milwaukee, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Geography and Biology from Carroll College, Waukesha, WI. Drought also served as an Associate Faculty Member, Environmental & Civil Engineering Department, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI. He is also a member of National Ground Water Association, Wisconsin Ground Water Association and Federation of Environmental Technologists.

Drought is the focus of our feature interview this issue in order to bring our readership up to speed on the status of the GZA’s work over the last year and new developments and activities for 2016.

How did you and GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. become 12 BC�T April

involved with WPVGA? From the very beginning, we were very impressed with the relationships already developed between the WPVGA and governmental bodies as well as the significant financial contributions WPVGA has made annually to the University of Wisconsin system on behalf of its grower members.

In March 2015, GZA was invited to present a strategy to represent WPVGA interests at a WPVGA Water Task Force involving the following core services: • Hydrogeologic support and validation of the MODFLOW groundwater modeling by the Wisconsin Geologic and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) of the Little Plover River Watershed • Environmental advocacy of the WPVGA with local, state and federal units and agencies of government

Subsequently, WPVGA carefully evaluated GZA’s credentials and understanding of their growers’ crop-specific needs and challenges and then selected GZA to utilize their professional skills and services to provide the following value and certainty to WPVGA: •U nderstanding of and alternatives to reduce the cumulative impacts of pumping on drawdown, nearby wells and connected surface water features • F acilitating the permitting and optimization of high capacity wells •D evelopment of water stewardship practices and sustainable irrigation methods • E valuation of the potential application of groundwater management districts for the management of surface water and groundwater

Top: Pending high capacity well applications, some of which affect WPVGA grower members.

• Technical advocacy and representation of growers’ interest on groundwater resources, environmental compliance, permitting and regulation.

GZA is highly regarded for the respect it has earned from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and other governmental entities. Please explain the company’s philosophy of maintaining professional integrity while still representing the interests of your clients.

As an active participant in the rulemaking and advisory committees that drive the water and water-regulated industries, GZA as gained the respect of the regulatory community for the impartial and high-quality services it provides.

By using valid and excellent science and empirical data, we represent the best interests of our clients at the local, state and federal levels.

Please share with us a brief explanation/synopsis on GZA’s qualifications for influencing legislative support of high capacity well legislation and list the principal members of your team assisting you with the GZA/WPVGA projects?

Founded in 1964, GZA has a wealth of experience in groundwater and environmental conditions throughout southeastern Wisconsin, the Midwest and many areas of the United States.

With over 500 professionals engaged in water issues, engineering and regulatory permitting, GZA offers tremendous depth and perspective in the development, management and protection of groundwater supplies.

GZA is a leader in groundwater services ranging from assessment of source and quality and remediation alternatives.

Besides me, GZA team members that regularly support our WPVGA

projects include John Osborne, P.G., Jim Cai, P.E, Martin Hamper, P.G., Elizabeth Stapleton, Susan Karls, Janee Pederson, EIT and Anne Grzywa.

All of these team members have earned advanced academic degrees in water resources and hydrogeology and have contributed to the advancement of the mission and vision of the WPVGA. Please share with us a brief explanation/synopsis of why there is a need for high capacity well legislation, a brief history of Wisconsin’s high capacity well legislation and GZA’s involvement in assisting WPVGA in influencing the 2015 legislative support and throughout 2016.

Groundwater is an important source of water for many human needs, including public water supply, agriculture and industry. continued on pg. 14

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Interview. . . continued from pg. 13

One of the primary concerns related to the development of groundwater resources in Wisconsin is the potential effect of pumping on streamflow and lake levels in seepage lakes.

Groundwater pumping can reduce the amount of groundwater that flows to streams and lakes and, in some cases, can draw streamflow into the underlying groundwater system.

Below is an outline of the evolution of high capacity well legislation in Wisconsin and the main elements of each phase.

• Water loss>95 percent (<5 percent return to basin) LAKE BEULAH DECISION (July 6, 2011) • Potential harm to Waters of State (broadly defined Chapter 281, Stats) • Concrete, scientific evidence of potential harm RICHFIELD DAIRY ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE’S OPINION (September 3, 2014) • Consideration of cumulative Impacts • Failure to consider represents a gap in the Public Trust Doctrine

PRE 2003 LEGISLATION • Well construction standards • Impacts to municipal wells

The Richfield Dairy decision in 2014 requires WDNR to consider cumulative impacts for the siting of any new high capacity well.

2003 WISCONSIN ACT 310 (GPA) • Within 1,200 feet of trout stream or exceptional resource • Impacts to Stream >1 cfs

GZA has supported WPVGA with the drafting of new legislation, defining the parameters for consideration of Sensitive Resource Areas (SRA) and,

Area extent and thickness of aquifers, length and travel time of ground-water flow paths and thickness of unsaturated zone vary locally and regionally.

importantly, evaluating alternate metrics for stream impairment from potential depletions of high capacity wells.

This year, you completed a peer review of Ken Bradbury’s Little Plover River Model and Report.

What were your final analysis and/ or areas of concern regarding that model and report?

WPVGA has participated and provided support for the modeling activities conducted by WGNHS and provided water-gauging information from member wells.

On behalf of WPVGA, GZA completed an independent evaluation the inputs and outputs of the model and will be sharing our comments with WGNHS soon.

We have suggested a few refinements to the model to allow us to evaluate alternative mitigation scenarios for improving base flow to the Little Plover River in addition to those completed by WGNHS in 2015 as presented (Table 2, page 15).

GZA GUIDE TO INTERPRETING THE LPR SIMULATION SCENARIO CHART RESULTS 1. These simulations were suggested by representatives of the WPVGA at a meeting on July 22, 2015.

2. Steady-state runs assume that the model parameters are fixed in time. Results of these runs are single values, representing average values for the year. Transient runs simulate changes through time. Results of transient runs vary throughout the model year.

Therefore, for understanding the effects of transient simulations it is best to look at hydrographs (plots of streamflow through time) rather than single values.

3. The model is better suited for predicting changes in water levels and stream flow than for predicting absolute values. For this reason,

14 BC�T April

it is best to look at the "change from base run" results when comparing scenarios. Although we have chosen specific model years for these simulations the specific year selected probably has little influence on the comparative results.

4. Streamflow results are presented in cubic feet per second, abbreviated CFS. 5. Streamflow results are referred to stream gage sites at Kennedy Avenue (Kennedy), Eisenhower Avenue (Eisenhower) and Hoover Avenue (Hoover).

6. We present single values of the public rights minimum flow.

7. We emphasize that these scenarios are for discussion only and do not represent actual planned activities.

Going forward, evaluation and development of alternative metrics for stream impairment are an

Little Plover River Watershed

important factor in garnering public support for agricultural environmental efforts. Please detail your progress with this critical aspect of the WPVGA goals.

Streamflow reductions caused by pumping have become an important

water-resource management issue with the WDNR because of the potential effects that reduced flows can have on aquatic ecosystems, availability of surface waters and the quality and aesthetic value of streams and rivers. continued on pg. 16

Summary of Little Plover River Simulation Scenarios Summary of Little Plover River Simulation Scenarios Scenario Scenario

Base Run Base Run

9/11/2015 9/11/2015

Description Description

Run Type Run Type

Public Rights Flow, CFS Public Rights Flow, CFS

Simulated Flow, CFS Simulated Flow, CFS

Change from Base Run, CFS* Change from Base Run, CFS*

Kennedy Eisenhower Hoover Kennedy Eisenhower Hoover Kennedy Eisenhower Kennedy Eisenhower Hoover Kennedy Eisenhower Hoover Kennedy Eisenhower 1.90 4.00 6.80 2.28 2.44 5.76 0 0 1.90 4.00 6.80 2.28 2.44 5.76 0 0

Hoover Hoover 0 0

Base run 2013 Base run 2013

steady steady

1A 1A 1B 1B 1C 1C

Remove 5 wells Remove 5 wells Remove 11 wells Remove 11 wells A&B combined A&B combined

steady steady steady steady steady steady

1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90

4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00

6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80

2.33 2.33 2.72 2.72 2.76 2.76

2.51 2.51 2.82 2.82 2.89 2.89

5.85 5.85 6.26 6.26 6.35 6.35

0.05 0.05 0.43 0.43 0.48 0.48

0.07 0.07 0.38 0.38 0.45 0.45

0.09 0.09 0.5 0.5 0.59 0.59

2A 2A

Remove Village well Remove Village well

steady steady

1.90 1.90

4.00 4.00

6.80 6.80

2.48 2.48

2.7 2.7

6.08 6.08

0.2 0.2

0.27 0.27

3A 3A 3B 3B 3C 3C

Transfer wastewater Transfer wastewater Transfer cooling water Transfer cooling water Transfer pumping Transfer pumping

transient transient transient transient transient transient

1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90

4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00

6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80

varies varies varies varies varies varies

varies varies varies varies varies varies

varies varies varies varies varies varies

0.36 0.36 0.21 0.21 0.24 0.24

0.41 0.41 0.25 0.25 0.47 0.47

0.32 0.32 . .

0.09 0.09 0.25 0.25 0.51 0.51

4 4

Dam at Kennedy Ave Dam at Kennedy Ave

transient transient

1.90 1.90

4.00 4.00

6.80 6.80

varies varies

varies varies

varies varies

1.2 1.2

1.3 1.3

1.2 1.2

Lower streambed 0.5 ft Lower streambed 0.5 ft Lower streambed 0.5 ft Lower streambed 0.5 ft Lower streambed 1.0 ft Lower streambed 1.0 ft Lower streambed 1.0 ft Lower streambed 1.0 ft

steady steady transient transient steady steady transient transient

1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.90

4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4 4

6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80 6.80

2.25 2.25 varies varies 2.41 2.41 varies varies

2.54 2.54 varies varies 2.69 2.69 varies varies

5.93 5.93 varies varies 6.13 6.13 varies varies

0.02 0.02 0.1 ‐ 0.3 0.1 ‐ 0.3 0.18 0.18 0.3 ‐ 0.7 0.3 ‐ 0.7

0.13 0.13 0.3 ‐ 0.8 0.3 ‐ 0.8 0.28 0.28 0.6 ‐ 1.7 0.6 ‐ 1.7

0.19 0.19 0.4 ‐ 1.2 0.4 ‐ 1.2 0.39 0.39 0.8 ‐ 2.6 0.8 ‐ 2.6

Sensitivity Sensitivity Sensitivity Sensitivity

Table 2 : Little Plover River predicted scenarios completed in 2015. *Note: For steady‐state runs, the change is relative to the steady state base run. For transient runs, the reported change is the maximum flow *Note: For steady‐state runs, the change is relative to the steady state base run. For transient runs, the reported change is the maximum flow increase that occurred over the 12‐month simulation period. increase that occurred over the 12‐month simulation period.

BC�T April 15

Interview. . . continued from pg. 15

Tamas Houlihan, Andy Wallendal, A.J. Bussan, Nick Somers and Andy Diercks made significant investments and contributions to discussion of alternative impairment metrics with the WDNR. As shown on Figure 1, GZA demonstrated to WDNR that by using multiple lines of evidence, the proposed stream impairment factor in the siting of new wells was overly conservative and alternative factors should be considered. Our historical research showed that numerical factors for potential stream depletion, using the flow duration curve for specific streams, were exceeded due to natural events and climatic variations. We proposed a numerical factor

to WDNR, which is considered beyond the influence of these natural and climatic influences.

We continue to work with WDNR in the evaluation and development of these impairment criteria in comparison to the public rights standards.

Additionally, please describe new groundwater modeling you are developing to help justify the building of new high capacity wells and replacement/repair of existing ones.

Scientific research has made very important contributions to the basic understanding of the processes and factors that may affect streamflow and lake stages by wells.

Most groundwater flow models operate under steady-state conditions where model parameters and outputs such as pumping rates, groundwater recharge, stream base flows and groundwater levels remain constant with time.

However, the problems groundwater flow models investigate are inherently transient. Many environmental variables constantly change over a variety of time scales ranging from very short (rainfall events, daily irrigation, etc.) to very long (seasonality, climate change, etc.).

Our advanced methods for simulating groundwater systems with computer models provide powerful tools for estimating the rates, locations and timing of streamflow depletions in response to groundwater pumping and for evaluating alternative approaches for managing streamflow and lake levels.

Recently, you were hired by grower Ed Burns to create the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Buena Vista modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which will help provide the necessary supportive data to determine cumulative impacts Top Left: Jim Drought and Ellie Stapleton give a presentation on the status of WPVGA projects on which they are working for 2016 at the March joint Water Task Force meeting. Photo by Ruth Faivre Top Right: Ellie Stapleton takes water quality measurements of surface water for a GZA project.

Figure 1 16 BC�T April

Opposite Page: Buena Vista existing wells.

of existing wells in the region and help convince the DNR to grant an application for a new high capacity well on the Burns farm. Please explain this project and your progress thus far.

James Burns & Sons, Inc. applied to install a high capacity irrigation well in Portage County, WI, which is to be located near the headwaters of Buena Vista Creek.

Due to the complex nature of agriculture pumping in the Central Sand Region, the application status was on hold by the WDNR until GZA was retained to perform a groundwater modeling evaluation for use in the support of the application.

GZA has developed a conceptual Site model of the surface water and groundwater system near the Site. continued on pg. 18

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Interview. . . continued from pg. 17

A preliminary groundwater model domain for the nearfield, focusing on the Site vicinity and those streams/ rivers potentially impacted by the proposed well, has been determined.

We completed model calibration and the local model will now be used to evaluate the pumping impact of the new well on groundwater level and surface water.

We actively worked with WDNR during all phases of model development and will submit our findings to them soon.

The model domain for the Buena Vista Basin is broad and may be used by other growers for both new and replacement wells.

If you are successful in using the Buena Vista Model to help Ed Burns obtain the permits he needs for his new high capacity well, how can you parlay that success into helping other growers with similar scenarios.

We may also be asked to consider model development for the other areas of the state where the WDNR may be challenged in the review of new well applications due the complex nature of agriculture pumping and limited availability continued on pg. 20 Top Left: Jim Drought (Upper right of this table) sat with the WPVGA growers whose fields surround the Little Plover River during the luncheon at the 2016 WPVGA Grower Ed Conference and Industry Show. From Left: Scott Worzella, Charlie Sankey, Mark Soik and Curt Soik, where the discussion centered on origins of the Little Plover River and scenarios to address it. Photo by Ruth Faivre Top Right: James Drought P. H., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., shown here with fellow hydrogeologist, Ellie Stapleton, was a first time booth exhibitor and a presenter at the 2016 WPVGA Grower Ed Conference and Industry Show where he spoke about “advancing water management strategies using groundwater flow models.” Photo by Ruth Faivre Bottom: This photo shows other model domains in the Central Sands. Yellow outline represents the Buena Vista model for Ed Burns completed

by GZA. Red outline is the Central Sands model done by George Kraft and others. Blue outline is the Little Plover Model by Ken Bradbury and others. Purple outline is a conceptual model of the Buena Vista Basin by Ken Bradbury and others.

Green outline is the Golden Sands model by S.S. Papadopulos and Associates. Orange outline is the Richfield Dairy model, also created by Papadopulos.

18 BC�T April

Top Left: GZA’s Martin Hamper examines and performs maintenance for a groundwater extraction remediation system.

Middle: Ellie Stapleton, Project Hydrogeologist for GZA, takes soil samples.

Bottom: GZA’s Chris Ainsworth pulls a sled of equipment to do groundwater sampling of a monitoring well in a remote location.

Top Right: Michael DeVasto of GZA surveys a stream bottom.

BC�T April 19

Interview. . . continued from pg. 18

of stream and well data.

The general distribution of high capacity wells in Wisconsin is shown on Figure 2.

What advice do you suggest to growers during this time when no permits are being issued by WDNR if they find themselves need a new well or repair/reconstruction of an old one?

As we discussed at the WPVGA convention in February, several models exist for the Central Sands region that can be used to support WDNR applications for new and replacement wells.

Each of the models has unique strengths and limitations and GZA is available to WPVGA members to evaluate the potential application to specific locations.

Figure 2: Location of Wisconsin’s current high capacity wells

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ASSOCIATE DIVISION / AUXILIARY

Scholarships Now Available

The WPVGA Associate Division and Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA) are pleased to announce scholarships totaling $6,000, available to students at post-secondary institutions.

The Associate Division Board of Directors and Auxiliary Board of Directors will award the full $6,000, but may decide to award several smaller scholarships based on number of applicants and their merits.

The Associate Division is excited to announce a brand new scholarship opportunity this year, the Avis M. Wysocki Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was made possible through a special fundraiser held earlier this year in which the Associate Board raised $3,250 to be awarded to one deserving candidate.

This scholarship honors Avis Wysocki, the founder of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary and an integral part of the Wisconsin potato industry. Avis passed away in October 2015, but the board is proud to pay homage to her by establishing this scholarship.

DUE BY

MAY 1, 2016 Obtain applications online at www.wisconsinpotatoes.com or, by calling the WPVGA office.

(715) 623-7683 If you have any questions, please call Julie Braun at the WPVGA office.

PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED FORM TO: Julie Braun WPVGA PO Box 327 Antigo, WI 54409-0327 or, Email Completed Form To: jbraun@wisconsinpotatoes.com

The purpose of all of these annual scholarships is to provide financial assistance to college-bound students whose immediate family are WPVGA members.

These scholarships, which help defray educational expenses, are open to students in undergraduate and post-graduate programs. Applicants must be original residents of Wisconsin and are eligible to reapply in subsequent years regardless of if they have been previously awarded a scholarship.

The selection of a scholarship winner is based on the following criteria: • Merit – e.g. G.P.A., extra-curricular activities, etc.

• Financial need.

• Other information provided in the application.

• The recipient must attend an accredited Wisconsin school of higher education as a full-time graduate or undergraduate student.

• The recipient must meet the entry requirements of the selected accredited Wisconsin school of higher education (grade point average, etc.).

Some of the information requested in the application may be considered personal or confidential. You may choose not to provide such information; however, the selection committee making granting decisions requests information on your financial status since these Associate Division and Auxiliary scholarships may be partially based on financial need.

You are encouraged to complete the scholarship application form in a professional manner. The recipient must properly and fully complete and type the formal application. Hand-written applications will not be considered. Remember, the application is the only representation of you the selection committee will see.

Badger Beat

By Amanda J. Gevens, Associate Professor & Extension Plant Pathologist, UW-Madison & Julia M. Crane, Former Research Associate, UW-Madison

Integrated Management of Potato Blemish Diseases Silver Scurf Pathogen: Fungus Helminthosporium solani Black Dot Pathogen: Fungus Colletotrichum coccodes Silver scurf and black dot are potato blemish diseases that are growing in prevalence and economic importance. Both diseases cause tuber discoloration that makes infected tubers unmarketable.

Distinguishing between the two diseases can be challenging, but is possible with laboratory procedures.

Unfortunately, there are gaps in our understanding of both diseases and how to manage them best, although research on these diseases has been intensifying in recent years.

Silver scurf and black dot are caused by separate fungal pathogens that have distinct life cycles. Management strategies mostly consist of cultural and chemical controls, and are hindered by the lack of commercially available resistant cultivars.

Challenging to control, these diseases require an integrated effort to reduce their impact on potato production.

22 BC�T April

SYMPTOMS: Silver scurf and black dot symptoms appear as silver, shiny lesions on the tuber skin. Silver scurf lesions begin as circles with well-defined borders, and are often initially at the stolonend. Over time, they coalesce to cover much of the tuber surface.

Black dot symptoms may be darker, are generally less defined and cover a greater portion of the tuber surface.

The black dot pathogen also causes foliar and stem symptoms similar to early dying and may play a minor part in the potato early dying disease complex.

The symptoms of both diseases are most evident on red and blue potatoes and on tubers that are wet.

Silver scurf and black dot symptoms are very similar, and in many cases, microscopic or molecular diagnostic analysis is required to differentiate between the two diseases.

These diseases are typically cosmetic and affect just the tuber skin, although they may lead to tuber shrinkage and yield loss, particularly in storage.

Infected fresh market tubers are frequently rejected since tubers with these diseases lesions are unappealing to consumers.

Diseased processing tubers may also be rejected since chips produced from infected tubers often have burnt edges due to a hardening of the tuber skin.

SILVER SCURF DISEASE CYCLE Initial silver scurf infection occurs in the field. The largest source of inoculum is from infected seed tubers, although inoculum may also come from soil or crop debris.

The role of soil inoculum is greatest in fields with a history of silver scurf, or, where there are shorter rotations between potatoes (less than three years).

The fungus grows on the developing tubers, but the majority of symptom development occurs after vine kill.

Dry conditions can cause severe symptoms even on young tubers.

Significant secondary infection can

occur in storage through direct contact between tubers and the spread of pathogen spores via storage ventilation systems.

BLACK DOT DISEASE CYCLE The main source of inoculum is from pathogen spores produced from fungal structures that survived the winter on debris, infected tubers or in the soil. These structures can survive for several years in the soil in a dormant state.

An additional but lesser source of inoculum is from infected seed tubers. Infections can occur on above ground and below ground plant parts and spread to new plants throughout the season via wind and water splashing.

Poor soil and warm temperatures contribute to infections. Moreover, conditions that stress plants appear to increase susceptibility.

Figure 1: Silver Scurf disease cycle.

Surprisingly, day length may affect black dot severity, which could explain some of the conflicting reports on the importance of this disease. Black dot is more severe under short days than long days.

Unlike silver scurf, black dot does not spread easily in potato warehouses.

However, storage conditions may promote symptom development on tubers that had asymptomatic field infections at time of harvest. continued on pg. 24

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Badger Beat. . . continued from pg. 23

MANAGEMENT A combination of strategies will provide optimal control of both diseases.

In general, silver scurf management focuses on reducing seed-borne Fungicide(s), FRAC

inoculum, although management of inoculum from debris or soil is more important in fields with a history of disease, or when short (<3 years) crop rotations are used.

reducing inoculum from infested debris, tubers and soil. Another focus of managing both diseases involves reducing the length of tuber exposure to inoculum- through early harvest or selection of late-maturing cultivars.

Black dot management focuses on

Finally, using good sanitation and overall plant health management practices will decrease the risk of both diseases.

Application, formulation

Active ingredient

Diseases controlled

Dynasty, 11

Seed, liquid slurry

azoxystrobin

Black Dot, Rhizoctonia, Silver Scurf

Equation; Equation SC; Quadris; Satori; Willowood Azoxy 25C, 11

In-furrow and banded

azoxystrobin

Black Dot, Rhizoctonia, Silver Scurf

Evito 480 SC, 11

In-furrow and banded

fluoxastrobin

Black Dot, Rhizoctonia, Silver Scurf

Elatus, 11, 7

In-furrow

azoxystrobin + benzovindiflupyr

Black Dot, Rhizoctonia, Silver Scurf

Strobilurins-FRAC Group 11

Phenylpyrroles-FRAC Group 12 Cruiser Maxx potato, 12, 4A insecticide

Seed, liquid

fludioxonil, thiamethoxam

Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf

CruiserMaxx Potato Extreme, 12, 3, 4A insecticide

Seed, liquid

thiamethoxam, fludioxonil, difenoconazole

Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf,

Maxim 4FS; Spirato 480FS, 12

Seed, liquid

fludioxonil

Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf

Maxim MZ, 12, M3

Seed, dust

fludioxonil, mancozeb

Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf

Maxim PSP, 12

Seed, dust

fludioxonil

Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf

mancozeb

Fusarium, Late Blight, Common Scab, Rhizoctonia, Silver Scurf

Dithio-carbamates- FRAC Group M3 Dithane-F45 Rainshield, Dithane-M45, Koverall, Roper DF Rainshield, M3

Seedpiece, Liquid for slurry or mist application

Phenyl-benzamides- FRAC Group 7 Emesto Silver, 7, 3

Seed, liquid

penflufen, prothioconazole

Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf, Black Scurf

Moncoat MZ, 7, M3

Seed, dust

flutolanil, mancozeb, contains alder bark

Late Blight, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Silver Scurf

Thiophanates- FRAC Group 1 Evolve, 1, M3, 27

Seed piece, dust

thiophanate Silver Scurf, Fusarium, methyl, mancozeb, Rhizoctonia cymoxanil

Tops MZ, 1, M3

Seed, dust

thiophanate methyl, mancozeb

Tops-MZ-Gaucho, 1, M3, 4A insecticide

Seed, dust

thiophanate Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, methyl, mancozeb, Silver Scurf, Late Blight imidaclopid

24 BC�T April

Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Silver Scurf, Late Blight

As mentioned previously, these methods focus on field management of silver scurf and black dot; additional steps should be taken for managing these diseases in storage.

CULTURAL CONTROL: Management options include: • Field selection - Avoid planting into fields with history of severe disease.

• Seed selection - Plant disease-free seed.

• Sanitize field equipment.

• Rotate - Silver scurf - Increase the length of rotations to at least three years.

Even longer rotations will reduce the incidence of this disease.

- Rotate with non-host crops such as sweet potatoes, red clover, carrots, parsnips, beets or turnips.

One study demonstrated success with barley (under-sown with red clover), red clover and potato rotation. Avoid alfalfa, sorghum, rye, oats, corn and wheat.

- Black dot - Rotations likely have less impact than for silver scurf, but could still be beneficial, particularly if rotations are long.

Rotate with non-hosts such as barley, rye or maize. Avoid nonhosts like solanaceous crops, yellow mustard, soybean and spring canola.

•M aintain high overall plant health.

•D ig representative samples prior to harvest and have them evaluated to estimate incidence of disease.

This information can be used to make decisions on where and how long to store the harvested tubers.

• Harvest tubers early soon after vine kill.

• Do not spread or dump infested tubers on future potato fields, since they will serve as an inoculum source.

Fungicide(s), FRAC

Application, formulation

Active ingredient

Diseases controlled

Stadium, 11, 3, 12

In-line aqueous spray application

azoxystrobin + difenoconazole + fludioxonil

Silver Scurf, Fusarium Dry Rot

Phostrol; Prophyt, Phiticide, 33

Aqueous spray application

salts of phosphorous acids; potassium phosphite; phosphorous acid

Silver Scurf, Pink Rot, Late Blight

Jet Ag; StorOx 2.0, NC

Aqueous spray application, fog application

peroxyacetic acid (PAA) + hydrogen peroxide + acetic acid

Fusarium Dry Rot, Bacterial Soft Rot, Early Blight, Late Blight, Silver Scurf, Bacterial Ring Rot

Ozone

Air system treatment or hooded, in-line application

ozone

Can reduce development of Silver Scurf and other post-harvest diseases

Other options for silver scurf include: • Use a lower planting density • Plant smaller seed pieces • Plant seed of a lower generation Other options for black dot include: • Control weeds, particularly velvetleaf and solanaceous weeds like nightshade.

• Monitor soil fertility; very high or low levels of nitrogen may increase disease severity.

• Perform pre-plant solarization/ tarping, or mouldboard ploughing to a depth of 30cm.

• Avoid planting into poorly drained soils.

recommendations about products appropriate for your region.

• Maintaining good plant health is particularly important.

Multiple biocontrol microbes have been tested for control of silver scurf with mixed results, thus these biocontrol microbes do not appear to provide consistent control of silver scurf. Minimal research has been

BIOCONTROL Use only products labeled for silver scurf or black dot and contact your local extension agent if you need

continued on pg. 26

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Badger Beat. . . continued from pg. 25

conducted on black dot biocontrol.

appropriate for your region.

CHEMICAL CONTROL

Relatively few fungicides have been developed to control black dot, so the efficacy of some of these products may be limited. Limited studies show that fumigation reduces black dot incidence.

Several ‘at-planting’ products are labeled in Wisconsin for silver scurf and black dot control. See table below for registered fungicides.

Remember to use only products labeled for silver scurf or black dot and follow all label directions when using the product. Contact your local extension agent, specialist or consultant if you need recommendations about products appropriate for your region.

Several ‘post-harvest’ products are labeled in Wisconsin for silver scurf control. See table below for registered fungicides.

Remember to use only products labeled for silver scurf and follow all label directions when using the product.

Contact your local extension agent, specialist or consultant if you need recommendations about products

RESISTANT VARIETIES No commercial cultivars are completely resistant to black dot or silver scurf, although cultivars vary in the amount of spores produced or in the visibility of the symptoms on the tuber. In general, later maturing cultivars perform better against both diseases, probably because tubers are exposed to pathogen inoculum for a shorter period prior to harvest.

Tolerance to silver scurf been found in wild potato species and the Verticillium resistant line C287 developed in Dr. Shelley Jansky’s UW-Madison Horticulture/USDAARS Laboratory may also have useful tolerance to silver scurf. Research in this area is ongoing.

There has been limited screening of wild potato and potato breeding lines to black dot.

A recent screen of 40 wild potato accessions and 46 potato-breeding lines found partial resistance in several accessions or lines, suggesting that additional screening would be worthwhile and that increased resistance to black dot can likely be introduced into cultivated potato.

DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS AND IDENTIFICATION Both pathogens can cause latent infections that can develop into symptoms at a later point, making detection important even on tubers that do not appear to be infected.

Silver scurf symptoms are very similar to black dot symptoms, but there are no other common tuber diseases easily mistaken for either of these diseases. Because of the similarity between silver scurf and black dot symptoms, microscopic or molecular diagnostic analysis is often needed

Silver scurf

Black dot

Pathogen

A fungus, Helminthosporium solani

A fungus, Colletotrichum coccodes

Inoculum source (major contributor underlined)

Seed, soil/crop debris

Seed, soil/crop debris, weeds

Other plant hosts

Potato is main host, but can survive on debris of several other plants

Many hosts, especially Solanaceous crops and weeds

Infects above-ground plant tissues

No

Yes

Symptoms

Gray/silver lesions, defined margins, lesions not raised, lesions begin small but may grow together

Lesions darker and larger than silver scurf, raised and in irregular patches, black dots may be visible

Frequency of latent or asymptomatic infections

Likely high

Likely high

Potential for spread in storage

Yes

No

Management focus

Reducing inoculum from seed

Reducing inoculum from soil/debris

Season length influence

More disease with later harvest

More disease with later harvest

Crop rotation

Beneficial (>3 years)

Less beneficial

Other cultural strategies

Among others- seed and field selection, planting density

Among others - field selection and preparation, weed control, drainage

Resistant cultivars

No completely resistant commercial varieties available

No completely resistant commercial varieties available

Biological control

No consistently effective organisms identified

No consistently effective organisms identified

Chemical control

Effective seed/in-furrow products

Possibly less effective

26 BC�T April

to distinguish them.

One challenge facing silver scurf and black dot diagnostics is that both pathogens are often observed on the same tubers, making it difficult to determine which pathogen was the primary culprit.

An additional challenge in the detection of silver scurf is that the pathogen may take over a month to grow on tuber surfaces, and can be hidden by faster-growing molds.

Molecular diagnostic primers have been developed for both pathogens, and may aid in rapid and comprehensive diagnoses. Research is currently being performed in this area at UW-Madison.

SILVER SCURF AND BLACK DOT SUMMARY Fungicide seed treatments, in-furrow pesticide application, fungicide/ fumigant soil incorporants, and postharvest treatments can have a place in an integrated disease management plan, which includes cultural practices such as planting certified potato seed to help minimize disease levels, proper handling and sanitation of storage/cutting/curing facilities prior to planting and cultivar resistance.

In combination, integrated practices minimize economic losses to disease, minimize environmental effects,

limit risk of pesticide residues, limit development of fungicideresistant pathogen strains and limit development of pathogen strains, which may overcome host disease resistance.

Geary and Johnson. 2006. Relationship between silver scurf levels on seed and progeny tubers from successive generations of potato seed. Amer. J. Potato Res. 83:447-453

For further information on potato disease management and fungicides, please refer to the following sources:

Peters et al. 2004. Influence of crop rotation and conservation tillage practices on the severity of soil-borne potato diseases in temperate humid agriculture. Can. J. Soil Sci. 84: 397–402

• Our Potato & Vegetable Pathology Website at: http://www.plantpath. wisc.edu/wivegdis/.

Tsror and Peretz-Alon. 2004. Control of silver scurf by dusting or spraying seed tubers with fungicides before planting. Amer. J. Potato Res. 81:291-294

• 2016 A3422 Commercial Vegetable Production in Wisconsin guide, available for purchase through the University of Wisconsin Extension Learning Store website: http:// learningstore.uwex.edu/Search. aspx?k=A3422.

• A pdf of the guide can be downloaded or is available at the following direct link: http:// learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/ pdfs/A3422.PDF SILVER SCURF BIBLIOGRAPHY Avis et al. 2010. Minireview/Minisynthèse Integrated management of potato silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani). Can. J. Plant Pathol.

32:287-297. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07060661.2010.508627 Errampalli et al. 2001. Emergenc of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) as an economically important disease of potato. Plant Pathol. 50:141153. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.13653059.2001.00555.x/pdf

Merida and Loria. 1994. Effects of potato cultivar and time of harvest on the severity of silver scurf.

Plant Dis. 78(2):146-149.

BLACK DOT BIBLIOGRAPHY Dung et al. 2012. Impact of seed lot infection on the development of black dot and Verticillium wilt of potato in Washington. Plant Dis. 96:1179-1184 Lees et al. 2010. Relative importance of seed-tuber and soil borne inoculum in causing black dot disease of potato. Plant Pathol. 59: 693–702 Lees and Hilton. 2003. Black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes): an increasingly important disease of potato. Plant Pathol. 52: 3–12 Nitzan, et al. 2010. Partial resistance to potato black dot, caused by Colletotrichum coccodes in Solanum tuberosum group Andigena. Amer. J. Potato Res. 87:502–508 Nitzan et al. 2008. Disease potential of soil- and tuber borne inocula of Colletotrichum coccodes and black dot severity on potato. Plant Dis. 92:1497-1502 Nitzan et al. 2006. Colonization of rotation crops and weeds by the potato black dot pathogen Colletotrichum coccodes. Amer. J. Potato Res. 83:503-507 Tsror. 2004. Effect of light duration on severity of black dot caused by Colletotrichum coccodes on potato. Plant Pathol. 53: 288–293 http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r607102111. html#MANAGEMENT

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BC�T April 27

SPECIAL RECOGNITION Louis Wysocki to Receive Quality of Life Leadership Award

By Ruth Faivre, Managing Editor

SAINT MICHAEL’S FOUNDATION Community Leadership Celebration Banquet April 23, 2016, Sentryworld’s Grand Hall Potato and vegetable industry leader, Louis Wysocki, SecretaryTreasurer of Wysocki Farms, Inc. and time-honored supporter/member of Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), has been selected as one of three recipients, to secure a 2016 Quality of Life Leadership Award from Saint Michael’s Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital and Ministry Medical Group.

This honor is awarded annually in recognition of Portage County leaders who have made significant contributions to enhance quality of life for citizens of the surrounding region.

Louis’ award will be presented at the 28 BC�T April

Annual Saint Michael’s Foundation fundraising banquet April 23, 2016, to be held in Sentryworld’s Grand Hall.

"This annual event allows our entire community to reflect on the contributions local award winners have shared with all of us," states Angie Heuck, Saint Michael’s Foundation Director. "The evening is an opportunity to recognize the award recipients and show our gratitude for their tireless efforts towards creating a better quality of life for everyone."

The nominations for Quality of Life Leadership Awards are reviewed and determined by a Selection Committee comprised of community leaders, including a representative

Event tickets are $65 each and well-wishers are invited to attend.

The event is open to the first 200 RSVPs. Gifts honoring the 2016 Quality of Life Leadership Awards recipients will go to their designated charities.

Sue Wilcox: Greatest Need Fund Louis Wysocki: Hospice Fund Ray Nass: Doctor Joseph & Charlene Jarabek Endowment Fund For tickets, contact Jenna Furger Annual Giving & Special Events Coordinator, Saint Michael’s Foundation, (715) 346-5349 or jenna.furger@ministryhealth.org

from Saint Michael’s Foundation Board of Directors.

According to Angie, “Louis Wysocki, was immediately selected by our committee as someone who exerted a great impact on our community as a result of his leadership and accomplishments. Louis is skilled at helping solve high-profile, multifaceted and sometimes controversial community issues while earning the respect and integrity of his peers and the public.”

“Our organization is very happy for Louis Wysocki for being granted this award,” explains Tamas Houlihan, WPVGA Executive Director. “In the agricultural world, Louis is nationally recognized for his agricultural insights, business acumen and untiring efforts on behalf of agriculture with a proven ability to articulate issues and create consensus. He is a man of high

integrity and has earned the respect of his peers. One of his greatest accomplishments was uniting his many family members into a highly successful, harmonious farm and business group.”

Louis’ community leadership skills first became apparent when as a high school junior, he attended a legislative water use hearing where he strode up to the microphone and testified when the speaker asked for volunteers. Subsequently, these are just a few of his activities within Portage County:

UNITED WAY OF PORTAGE COUNTY Along with Board member Lloyd Berner (WPS Manager), Louis instituted a policy of “Recipient Charitable Service Organization,” which publicized United Way activities in order to educate the public as to the purpose and need for the United Way Campaign.

He served on the United Way Board when it agonized over setting a campaign goal of over $100,000.

Their actions are widely recognized as the impetus that led to the continued on pg. 30

Opposite Page: Louis Wysocki (middle right), a long-time WPVGA active participant, seated with Ray Keenan of Prince Edward Island, Canada (middle left), attended WPVGA’s annual reception at the 2016 Potato Expo in Las Vegas, NV. Photo

by Ruth Faivre.

Top Left: Louis Wysocki Top Right: Congress Sean Duffy recently visited the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Storage Research Facility at Hancock in late 2015 on a potato industry tour with industry members (L-R): Tamas Houlihan, Louis Wysocki, Nick Somers, Sean Duffy, Dianne Somers and Jim Wysocki.

BC�T April 29

Special Recognition. . . continued from pg. 29

unprecedented success of $2,282,000 in donations in 2015.

UW-STEVENS POINT College of Natural Resources Louis was appointed to the 1998 Board of Visitors, elected 1999 Chairman of Land Use Planning Committee, served numerous times as a classroom guest lecturer and received their Distinguished Service Award.

UWSP Foundation Elected to 1991 Board of Directors, Louis currently serves in the position of Emeritus Director.

Spud Bowl Louis was Co-founder of this fun-filled event, which raised recognition of the potato industry and WPVGA as well

as funds for charitable purposes.

for Sainthood.

Other Activities and Recognitions:

Sacred Heart Church, Polonia Lifetime member of Sacred HeartSaint Martin’s Parish, Chairman of Cemetery Committee, 1972-present.

Central Wisconsin Area Foundation Louis served on the organizing Committee and as charter member in 1982.

Bank of Park Ridge, Stevens Point Louis was Director, 1979-2005; Loan Committee Chairman, 19792005; Park Ridge Bankshares Board Chairman, 1987-2005.

Saint Martin’s Church, Ellis Founded, funded and chaired Restoration Fund via the Community Foundation in 2010. This is the home parish of martyred Catholic missionary Brother James Miller, who is currently under consideration

BUSINESS ACUMEN Until he retired at the age of 62, Louis Wysocki served as General Manager and C.E.O. of a multi-corporation family business, which he and his brothers, Francis and Gregory, founded in 1964 together with their father.

Founder of Paragon Potato Farm, Inc. and Wysocki Sales, Inc. (currently dba Russet Potato Exchange or RPE) Louis retired and gave up control of the business in 1997, living out his lifelong belief that an effective Top Left: Louis and Avis Wysocki, avid attendees at potato industry conferences and shows, are shown here at a National Potato Conference.

Top Right: Louis Wysocki’s beloved wife, Avis, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 surrounded by her husband, children and grandchildren. As shown here, Louis and Avis were inseparable and both were active in WPVGA and other potato industry associations.

Bottom: Professor Emeritus Dr. Jeff Wyman (left) facilitated a panel discussion on Water Conservation and Potential Solutions. WPVGA Hall of Fame grower Louis Wysocki (R) represented potato growers. Also speaking were Dan Mahoney of the Village of Plover and Bob Smail of the Wisconsin DNR. Through WPVGA Water Task Force, growers are working closely with research scientists and state agency personnel to understand Central Sands hydrology so they can improve irrigation practices even further.

30 BC�T April

business succession is a process, not an event and that the next generation should be trained to assume the reins well in advance of it actually happening.

Louis pioneered a “pool pricing concept” for the grading and marketing of potatoes. This concept is now widely used throughout the industry, giving producers confidence that their product is fairly and uniformly marketed with transparency and integrity, thusly allowing the marketing function to concentrate on the buyer’s needs.

Louis still serves as Secretary-Treasurer of Wysocki Farms, Inc. and the family business now consists of the following: • 30,000 acre irrigated potato and vegetable crop farm • Large potato processing and storage facility serving area producers • Potato brokerage and marketing firm serving producers from all regions of the United States and Canada

continued on pg. 32

Top Left: Louis Wysocki (L) is shown here with Jeff Sommers (R), coowner of Wysocki Family of Companies and general manager of Wysocki Produce Farm, at an awards ceremony where Sommers was recognized as a 2015 Master Agriculturist by Wisconsin Agriculturist’s in March 2015. Wysocki had previously been awarded Master Agriculturist from Wisconsin Agriculturist but his plaque was lost in a fire that destroyed the Wysocki Family of Companies headquarters back in 1999, so Wisconsin Agriculturalist surprised him with a new one.

Top Right: Russell’s replacement?

Middle: Avis & Louis Wysocki shown with two of their great grandchildren, who are son Jim’s granddaughters: Alaina Frankowski (with Avis) and Ava DeLong (with Louis).

Bottom: Jacquie Wille shown here with her dad, Louis Wysocki, at approximately age 70, on one of his collectible tractors, an IHC Farmall M, which was used to pull a sleigh for sleigh rides. The sleigh rides were a family tradition that started as an excursion to the woods to celebrate Louis Wysocki’s January birthday. The Farmall M was previously owned

by Avis’ brother and now belongs to her son, Jim Wysocki.

Special Recognition. . . continued from pg. 31

• 5,000-acre California specialty minisize potato growing enterprise and newly constructed state-of-the-art 200,000 square foot cold storage and processing facility • Ready to cook, wrapped potato and sweet potato processing facility, Plover • 2,400 acre potato seed research and development facility, Eagle River • Sales offices in Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Atlanta, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota • 5,000 head dairy facility in Nekoosa, WI with duplicate facility being planned in Town of Saratoga, Wood County INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Louis served as 1969 WPVGA Board

President; named 1988 Grower of the Year; awarded Industry Appreciation Award in 2000 for 19 years of outstanding contributions and dedicated service to WI Ag industry while serving on WDATCP Board; In 1992, he was the first inductee into WPVGA Hall of Fame based on how his lifelong commitment to excellence significantly impacted Wisconsin’s potato industry. He received the President’s Award for Lifetime of Advice and Trust, 2002; President’s Award for Teaching and Coaching, 2012 and was co-founder of the Wisconsin State Fair Potato booth.

National Potato Industry Board (PIB) Co-founder in 1972, Louis subsequently achieved consensus among Wisconsin potato growers to represent Wisconsin potato growers before United States Congressional Committee with key testimony, thus achieving

congressional passage of the National Potato Industry Board, which today has an annual worldwide promotional budget of $15,000,000.

National Potato Research and Education Foundation Louis was elected Chairman in 1988.

U.S. Congress Advisory Committee – Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (P.A.C.A.) Revisions Committee Named Appointee, 1989-1991; computerized entire P.A.C.A. and gave it to United States Department of Agriculture-P.A.C.A.; reviewed and proposed 12 of the 15 amendments considered by the Committee, gaining passage of eight.

The most important amendment Louis passed gave produce sellers a paramount lien position among all other creditors. This greatly stabilized the industry and improved buyer/ seller business relations with a fair

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playing field. Twice, Louis was called upon by Congress to give testimony on P.A.C.A. issues.

American Grocers Association (AGA) Louis served on subcommittee to establish Uniform Product Code (UPC barcodes) for identification of produce at retail.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Governor Lee Sherman Dreyfus appointed Louis to Board of Directors in 1981; elected Board of Directors Chairman, 1986 and 1988; reappointed to Board of Directors by Governor Tommy Thompson, 1987, 1993, and 1999 (six year terms); re-elected Board of Directors Chairman, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1999.

Honored by DATCP Land and Water Resources Bureau for “recognition of your contributions to protect and enhance Wisconsin’s land and water resources,” 2001.

Agricultural Discovery Farm to study farm runoff pollution.

Ever a trailblazer, he initiated and helped pass revisions to Wisconsin’s Chapter 100 regulating Wisconsin vegetable procurement practices, leading to a collaborative relationship between producers and processors.

This resulted in significant expansion of the industry and the Wisconsin economy.

Louis realized that DATCP’s regulations, created by Legislative and Agency rule-making process piecemeal amendments, were ambiguous. Louis examined each administrative rule and harmonized them so they would be more cohesive and understandable by the industry and department staff.

Additionally, he initiated and coauthored legislation that exempted vegetable wash plants from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Point Source Pollution

Permits (Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination System, a.k.a. WPDES).

Louis then provided his company’s pioneering facilities to be used as the testing grounds to develop the necessary positive science.

Engaging this common sense action saved the vegetable industry millions of dollars of unnecessary expense.

Louis initiated and successfully fought for extensive revisions to Wisconsin’s Legislative Act Chapter 88 and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture’s Administrative Chapter 48-Drainage Rules, which defined competing landowners’ rights.

This led to peaceful co-existence of the cranberry industries migration into irrigated vegetable farming operations and also had Chapter 88 assigned to the jurisdiction of the DATCP, formally housed in the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. continued on pg. 34

At his very first Board meeting following his appointment, Louis initiated and fought successfully for changes to Wisconsin’s Agricultural Marketing Act (Wisconsin Chapter 96), which unlocked a 35-year stalemate in achieving agricultural marketing orders.

The act gained Legislative approval within five months, then garnered the Governor’s signature and Grower passage, creating the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, which today has an ongoing yearly advertising budget of over $25,000,000.

Louis led the development of State policy (Wisconsin AB595) regulating agricultural pesticides from intruding into ground water, notably Aldicarb and Atrazine.

This policy was subsequently adopted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the model for Federal Groundwater Pesticide Contamination Policy.

He was also co-founder of Wisconsin

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Special Recognition. . . continued from pg. 33

This past year, Louis came out of his retirement to author and promote a substitute bill for the fair and sciencebased regulation and permitting of high-capacity water wells. While this bill has broad support, it cannot be introduced until after current legislation, under consideration, is acted on by the Wisconsin State Legislature.

Wisconsin Potato Industry Board (WPIB) Louis conceived the concept for and co-founded the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board (WPIB), assisted with necessary legislation for its creation and served as First Chairman, 1974-1980. The Board was later incorporated into Wisconsin’s Agricultural Marketing Act. National Potato Council (NPC) A NPC member from 1964 to present, Louis served as 1978 President.

Louis established a form of association governorship that led to the NPC becoming a nationally respected and professionally managed organization that 34 BC�T April

became the primary spokesman for agriculture before the United States Congress, United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Department of Agriculture and various other Federal administrative agencies for the United States potato industry.

In 1985, he received Potato Man for All Seasons Award by The Packer newspaper and NPC’s President’s Award in 1989 and 1998 along with NPC’s Gold Potato Award in 1984 and 2005.

United Potato Growers of America (UPG of A) A Founding member of the United Potato Growers of America and Founding member of the United Potato Growers of Wisconsin, Louis was instrumental in aiding the founding of sister chapters in all states west of the Mississippi River, encompassing in excess of 80% of US potato production, primarily russet varieties.

This effort achieved Louis’ lifelong quest to insert economics, first

and foremost, in producers’ and marketers’ production and marketing decisions.

Potato Expo Convention Louis conceived the idea for a nationwide conference for the potato industry to meet, interface with one another, discuss common issues and provide the largest display in the world of potato innovations, new products, technology and equipment.

Since its meager initial attendance of 300 in 2006, it has grown to an attendance of over 3,000, with attendees from all over North America and the world.

Above: Louis and Avis Wysocki pose with third and fourth generations of their family in 2013 after Erin Wysocki’s high school graduation. Front row (L to R): Rosie Wysocki, Dave Frankowski, Marc Wysocki, Allison Wysocki, Ava Delong held by her mom Chrissy Delong, Heidi Schleicher and Anna Hausler. Middle row (L to R): Nicola Carey, Alaina Frankowski held by her mom Katie Frankowski, Heather Groshek, Avis Wysocki, Erin Wysocki, Ryan Wysocki and Emily Bustamante. Back row (l to r): Isaac Groshek, Sam Soderberg, Louis Wysocki, Luke Wysocki, Max Soderberg and Eric Soderberg.

Wisconsin Agri-Business Council Louis served as its President in 1985.

Wisconsin Agri-Business Foundation Louis was one of the Founders of the organization in 1981 and served as Board of Trustees Chairman that same year.

Lost Creek Water Control District Conceiver and organizer of the District, Louis was Chief Operating Officer from 1995 to 2013. He resolved the annual spring water flooding of Brilowski Road at its junction with 9th Street and water drainage problems of adjoining farmlands.

Little Plover River Restoration and Conservancy Plan Together with Jim Wysocki and Jeremie Pavelski, Louis Wysocki was co-conceiver and founder of a plan to reverse the degradation of the Little Plover River headwaters area and stabilize its flow. The team also created the concept of a 140-acre conservancy project with a public education park. Louis helped provide the land and partial funding to launch the project.

Left: Louis and Avis Wysocki pose with their grandchildren and great grandchildren in front of their restored 1931 Ford Model A. RIght: Christmas 2004, Louis Wysocki takes time for a holiday snooze with grandkids, Eric (L) and Marc (R).

FAMILY

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Family means everything to Louis.

He married his childhood sweetheart and the love of his life, Avis Marie Steffanus, in 1957 and they had five children: Jacquie (Kirk) Wille, Gary (Liz) Wysocki, Jim (Sharon) Wysocki, Terri (Jeff) Soderberg and Russ (Diane) Wysocki with seventeen grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.

Sadly, Avis passed away in October 2015, and Louis and the industry lost a wonderful woman and true advocate for the potato industry in which she had lifelong friends.

Avis was the Founder and visionary of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA) and Vice President of the first Auxiliary board of directors.

Avis, a registered nurse, worked as a surgical nurse at Saint Michael’s

N V S

continued on pg. 36

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Special Recognition. . . continued from pg. 35

Like Louis, Avis introduced new concepts, rallied people around her and helped build strong organizations like the Auxiliary, which this year celebrates 40 successful years. She also initiated an Auxiliary scholarship program, which still exists today.

Avis won the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Award in 1988 and received the National Potato Council President's Award in 2007.

She was a founding member and instrumental in the formation of the National Potato Council Auxiliary Scholarship program and Women’s Fund of Stevens Point and active with United Way of Portage County, Mercy Hospital School of Nursing Foundation, American Cancer Society and Catholic Daughters of America.

Together, Louis and Avis were powerhouses of support for the potato and vegetable industry. Avis

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Ruder Ware Clean Water Rule

By Russell W. Wilson

Definition of “Waters of the United States” Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) I. INTRODUCTION The terms “waters of the United States” and “navigable waters of the United States” are two separate definitions applied by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in different contexts pursuant to different statutes.

Let us suppose you want to construct a hydroelectric plant. A fundamental concern would be whether the newly constructed generating facility and dam would obstruct navigation.

In that context, the jurisdiction of the Corps would turn on whether the particular body of water meets the definition of the “navigable waters of the United States” pursuant to the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA).

The regulatory definition of the “navigable waters of the United States” means: “…those waters of the United States that are subject to the ebb and flow 38 BC�T April

of the tide and/or are presently used, or have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport interstate or foreign commerce. A determination of navigability, once made, applies laterally over the entire surface of the waterbody, and is not extinguished by later actions or events which impede or destroy navigable capacity.” (33 C.F.R. § 329.4) The RHA and the “navigable waters of the United States” are concerned with navigation and navigation in the traditional sense.

This article is not about navigation in the traditional sense. Rather, our purpose here is to explore the meaning of the “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

For example, what if you want to develop a mixed-use commercial/ residential project in an area where wetlands exist?

If the wetlands meet the definition of the “waters of the United States,” then they are under the jurisdiction of the CWA. Under section 404 of that statute, the Corps regulates the dredging and filling of wetlands through its permitting process.

The definition of the “waters of the United States” under the CWA (the subject of this article) is broader than the definition of the “navigable waters of the United States” under the RHA. However, how much broader? Why is it that such controversy has arisen over the meaning of the term the "waters of the United States?"

It boils down to the fact that Congress chose an obtuse descriptor when it passed the CWA in 1972.

The statute applies to “navigable waters,” which Congress further defined in Section 502 as the “waters of the United States,” 33 USC § 6207 (emphasis mine). Congress omitted, however, to define the “waters of the United States,” leaving that phrase to be developed by the agencies that administer the CWA, i.e. the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Corps.

So, when the phrase “waters of the United States” is broader than the term “navigable waters of the United States” and when “navigable waters” means the “waters of the United States,” what then is the significance of the adjective “navigable”?

That puzzle is the source of the controversy. Widely divergent views of the significance of the word “navigable” have emerged in three United States Supreme Court cases that have interpreted the “waters of the United States.”

The opinion of one justice (Kennedy) articulates the significance of “navigable” in areas beyond waters that are navigable in the traditional sense. This analytical framework is Justice Kennedy’s “significant nexus” test, which is an “ecological inquiry.”

The EPA and the Corps have jointly proposed a new regulation defining the “waters of the United States” in response to the Supreme Court cases.

The proposed definition is premised on the ecological inquiry that is the significant nexus test of jurisdiction.

In order to understand the proposed definition, we first need to review its history.

II. TIMELINE OF LEGISLATIVE, REGULATORY AND JUDICIAL DEVELOPMENTS This section merely identifies the milestones in the development of the definitions of the “waters of the United States” under the CWA. To describe each development is a more ambitious and lengthy undertaking.

The legislative, executive, and the judicial branches of the federal government added, pruned, and interwove individual strands since the 92nd Congress passed the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which President Nixon signed into law.

Legislative bodies – federal and state – authorize regulatory agencies in the executive branch formally to develop regulations to refine statutes so they can be implemented and enforced.

The judiciary has the last word as to whether regulations exceed the scope of the legislation.

In 1974, the Corps initially issued its definition of the “waters of the United States” under Section 404 of the CWA to coincide with its definition of “navigable waters of the United States” under the RHA. The EPA, which administers the CWA overall, called out to the Corps’ its mistake.

As would later be noted in Riverside Bayview, SWANCC and Rapanos, the “waters of the United States” under the CWA is broader than the “navigable waters of the United States” under the RHA. continued on pg. 40

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Ruder Ware. . . continued from pg. 39

The question is not whether the definition is broader; it is how much broader and how to define it?

The Corps then issued its interim definition 1975. One definition in particular, “fresh water wetlands” contained the requirement that such wetlands be “periodically inundated.”

In 1977, two events took place. First, Congress amended the CWA, and in doing so, rejected a bill that, if enacted, would have changed the definition of “navigable waters” from the “waters of the United States” to the “navigable waters of the United States.”

Second, the Corps adopted its then final rule defining the “waters of the United States.”

Notably, the Corps removed the “periodic inundation” component of “freshwater wetland” from the 1977 definition.

The Corps then made some language changes in 1982 that did not affect the substance of the definition.

The stage was set for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Riverside Bayview. There, the deletion of the “periodic inundation” definition was instrumental in the unanimous opinion: “wetlands” that are “adjacent” to water that is navigable in the traditional sense are within the Corps’ jurisdiction under Section 404 of the CWA. The Corps next promulgated its regulatory definition of the “waters of the United States” in 1986. At that time, it added what would become known as the “Migratory Bird Rule.”

Looking back at its decision in Riverside Bayview, the Court in SWANCC voiced the notion of a “significant nexus” between the scope of jurisdiction under Section 404 of the CWA and traditional navigable water.

That set the stage for the Court’s next ruling in 2001 in SWANCC.

It is important to note what SWANCC did not do: it did not overturn any portion of the Corps’ definition of the “waters of the United States.”

in SWANCC, the 5 to 4 majority ruled that the 1986 definition, which contained the Migratory Bird Rule, did not extend to isolated ponds and mud flats that were confined to the state of Illinois.

SWANCC held that the reach of the “waters of the United States” did not extend to the facts in that case: wholly intrastate, isolated ponds and mud flats, which could serve as stopover points for migrating birds.

40 BC�T April

In 2006, the Court issued its decision in Rapanos. The four justices who took the narrow, states-rights view (plurality opinion) and the four who took the broad, federal view (dissenting opinion) cancelled each other out insofar as creating a framework to analyze these cases.

The plurality opinion and the dissenting opinion cannot be reconciled.

In the view of the plurality, Congress’ choice of words by which it defined “navigable waters” as the “waters of the United States” was not ambiguous.

Further, the plurality would require that in order for the Corps to have

jurisdiction under Section 404 of the CWA, there must be (1) a relatively permanent (not intermittent or ephemeral) body of water that must have (2) a surface connection to water that is navigable in the traditional sense.

Those elements were fashioned in the plurality opinion; they do not appear in any version of the regulatory definition or in cases that apply the definition.

In stark contrast, the dissenting view is that the definition of “navigable waters” as the “waters of the United States” is ambiguous.

In the dissenting view, the Corps has developed its definition of the “waters of the United States” based upon its technical expertise after having applied that expertise for over 30 years.

The dissenting opinion views the Corps’ definition of the “waters of the United States” as a reasonable

interpretation of congressional intent.

Therefore, the dissent would defer to the Corps’ regulatory definition.

The cancellation of the plurality and the dissent left Justice Kennedy standing alone to articulate the “significant nexus” analytical framework for defining the jurisdictional reach of Section 404 of the CWA. And, articulate it he did.

In response to Riverside Bayview, SWANCC and Rapanos, Justice Kennedy’s articulation of the “significant nexus” analytical framework, on May 26, 2015, the EPA and the Corps jointly proposed their “Clean Water Rule: Definition of “Waters of the United States.”

In the meantime, a wetlands case reached the United States Court of Appeals in 2015 that applied Justice Kennedy’s “significant nexus” analytical framework.

Oak Ridge

That case was Precon Development Corporation v. United States Army Corps of Engineers, decided by the Fourth Circuit. See The Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Applies the "Significant Nexus" Test in Wetlands Litigation.

On the facts before it, the Fourth Circuit found that the “significant nexus” between the wetlands in question and traditional navigable waters was satisfied.

In doing so, the Fourth Circuit quoted Justice Kennedy’s “significant nexus” analytical framework verbatim and applied it. That test is a flexible ecological inquiry.

Likewise, the jointly promulgated “Clean Water Rule: Definition of ‘waters of the United States’ ” rests ultimately on Justice Kennedy’s test.

That wording serves as the segue to the content of the new regulatory continued on pg. 42

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Ruder Ware. . . continued from pg. 41

definition: “A significant nexus exists when the wetlands, either alone or in combination with similarly situated lands in the region, significantly affect the chemical, physical and biological integrity of traditional navigable waters. No significant nexus exists when the wetlands’ effects on water quality [of traditional navigable waters] are speculative or insubstantial.”

III. THE REVISED DEFINITION OF THE WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES For convenience, I will use the acronym “WOTUS” in place of “Waters of the United States.” The revisions established in subsections (a), (b), and (c) to part 328.3.

Subsection (a) identifies what is included in WOTUS in conjunction with further definitions of words and phrases in subsection (c). Subsection (b) identifies specific exclusions from WOTUS. Let us begin with the features that are specifically exempted in subsection (b) from WOTUS “even where they otherwise meet the terms of paragraphs (a)(4) through (a)(8) of this section.”

The exemptions are: 42 BC�T April

1) Waste treatment systems including treatment ponds or lagoons designed to meet the requirements of the CWA;

2) Prior converted cropland; 3) The following ditches: (i) ditches with ephemeral flow that are not a relocated tributary or excavated in a tributary; (ii) ditches with intermittent flow that are not a relocated tributary, excavated in a tributary, or drain wetlands; (iii) ditches that do not flow, either directly or through another water, into a water identified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section [i.e. traditional navigable waters, interstate waters and wetlands, and the territorial seas]; 4) The following features: (i) artificially irrigated areas that would revert to dry land should application of water to that area cease; (ii) artificial, constructed lakes and ponds created in dry land such as farm and stock watering ponds, irrigation ponds, settling

basins, fields flooded for rice growing, log cleaning ponds, or cooling ponds; (iii) artificial reflecting pools or swimming pools created in dry land; (iv) small ornamental waters created in dry land; (v) water-filled depressions created in dry land incidental to mining or construction activity, including pits excavated for obtaining fill, sand, or gravel that fill with water; (vi) erosional features, including gullies, rills, and other ephemeral features that do not meet the definition of tributary, non-wetland swales, and lawfully constructed grassed waterways; and (vii) puddles.

5) G roundwater, including groundwater drained through subsurface drainage systems 6) S torm water control features constructed to convey, treat, or store storm water that are created in dry land.

7) W astewater recycling structures constructed in dry land;

detention and retention basins built for wastewater recycling; groundwater recharge basins; percolation ponds built for wastewater recycling; and water distributary structures built for wastewater recycling.

With respect to prior converted cropland, other federal agencies may have differing definitions, but subsection 328.3(b)(2) states that “for purposes of the Clean Water Act … jurisdiction remains with the EPA.” The identification of exempt ditches in subsection 328.3(b)(3) includes the phrases “ephemeral flow” and “intermittent flow.” These technical terms, along with “perennial flow,” are defined in the Preamble (Section IV) to the new rule.

“Perennial streams” flow yearround during a typical year from groundwater or contributions of flow from higher in the stream or river network as primary water sources.

“Intermittent streams” flow continuously only during certain times of the year and have as their water sources a mix of groundwater and precipitation (which includes snowmelt).

“Ephemeral streams” are composed entirely of precipitation and flow only during precipitation events.

We turn now to the six categorical inclusions under Section (a): (1) All waters which are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide [i.e. traditional navigable waters]; (2) All interstate waters, including all interstate wetlands; (3) The territorial seas; (4) All impoundments of waters otherwise identified as waters

of the United States under this section; (5) All tributaries, as defined in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, of waters identified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section; (6) All waters adjacent to a water identified in paragraphs (a) (1) through (5) of this section, including wetlands, ponds, lakes, oxbows, impoundments, and similar waters; Subsection 328.3(a) lists eight types of waters. The first six have been determined categorically to possess a significant nexus to the establishment and maintenance of the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.

The seventh and eighth categories require case-specific significant nexus determinations.

“Significant nexus” is defined (as continued on pg. 44

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Ruder Ware. . . continued from pg. 43

Justice Kennedy did) at subsection 328.3(c)(5) to mean “…that a water, including wetlands, either alone or in combination with other similarly situated waters in the region, significantly affects the chemical, physical, or biological integrity of a water identified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section” [i.e. traditional navigable water, all interstate waters, including all interstate wetlands, and the territorial seas].

Section 111 – (the significant nexus standard) clarifies that just one of the attributes of water integrity (chemical, physical, or biological) need be significantly affected.

The definition provides that “similarly situated” means the watershed that drains to the nearest traditional navigable water, interstate water or wetland, or territorial sea are functions to be considered in significant nexus evaluation: (i) sediment trapping; (ii) nutrient recycling; (iii) pollutant trapping, transformation, filtering and transport; (iv) retention and attenuation of floodwaters; (v) runoff storage; (vi) contribution of flow; (vii) export of organic matter; (viii) export of flood resources; and (ix) provision of life cycle dependent aquatic habitat (such as foraging, feeding, nesting, breeding, spawning, or use as a nursery area) for species located in a water identified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section.

Subsection (c)(3) identifies the characteristics that make a given tributary jurisdictional.

Said another way, not all tributaries will meet the definition set forth in 44 BC�T April

subsection (c)(3); those that do not will not be subject to the CWA.

waters or wetlands, or the territorial seas.

This new definition represents a reduction in scope because under the previous definition, all tributaries of the waters listed in subsections (a)(1) through (3) were included categorically.

Again without quoting the full definition of “adjacent” verbatim, that term means “bordering, contiguous, or neighboring a water identified in paragraphs (a) (1) through (5)… including waters separated by constructed dikes or barriers, natural river berms, beach dunes, and the like…”

Without repeating the lengthy definition verbatim here, in order to meet the definition of “tributary” or “tributaries,” a water must contribute, directly or indirectly, flow sufficient to produce physical indicators of (1) a bed and banks and (2) an ordinary high water mark.

These physical markers demonstrate the requisite volume, frequency and duration of flow to qualify as a covered tributary. Tributaries may be natural, altered or manmade.

A tributary does not lose its character as a tributary by the presence of natural breaks (such as wetlands, debris piles or boulder fields) or constructed breaks (such as bridges, culverts, pipes or dams).

Covered tributaries may flow through water that does not meet the definition of “tributary” or other nonjurisdictional water without losing its status so long as its flow reaches traditional navigable water, interstate

The definition further provides that “…an open water such as a pond or lake includes any wetlands within or abutting its ordinary high water mark.

The definition encompasses not only adjacent waters located laterally, but also headwaters to those identified in subsections (a)(1) through (5).

However, “[w]aters being used for established normal farming, ranching, and silviculture activities are not adjacent.”

Under the new rule, the term “neighboring” is now defined as: (i) All waters located within 100 feet of the ordinary high water mark of a water identified in (a)(1) through (5)… The entire water is neighboring if a portion is located within 100 feet of the ordinary high water mark;

(ii) All waters located within the 100-year flood plain of a water identified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (5)â&#x20AC;Ś and not more than 1,500 feet from the ordinary high water mark of such water.

The entire water is neighboring if a portion is located within 1,500 feet of the ordinary high water mark and within the 100year floodplain; (iii) All waters located within 1,500 feet of the high tide line of water identified in paragraphs (a)(1) or (a)(3)â&#x20AC;Śand all waters with 1,500 feet of the ordinary high water mark of the Great Lakes. The entire water is neighboring if a portion is located within 1,500 feet of the high tide line or within 1,500 feet of the ordinary high water mark of the Great Lakes.

There are two non-categorical types of WOTUS, they require case-specific significant nexus analyses.

Subsection (a)(7) requires the casespecific significant nexus analysis for certain types of water bodies that have been determined to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;similarly situated.â&#x20AC;?

may not be combined with adjacent waters in the significant nexus analysis. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;if any portion, then the entire waterâ&#x20AC;? clause applies to subsection (a)(8).

They are prairie potholes, Carolina bays and Delmarva bays, tocsins, western vernal pools, and Texas coastal prairie wetlands.

Section (c) contains additional definitions:

In performing the significant nexus analysis, these similarly situated water types may not be combined with adjacent waters.

Subsection (a)(8) allows for casespecific significant nexus analysis for â&#x20AC;&#x153;all waters located within 4,000 feet of the high tide line or ordinary high water mark of a water identified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (5)â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

If these waters meet the definition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;adjacentâ&#x20AC;? however, the significant nexus analysis is not required.

But, if they do not meet the adjacency definition, these waters

Wetlands â&#x20AC;&#x153;means those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.â&#x20AC;? (a)Â Justice Kennedyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now-familiar definition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;significant nexusâ&#x20AC;? is set forth in subsection (c)(5). This definition includes development by the Corps of phrases that Justice Kennedy used but did not define.

The phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;in the regionâ&#x20AC;? refers continued on pg. 46

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Ruder Ware. . . continued from pg. 45

to the watershed that drains to the nearest traditional navigable water, interstate water or wetland, or territorial sea.

The word “significant” means “more than speculative or insubstantial.”

“Similarly situated” waters are those that “function alike and are sufficiently close to function together in affecting downstream waters.”

The nine functions listed above are to be used in the significant nexus analysis.

“A water has a significant nexus when any single function or combination of functions performed by the water, alone or together with similarly situated waters in the region, contributes significantly to the chemical, physical, or biological 46 BC�T April

integrity of the nearest” traditional navigable water, interstate water or wetland, or territorial sea.

There are also definitions for ordinary high water mark and high tide line.

IV. TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT We will end with a brief word about the support for the definition of WOTUS. Section III states that the EPA and Corps: “interpret specific aspects of the science, the law, and the agencies’ technical expertise: the scope of the region in which to evaluate waters when making a significant nexus determination, the waters to evaluate in combination with each other; and the functions provided by waters and strength

of those functions, and when such waters significantly affect the chemical, physical, or biological integrity of the downstream traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, or the territorial seas.”

The legal analysis focuses on the Supreme Court decisions in Riverside Bayview, SWANCC and Rapanos.

Scientific support came in large measure from “Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Review of the Scientific Evidence” (the “Science Report”).

In September 2013, the draft of the Science Report was released for review by the Science Advisory Board, the agency established in 1978 to provide independent

scientific and technical advice to the EPA. Twenty-seven technical experts were nominated by the public to perform the peer review of the draft report.

The reviewers come from academia, non-profit organizations, a federal agency, and consulting firms.

Their technical specialties included hydrology, biology, wetland and stream ecology, geomorphology, biochemistry, and freshwater science.

The selection process screened nominees for conflicts of interest.

The final peer review Science Report was issued in January 2015 and is available at http://cfpub. epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay. cfm?deid=238345.

The terms “significant” and “nexus” are legal terms. Science Report uses the scientific concept of “connectivity” between streams and wetlands to downstream waters to describe the gradient of connectivity among them.

The final Science Report reviewed and synthesized over 1,200 peer reviewed scientific articles.

The panel solicited over 133,000 comments from the public, and all of its proceedings, agendas, and minutes were made available to the public. The draft report reviewed and synthesized scientific literature from over 900 peer-reviewed articles.

In addition to the support contained in the Science Report, the EPA and the Corps based the new rule in part on their own expertise.

The science advisory panel was highly supportive of the conclusions drawn in the draft Science Report.

Recall that Justice Kennedy’s significant nexus analysis was issued in Rapanos in 2006.

Those agencies made over 400,000 CWA jurisdictional determinations, covering all of the states, since 2008.

Of those, 120,000 were case-specific jurisdictional determinations.

At the time of this writing, lawsuits challenging the validity of the new definition of WOTUS have been filed.

Bills seeking to require a re-write of WOTUS have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Stay tuned for developments on the judicial and legislative fronts. © 2015 Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C. Accurate reproduction with acknowledgment granted. All rights reserved.

This document provides information of a general nature regarding legislative or other legal developments, and is based on the state of the law at the time of the original publication of this article. None of the information contained herein is intended as legal advice or opinion relative to specific matters, facts, situations, or issues, and additional facts and information or future developments may affect the subjects addressed.

You should not act upon the information in this document without discussing your specific situation with legal counsel.

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BC�T April 47

5 Reasons why farms are getting bigger

By Dairy Carrie, www.dairycarrie.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: I have been encouraging growers to have a social media presence and found a blog called Dairy Carrie, www.dairycarrie.com, which is a perfect example of communicating positive information about agriculture.

I am sharing a great article from Dairy Carrie’s blog. She is a dairy farmer who loves agriculture, especially dairy cows, works with her husband and his parents on their 100-cow dairy farm in Southern Wisconsin.

There seems to be a lot

of talk these days about large farms squeezing out the small farms.

I hear small farmers are complaining about big farmers gobbling up land and people in the city lamenting the passing of the picturesque red barn farms.

There is a lot of talk about big and small local Ag and very few people really seem to understand what is going on.

So, let us discuss about why small farms are being replaced by larger farms.

Hubs and I farm in a partnership with his parents. We milk around 100 cows and grow crops on around 300 acres.

In Wisconsin, where we live, the average dairy farm is 100 cows. So, we are your average sized farm for our area.

We have a couple of part time employees milking a few times a week and a full time employee that helps us get everything done.

48 BC�T April

Hubs and both of his parents derive their income solely from the farm.

I work on the farm as well as off the farm, but do not take pay from the farm.

Right now, the amount of income that our cows produce can sustain the farm and the people who draw a paycheck from it.

However, we are far from living a lavish lifestyle and there are not piles of money lying around. Most people would classify us as a “small farm.”

As a small farmer, I do not understand when other farmers complain about “big” farms pushing them out. I do not see it.

I hear people say that they could have bought some land but some “big farmer” came in and paid more than they could offer.

This seems a lot like someone saying that they did not buy a car because someone else offered more than they were willing to pay, and blaming that person for it.

If you really want to know why farms are getting bigger, here are five reasons why: 1. Farms have to get bigger to generate enough income to support more family members when kids decide to join the family business.

If a farm only generates enough profit for one household, you cannot expect it suddenly to make enough profit for two households without some major changes.

Despite what you may have seen in headlines around the internet, around 98% of all US farms are still family-owned.

2. Do you like spending time with your friends, having weekends off, sleeping in or going on vacations?

On a small farm, you do not get to do those things easily, if at all. You are tied to the farm, even more so when you have livestock.

Cows, chickens and pigs are not like a house cat; you cannot just fill up their food bowl and tell them you will see them tomorrow.

Without employees to care for the animals, your free time is very limited. In order to afford employees, you have to generate enough profit to pay them, which means your farming operation has to get larger.

3. Farms are getting bigger because there are fewer people willing to do the work.

The average age of farmers in the U.S. is 55 years old.

I know many more farmers whose children live in the city and do not plan to return to the farm than farmers who are handing off their farms to the next generation.

Farming is hard work and you do not make much money. It is not surprising that many people choose to leave the farm. Fewer people willing to do the work mean that those who do want to do the work must get bigger in order to afford the machinery and equipment to mechanize their operations.

4. Farming is expensive.

In our area, good cropland sells for $8,000-$10,000 an acre.

Tractors and equipment can cost BIG money.

continued on pg. 40

Want to have livestock? If so, you must buy or construct buildings, which cost a lot of money.

Oh, and cows and pigs do not grow on trees; you have to buy them as well.

Like any business, farmers have to pay close attention to the dollars coming in and going out.

It is not easy for someone to get into farming because of all the costs involved. This keeps many people from entering farming and makes it hard for small farms to start or stay in business.

As farms grow, they buy larger amounts of needed items like seed, vaccinations, feed ingredients, fuel, etc.

As you grow your farm, the bank is more likely to loan you money to improve facilities for your animals or equipment. Lenders will not give you a million dollar loan to build a barn for 22 cows because 22 cows would never be able to generate enough income to pay the bank back.

Anybody with a Costco or Sam’s membership knows that buying in bulk can save you loads of money.

I doubt that any farmer is doubling the size of their farm to save $.10 on a gallon of motor oil but knowing that there are ways to improve your profit margin as your farm grows is an incentive to do so.

Want a shop to work on your tractor?

You have to prove to your lender bank that you can make the loan payments.

Hubs and I hope to keep our farm about the same size it is now. We both agree that we would rather manage our cows and not manage people.

5. Profit margins in farming are not awesome.

We know that we are ‘hands-on’ people and want to be the ones

to do the work with our crops and cows.

That being said, we also know that we need to figure out ways to make our farm more profitable so we can stay the size we are.

For us that means looking at ways to get more money for our milk, like marketing cheese made with milk from our cows.

We are also looking at ways to cut our labor costs, like installing milking robots when our current parlor needs to be replaced, saving us money on hiring part time employees.

We know we have to get creative to stay the size that we are in the future and we do not hold anything against those who decide to grow. Small or large, it is going to take all of us to feed the world!

BC�T April 49

CRIOLLA TASTING

By Angela J. Cassity

On Thanksgiving,

November 2015, Tim Kazmierczak, a Horticulturist at United States Potato Genebank, Sturgeon Bay and his wife, L’Erin Kazmierczak, graciously hosted a potato tasting party featuring four strains of Criolla, a Columbian potato, as compared to Skagit Valley and Yukon Gold, as the ‘control group’.

The potatoes involved in the tasting were grown by Hancock Research Station, Hancock and by Curzio Caravati of Kenosha Potato Project, Kenosha.

Other participants included Dr. John Bamberg, Director of International Gene bank, Sturgeon Bay, along with his wife, Ingrid, and son, Joe, a chef for the Wisconsin Club, Glendale.

Curzio Caravati and I, Angela Cassity, both members of the Kenosha Potato Project, also attended.

This was an educational and quite successful venture into evaluating the vagaries of rating and comparing potato flavors, textures and colors.

In a blind taste test of Criolla #5, Criolla #8R+, Criolla #9 and Criolla #12, along with the benchmarks, Skagit Valley and Yukon Gold, the seven tasters displayed their individual preferences in regards to amount of bitterness versus 50 BC�T April

sweetness flavors of the skin/flesh as well as the flaky versus waxy or creamy textures of each kind of potato.

The goal of growing different strains of Criolla potato is to find a strain that produces well in the Midwest or other parts of the United States and is similar in taste, texture, and appearance to the Criolla lovingly remembered and coveted by Colombian Americans craving for a fresh local Criolla to cook up in their festive traditional dish of Ajiaco Colombiano.

Ajiaco (ah-hee-AH-coh) Colombiano is a thick potato soup, stewed with pulled chicken, corn and three distinct types of potatoes: papas

Above: (L) Curzio Caravati, Kenosha Potato Project and (R) Dr. John Bamberg, Director of United States Potato Genebank Gene bank, Sturgeon Bay, enjoy the camaraderie at Tim and L’Erin Kazmierczak’s Thanksgiving Criolla potato tasting party. L’Erin Kazmierczak is in the background, behind Dr. Bamberg.

criollas, sabaneras and tocarreñas (yellow, red, and white potatoes respectively are these potatoes in the U.S. as noted in the recipe link page 51).

Of the three types, papas criollas, tiny yellow wild potatoes that grow at high elevations, are the most important for this soup which also calls for a strong herb called guascas.

Papas criollas break up and dissolve almost completely as the soup cooks, infusing the soup with a wonderful unique richness. Amigo Foods, www.amigofoods.com, is an online source for papas criollas in jars and guascas, not available as fresh produce in the U.S. It is served with cream, capers, rice and avocado on the side. Here is a link to an American version of this soup (see next page):

www.thekitchn.com/recipecolombian-ajiaco-chicken-andpotato-soup-35078 A few of us did have an opportunity to taste the original Criolla potato and found it to be nutty and somewhat similar to a yam in texture with a very dark yellow flesh color.

All agreed it held a very distinct and unusual flavor and color.

Although none of the strains was exactly like the original Criolla, some did come acceptably close.

The true test of these Criolla strains would be to cook them in the traditional method and serve them to Colombian Americans who are familiar with the original Criolla potato.

It is important to note that none

of the seven tasters is of Colombian descent and only two of them have cooked the traditional Colombian dish that features the Criolla potato.

Keeping the traditional, hardy and nutritious strains of the Criolla potato thriving and available is part of what the United States Potato Genebank and Kenosha Potato Project are working to achieve.

The results of the taste test revealed that the Skagit Valley potato (grown by the United States Genebank), was the favorite in taste, texture and appearance.

Skagit Valley, named after the state of Washington valley in which it originated, was bred and developed by independent plant breeder Tom Wagner.

Left: The Columbian traditional dish of Ajiaco Colombiano, a thick potato and vegetable soup, involving three kinds of Columbian potatoes (papas criollas, sabaneras and tocarreĂąas).

Find an Americanized version of the recipe here: www.thekitchn.com/recipe-colombian-ajiacochicken-and-potato-soup-35078.

Right: Many of the research stations, including Hancock and the United States Genebank, engage in potato tasting in order to determine which potatoes yield the most desirable taste traits such as sweetness, bitterness and texture as was quantified in this taste test.

Criolla #8R+, Criolla #5 and Criolla #12 were next with only a two-point separation.

Criolla #9 and Skagit Valley were entered as a double blind with interesting results.

Skagit Valley and all the Criolla strains continued on pg. 52

BC�T April 51

Criolla Tasting. . . continued from pg. 51

Tim Kazmierczak is shown here at left at his Criolla potato tasting party with one of his guests, Joe Bamberg (at right), a chef for the Wisconsin Club, Glendale, WI and son of Dr. John Bamberg, Director of International Gene bank, Sturgeon Bay.

share a parentage from Yema de Huevo (translates to ‘cream of egg yolk’), a Colombian potato grown in Colombia. Yema de Huevo tuberizes at the equator under day neutral growing conditions in a very long growing season.

Rating for the potatoes was based on a five-point scale with (1) being best and (5) worst. The lowest number of points is the winner.

Skagit Valley was preferred over the Criolla varieties with Criolla #8R+ ending up the winner of the Criollas with just one point away from Skagit Valley, earning comments such as “a little yammy, good flavor, chestnut flavor and mild, thin skin.”

The conversation during the tasting party revolved around seed preservation, marketing of new potato varieties, cooking variations and favorite recipes.

We also discussed the importance of growing some of your own food, spending time cooking from scratch 52 BC�T April

instead of relying on prepared foods and educating the public about fresh, local produce, good nutrition and good health.

Tim Kazmierczak reminded us that potatoes produce the most carbohydrates per acre and are a food that helped build nations.

In addition to his work as a horticulturist, Tim has been experimenting with producing a new potato product, Bottle of Spuds, which is wheat based, beer-flavored and enhanced by adding potato juice.

Each bottle of beer contains the added nutritional benefits of Potassium and Vitamin C of one potato. Spuds beer is a clear, refreshing light beer.

Tim’s future plans involve producing a pure potato beer that would be gluten-free, grain-free and contain the nutritional value of the potato.

Bottoms up, Tim! Find more info about potato breeding

and growing: kenoshapotato.com and www.ars-grin.gov/ars/MidWest/ NR6/

POTATO TASTE TEST RESULTS 11/29/2015

Place Potato Type

Total Rank Points

1

Skagit Valley

15

2

Criolla #8R+

16

3

Criolla #5

18

3

Criolla #12

18

5

Criolla #9

24

6

Yukon Gold

35

7

Criolla #9

40

8

Skagit - Curzio 45 Caravati

Note: there are two #9s due to the double blind: two #9 potatoes were entered into the tasting as separate potatoes.

OPERATING LOANS A Helpful Financial Tool During Times of Low Cash Flow

By Paul Dietmann Emerging Markets Specialist Badgerland Financial

Most farm operations

encounter months in which the money coming in from sales of milk, livestock, produce or other products is not quite enough to cover all the bills.

Hopefully, the farm’s checking account balance has enough to carry it through until cash flow turns positive again. However, what if the checking account runs dry? What will the farm family do to get by?

Often, the first move when cash runs short is to slash family living costs, such as health insurance, or delay paying certain bills for a few months.

Some farms may opt to use vendor-financing programs at 7 to 10-percent interest rates, or pay bills with credit cards that accrue interest at 18 percent or more.

Any of these strategies can potentially damage a farmer’s credit rating and make it difficult to operate in the future. So, what should you do instead?

Plan Ahead with an Operating Loan

Some of the benefits of an operating loan include the following:

Instead of waiting until you run short of cash, the best way to prepare for seasonal cash shortages is to establish an operating loan for the farm. An operating loan is essentially a short-term reserve fund, held by a lender that is available for the farm to use when cash flow is tight.

LOWER INTEREST RATES Interest rates are typically less than vendor financing or credit cards.

ACCRUE INTEREST ONLY DURING USE Interest charges only accrue when funds from the line-of-credit are spent, and they stop accruing

when the funds are paid back. If the operating loan is never used, it generally will not cost you anything to have it available just in case you might need it.

QUICK, EASY ACCESS TO FUNDS Once the operating loan is established, funds can be accessed quickly with an electronic transfer to the farm’s checking account or other means.

FLEXIBLE PAYMENTS With operating loans, usually there is not a required monthly payment.

The farm makes payments on the operating loan as cash becomes available. Loan payments are first applied to cover accrued interest and then to pay down the principal balance.

SETTING UP THE LOAN To establish an operating loan, you must first decide the maximum amount of operating credit the farm might need to have available. continued on pg. 54 BC�T April 53

Operating Loans. . . continued from pg. 53

The best way to make this decision to develop a month-by-month cash flow projection that covers at least one full year.

Look for the biggest monthly deficit you might encounter during the year.

Your line-of-credit should cover that amount, plus a bit more.

You can find a handy tool for figuring out your month-by-month cash flow projection at badgerlandfinancial. com in the Knowledge Library section. Look for the “Simple Cash Flow Projection Worksheet.”

Applying for an operating loan is similar to applying for any other type of farm loan. Your lender will need a recent, detailed balance sheet that

54 BC�T April

lists all of your farm’s assets and liabilities.

flow needs, it typically needs to be completely paid off within one year.

He or she will also need several years of tax returns and will want a copy of your month-by-month cash flow projection. The underwriting process will include a check of your credit bureau report.

CONSIDER THE RISKS

The first time you take an operating loan, the lender will likely ask for collateral to secure the loan in the event that you are not able to pay it back.

The collateral might be a security interest in crops or livestock, machinery or other assets. Because an operating loan is only intended to be used for short-term cash

Like any loan, there are some potential risks associated with an operating loan, such as the following: Not Paying the Loan Off Within a Year This sometimes happens if you use the operating loan to purchase farm equipment or other capital assets.

You can rectify that by shifting the equipment off the operating loan to a longer-term loan.

A more serious situation occurs when the operating loan is used for its intended purpose–short term cash

expenses–but there is not enough cash flow during the year to pay off the loan.

A Rise in Interest Rates Often, an operating loan will have a variable interest rate, which means the rate can possibly change each month.

a helpful financial tool for your toolbox.

Special Note One mistake we see farmers make is waiting too long to apply for an

Some lenders offer operating loans that are tied to an index such as the prime lending rate or the London Interbank Offer Rate (Libor), which can reduce the risk associated with a potential interest rate increase.

operating loan. Have this tool in your toolbox before you need it! Visit with an agriculture lender while your cash flow is positive to put you in a better situation to lend during the leaner

times.

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Common Questions from Operating Loan Borrowers How much can I get?

How does the lender collateralize an operating loan?

These are great questions to ask your lender. Together you can determine what will be a good fit for your farm based on your balance sheet and current financial situation.

Farmers have many tools they use to accomplish tasks on the farm.

Consider an operating loan to be

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Now News EPA Approves Velum® Prime Federal Potato Registration Northern Potato Belt State Registrations Expected to Follow for 2016 Season Use The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has granted federal registration of Velum Prime for use on potatoes.

protection from nematodes and diseases that helps sustains high plant vigor and maximizes crop yield potential."

According to Bayer, state registrations are expected to follow shortly across the Northern U.S. potato belt including Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.

The product's nematicidal activity has been documented in numerous field trials against the key potato nematode species. Velum Prime rapidly immobilizes nematodes, killing them within one to two hours after contact.

Velum Prime is an innovative, non‑fumigant nematicide with additional disease‑management benefits from Bayer.

The active ingredient then moves systemically throughout plant tissues, effectively suppressing key potato diseases such as white mold and early blight.

"The Federal registration of Velum Prime from EPA is a significant step forward in our effort to introduce a much needed nematicide/fungicide crop protection tool to the potato market," says Bayer Product Manager Joel Lipsitch.

"Velum Prime is not intended as a replacement for fumigants, but it is a supplement for standard nematode management programs for improved nematode and disease protection, and ultimately, increased yields," Lipsitch explains further.

"Velum Prime is registered for application early in the potato growing season (6‑12 inch rosette stage) via overhead chemigation.

Velum Prime offers potato growers

"Field trials have shown that Velum Prime significantly increases yields, when compared to the current industry standard program, and has an even greater impact when

56 BC�T April

used in concert with a nematode management program with Movento and full disease management program with products like Luna Tranquility."

The Velum Prime MRL supports a single application with two in‑season applications of Luna Tranquility. The product is tradeenabled in NAFTA, Japan, Taiwan and other key export markets.

Bayer is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non‑agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer representative, or visit Crop Science, a division of Bayer, online at www.cropscience. bayer.us.

Bayer: Science for a Better Life Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high‑tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015.

For more information, go to www.bayer.com. Find more information at www.cropscience.bayer.us.

New Farm Data Coalition Puts Farmers in Driver's Seat Thanks to precision agriculture and advancements in equipment and computing technology, America's farmers are building a treasure trove of production information that will help fuel future innovation.

A new organization announced this week, the Agricultural Data Coalition (ADC), plans to help farmers better control, manage and maximize the value of their data.

The ADC is the result of years of planning and coordination by AGCO, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Auburn University, CNH Industrial, Crop IMS, The Ohio State University, Mississippi State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Raven Industries and Topcon Positioning Group.

Its goal is to build a data repository where farmers can securely store and oversee the information collected by their tractors, harvesters, aerial drones and other devices.

Over time, that data can then be scrubbed, synced and transmitted in an efficient and uniform way to third parties - whether they are researchers, crop insurance agents, government officials, farm managers, input providers or any trusted advisor the farmer chooses.

"The key is that farmers are in complete control, and they decide

February 2016

Badger er Common’Tat THE VOICE

INDUSTRY & VEGETABLE S POTATO Number 2 OF WISCONSIN' Volume 68

w Issue WPVGA Sho

$18.00/year $1.50/copy

INTERVIEW: Inc. Hamerski Farms Don Hamerski, AND CHARYBDIS of Wetlands BYPASSING SCYLLA nt Judicial Review Pre-Enforceme BADGER BEAT Cover Crops Fall Manure & ERSARY ANNIV AuxILI ARY 40TH 05 Part 3: 1955-20

who is allowed access to their data," explained ADC Executive Director Matt Bechdol. "That's what sets ADC apart. This is not about profit for others; it's about streamlining data management, establishing clear lines of control and helping growers utilize their data in ways that ultimately benefit them."

Bechdol says to understand ADC's platform, it is helpful to think of it like a bank.

a secure location," he said. "They manage that asset through the equivalent of an online banking system, and then just like an ATM or an online transaction, ADC is able to seamlessly transmit the data on the farmer's behalf wherever the farmer wishes."

Bechdol added, "Today, farmers have to store their own data, have to transmit it themselves and have to deposit assets in a number of separate banks just to do business."

"Farmers deposit their asset into

Badger Common’Tater

THE VOICE OF THE WISCONSIN POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

continued on pg. 58

Subscribe Today!

Whether you are a grower, industry partner or simply enjoy rural life, sign up to receive this prestigious publication in print version, delivered direct to your mailbox for $18/year (12 issues).

Don Hamerski Inc. Hamerski Farms,

wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe BC�T April 57

Now News. . . continued from pg. 57

Few farmers are currently maximizing their data because the marketplace lacks a viable repository like the one ADC is developing. Bechdol believes that ADC's collaborative approach and ability to bring a critical mass to the data bank is what will enable it to succeed and demonstrate value.

He explained that ADC is working with farm leaders and farmer-owned

cooperatives to ensure the system is organized, structured and positioned to operate in ways that will be most beneficial to growers and encourage farmer use.

"And even if some people aren't ready or sure how to use their data, it still makes sense for them to take a couple of minutes to deposit their

information into this universal bank," Bechdol concluded. "That way, they will be prepared when they need the data or choose to put it to work."

Farmers interested in learning more about data collection, and organizations interested in joining ADC's efforts, should visit www.AgDataCoalition.org.

Syngenta Crop Challenge Names Finalists The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS®) has selected the competition finalists for the Syngenta Crop Challenge, which tasks participants to develop a model that predicts the seed varieties farmers should plant next season to maximize yield.

The competition aims to address the problem of hunger challenges across the world by fueling innovation among experts in the application of advanced analytics in biochemistry and agriculture.

Syngenta, an award winning company for its innovation in plant analytics, is proud to support this competition sponsored by the Analytics Section of INFORMS. Syngenta, winner of the 2015 Franz Edleman Award, donated the prize money in support of this challenge.

The finalists are: · Balancing weather risk and crop yield for soybean variety selection, authored by Bhupesh Shetty, Ling Tong, Samuel Burer · Soy variety selection to maximize yield and minimize risk based on neural network prediction and portfolio theory, authored by Yu Zhao, Jingsi Huang, Ming Qin. The selection of the best soybean varieties for hedging risk of weather uncertainties-a deep learning and 58 BC�T April

heuristic optimization approach, authored by Mark Rees, Yidong Peng, Jaremy Babila, Mike Lyons, Lily Huang, Yinghan Song, Chun-Yang Wei, Susan Arnot · Soybean varieties portfolio optimization based on yield prediction using weighted histograms, authored by Oskar Marko, Sanja Brdar, Marko Panic, Predrag Lugonja · Decision assist tool for seed variety selection to provide best yield in known soil and uncertain future weather conditions, authored by Nataraju Vusirikala, Mehul Bansal, Prathap Siva · Hierarchy modeling of soybean variety yield and decision making for future planting plan, authored

by Xiaocheng Li, Hyauyang Zhong, David Lobell, Stefano Ermon These finalists will make their presentations on April 12, 2016, at the INFORMS Analytics Conference in Orlando, Fla. Programs will be evaluated based on the rigor and validity of the process used to determine seed varieties, the quality of the proposed solution and the finalists’ ability to articulate clearly the solution and its methodology.

The winners will be announced following the presentations. The first

place winner of the Syngenta Crop Challenge will be awarded $5,000; the runner up will receive $2,500; and the third place entry will receive $1,000.

“Knowing the world is grappling for new ideas to help alleviate hunger challenges, this competition focuses specifically on using analytics to address that issue. Syngenta is excited to see the finalists’ presentations and learn how the teams propose making crops more efficient for farmers across the U.S. and the world. It’s a great opportunity to illustrate the value that analytics brings to increasing efficiency and productivity,” said Joseph Byrum, Syngenta head of soybean seeds product development and lead for the Syngenta Crop Challenge committee.

Find more details about the Syngenta Crop Challenge competition at www.ideaconnection.com/ syngentacrop-challenge.

About Syngenta Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world-class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www. syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com.

Follow us on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/Syngenta and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS.

T-L Irrigation Co. Awarded Two Patents For Gps Navigation Corner System T-L Irrigation Co., the exclusive world manufacturer of hydrostatically powered pivot irrigation systems, is pleased to announce they have been awarded two patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for their GPS Navigation Corner System.

These patents demonstrate the commitment by T-L Irrigation Co. to make technology easy to use while maximizing performance for growers around the world.

The patents present the unique method of waypoint navigation that T-L Irrigation Co. has implemented for their GPS Navigation Corner System.

Also included is the addition of a Wheel Angle Sensor, exclusively offered by T-L Irrigation, for improved track on track accuracy, pass after pass, year after year.

Combined with T-L’s continuous movement, low maintenance and reliability of T-L’s universal hydrostatic design, the GPS Navigation Corner System represents the optimum in simplicity and pivot Corner System performance.

Contact T-L Irrigation Co. at 1-800330-4264, email sales@tlirr.com or visit www.tlirr.com to learn more.

"It was the farm production, and the production of oil and minerals,which made it possible for this country to win the war in as short a time as it did. The farmers are to be most highly complimented on the contribution that they made to the war effort, and the contribution that they are making to the peace effort now.” ~ President Harry Truman, 1948

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N3581 Wirz Lane • Antigo, WI 54409 BC�T April 59

People

Together 4 Drew Benefit 20 year-old Drew Nelson, son of Dale Nelson (stepson of Holly Nelson) and Kathy Nelson, was in a horrific car accident on August 2, 2015 and is now paralyzed from his waist down.

On May 7, 2016, Drew's friends and family will be hosting a benefit at the Wildhorse Saloon to help cover some of the astronomical medical bills, home and equipment modifications he will need so he can lead a life of healthy independence.

For more information, please visit the Together 4 Drew Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/events/ 1529381457382931/ Donations can also be sent direct to Together 4 Drew c/o River Cities Bank 1601 Lincoln St, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494 or https://www.gofundme.com/drewnelson Above: Drew Nelson was paralyzed from the waist down in a terrible car accident last summer and a benefit is being held in May to help pay his medical bill and help him achieve independence with home and equipment modifications.

60 BC�T April

Local Farmers Recognized Among Nation’s Top 100 Leaders

Two area-farming operations are among the visionaries being recognized nationally through Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives, a search to identify and honor 100 leaders changing rural communities and agriculture for the better.

Katrina Becker and Anthony Schultz of Stoney Acres Farm and Joe Tomandl III of the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship were announced as honorees Tuesday at a National Ag Day event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Farm Credit launched the Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives program as part of its 100th anniversary celebration. As a Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives honoree Becker, Schultz and Tomandl join an impressive list of leaders in agriculture and rural enterprise.

“We are delighted to honor Katrina, Anthony and Joe as leaders helping to define the future of rural communities and agriculture,” said Marc Knisely, United FCS CEO. “Farm Credit has supported rural life for 100 years, and we appreciate the vision it takes to remain successful over time.

The future is bright for agriculture with people like Katrina, Anthony and Joe leading the way.”

Selected by a panel of experts on rural matters, including Farm Credit leaders and others from around agriculture, honorees like Becker, Schultz and Tomandl III are among the best-of-the-best who are positively shaping the industry.

“We feel incredibly honored to receive this award,” said Becker and Schultz in a joint statement. “This recognition isn't just about our hard work and vision. It is an award for

Left: Joe Tomandl III of the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship RIght: Katrina Becker and Anthony Schultz of Stoney Acres Farm

the local food movement, organic agriculture, our CSA members, our family and the community of consumers and neighbors who have helped shape our farm into what it is today.”

At 150 acres located near Athens, Becker and Schultz have transformed Stoney Acres Farm into a successful community-supported agriculture venture, serving 220 families.

A variety of vegetables is grown on the farm along with pasture-raised beef, organic chickens, hogs and natural maple syrup. Their products can be found at the Wausau farmers market, or by attending pizza night continued on pg. 62 BC�T April 61

People. . . continued from pg. 61

on their farm every Friday evening, May through October.

“It is a great privilege and tribute to those who have worked hard to create opportunities for beginning farmers in order to keep our agriculture industry robust and our rural communities strong,” said Tomandl.

“Agriculture is the biggest contributor to the strength and vitality of our rural communities and our current farm loss is threatening. Farm Credit recognition helps to build a general awareness of the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship as a formal pathway to train the next generation of dairy farmers to fill the voids of retiring producers.”

Tomandl owns and operates a dairy outside Medford with his wife Christy.

He currently serves as the executive director of the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, the first federally accredited farming apprenticeship in the nation.

What started out as a project between GrassWorks, Inc. and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce

Development has now become an independent nonprofit helping to place 100 candidates onto dairy farms across six states. DGA also works to promote managed grazing practices.

with over $1.7 billion of assets, United FCS has a primary focus in a 22-county service area in West Central Minnesota and North Central Wisconsin providing loans, leases and a wide array of financial services through 12 branch office locations and 190 locally-based employees. For additional information on United FCS, visit www.unitedfcs.com.

For a complete list of the Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives honorees, visit farmcredit100.com/top100.

About Farm Credit Farm Credit supports rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow. Farm Credit has been fulfilling its mission of helping rural America grow and thrive for a century by providing farmers with the capital they need to make their businesses successful and by financing vital infrastructure and communication services. For more information about Farm Credit, please visit www.farmcredit.com.

About United FCS: United FCS is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation’s rural economy. Serving over 6,000 member-owners and

WPIB FOCUS Wisconsin Potato Assessment Collections: Two-Year Comparison Month

Jul-14

Aug-14

Sep-14

Oct-14

Nov-14

Dec-14

Jan-15

Feb-15

Mar-15

Apr-15

May-15

Jun-15

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,618,594.66

584,167.62

1,071,362.65

3,145,808.22

2,930,799.68

2,055,822.91

1,632,134.39

2,314,996.35

15,353,686.48

Assessment

$97,295.75

$35,049.99

$64,101.70

$188,748.83

$175,821.97

$123,346.96

$97,909.10

$138,906.57

$921,180.87

Jul-15

Aug-15

Sep-15

Oct-15

Nov-15

Dec-15

Jan-16

Feb-16

Month

Mar-16

Apr-16

May-16

Jun-16

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,679,466.61

553,089.04

813,734.14

2,731,844.59

3,574,243.15

2,242,764.68

2,598,955.03

2,196,655.93

16,390,753.17

Assessment

$100,717.55

$33,240.32

$48,851.85

$163,910.77

$214,454.02

$134,565.79

$155,926.56

$131,803.69

$983,470.55

62 BC�T April

New Products GearLife XL Lube Maximizes Gearbox Life Alternative to Standard Gearbox Oil Lindsay Corporation launched a new product that will provide growers with a better alternative to standard pivot gearbox oil. Developed by Lindsay’s world-class engineering experts, GearLife XL Lube provides industry-leading corrosion protection, maximizing performance and extending gearbox life.

“GearLife XL thins when worked and thickens when idle. Its thixotropic properties allow for the lubrication to solidify and form a tight waterresistant seal, preventing leaks and keeping out harmful moisture,” said Rick Provaznik, vice president of engineering at Lindsay Corporation.

“It offers the fastest solidification on the market, so dripping out of worn seals is minimized or even eliminated, depending on seal wear.”

While most oils run off gears immediately after stopping, GearLife XL’s high surface tension allows it to stay on the gears for a longer period.

When combined with the thixotropic property that gels the lubrication,

a thick layer of oil covers all moving surfaces for smooth, efficient operation.

Developed to be compatible with all wheel gearbox brands, the specially formulated aftermarket oil also protects against rust and excessive wear. When independently tested, GearLife XL exceeded GL5 standards that offer higher load carrying characteristics, superior corrosion resistance and industry leading wear properties.

“Proper maintenance provides better reliability, longer life and a more productive growing season,” Provaznik said. “GearLife XL Lube will keep pivots running smoothly, avoiding downtime and higher operating costs. We recommend it as a replacement oil for gearboxes after the first season break-in and settle period.”

To ensure that irrigation systems always are ready for peak performance, Lindsay also offers a Full Circle Maintenance Program.

With two levels of service, the

Top: Zimmatic GearLife as seen from a top angle, while in motion.

Above: Zimmatic Gearlife Side x Side while idle.

program is a valuable option to maximize efficiency and prevent costly emergency repairs during irrigation season.

For more information about GearLife XL Lube, visit Zimmatic.com/GearLife.

To learn more about the Full Circle Maintenance Program, contact a local Zimmatic® by Lindsay dealer. continued on pg. 64 BC�T April 63

New Products. . . continued from pg. 63

Reinke Introduces ReinCloud™ New data service customized for growers

Reinke announces ReinCloud™, a better way to collect and display field and irrigation data for improved irrigation management.

ReinCloud allows growers to manage and monitor their irrigation system, analyze soil moisture data, check the weather and more from a single mobile web application.

Growers have access to Reinke irrigation system data, as well as data from connected in-field hardware and industry leading data partners through the application.

Data is collected, stored, and can be analyzed and presented through an easy-to-use dashboard.

“The goal of ReinCloud is to give growers worldwide the ability to access and use data that is crucial 64 BC�T April

to their operation,” said Reinke Product Manager Cody Bailey.

“Whether it’s remotely monitoring and controlling a center pivot, collecting soil moisture information to adjust irrigation schedules or a personalized weather forecast for day-to-day planning, ReinCloud can help growers make informed decisions quickly and effectively.”

ReinCloud provides growers with a unique and productive experience on their everyday devices including smart phones, tablets or laptops with internet connectivity.

ReinCloud also makes it easy for growers to customize their dashboard and add widgets that are most important to them in their daily field management and monitoring operations.

ReinCloud is priced according to the data collection device and is offered through a number of subscription bases, including an annual-only subscription and period-based subscription fees.

For more information on the ReinCloud data services platform, visit www.MyReinCloud.com.

ABOUT REINKE Headquartered in Deshler, Neb., Reinke Manufacturing Company, Inc. is one of the world’s most recognized manufacturers of center pivot and lateral move irrigation systems. Since 1954, Reinke has developed products designed to increase agriculture production while providing labor savings and environmental efficiencies. Reinke is a continued leader in industry advancements as the first to incorporate GPS, satellite-based communications and touchscreen panel capabilities into mechanized irrigation system management.

For more information on Reinke or to locate a dealership, visit www.reinke.com or call (402) 365-7251.

No More Flat Tires!

In 2009, Mach 2 developed a nonpneumatic tire to help farmers eliminate costly flats in center pivot irrigation systems in the field.

In 2010, Seljan Company purchased Mach 2 and re-engineered the tire to become more durable and added a new tread design and 14 sizes so every pivot owner could enjoy the Mach 2 advantage.

After 6 years under this new ownership and after developing a partnership with Reinke Irrigation, Mach 2 has become the leader in ‘noflat’ tires for the center pivot industry.

Now, Mach 2 is proud to introduce its newest tread design to its lineup. After years of research and development, Mach 2 is introducing Trac 3 to its incredible line up.

Trac 3 is a less aggressive tread design, which allows farmers with loose sandy soils to experience the same benefit others growers have appreciated for nearly two decades.

Trac 3’s unique washboard design allows more surface area on the ground to help reduce rutting while still providing the Mach 2 assurance of eliminating flats.

Mach 2 now boasts over 14 sizes in

three tread designs. This allows pivot owners to customize not only each pivot but also each tower to match their soil type. This spring, Trac 3 is available in a 14.9 x 24 to dealers nationwide.

All Mach 2 tires come with a UV 12+ inhibitor to insure years of maintenance-free tires and a 7-year Manufacturer’s Warranty. To find your closest dealer, visit www.mach2tires. com or call (920) 767-1212. continued on pg. 66

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New Products. . . continued from pg. 65

Pivot Placer

By Senninger for Pivot Irrigation Dealers Senninger’s Pivot Placer is a cloudbased portal with easy access to information about your customers’ irrigation equipment - geographical location, field characteristics, equipment manufacturer, model and date of installation.

This program can improve your business. With just a few keystrokes, you can conveniently track maintenance and service needs.

Senninger’s Pivot Placer is accessible from computer, tablet, or smart phone, in the office, the field or even at home.

Pivot Placer login screen

Pivot Placer system mapping

USER FRIENDLY You can easily populate the database and color-code information: • Machine placement, manufacturer, model, spans, installation date • Elevation changes within each field • Sprinkler manufacturer, model, installation date, warranty information • Pressure regulator manufacturer, model, installation date, warranty information • Flow meter manufacturer, model, installation date, warranty information • System flow, system pressure • Service and maintenance records • Monitor maintenance and replacement recommendations

Pivot Placer machine info

Senninger’s Pivot Placer is a free program supported on Windows, Mac, Android and Linux platforms.

It is designed to register unlimited contacts, growers and data. For more information, please visit www. pivotplacer.com. You can also ask for free technical support by calling 407-877-5655 or via email to info@ senninger.com 66 BC�T April Pivot Placer view share

Potato Board News

‘Potatoes USA’ Champions U.S. Potatoes National Potato Promotion Board Updates Name, Mission & Strategic Plan Board Members of the National Potato Promotion Board approved a new name for its agricultural promotion group. During the Board’s 44th Annual Meeting at the Broadmoor Hotel, they voted to change its dba (doing business as—business name) from the United States Potato Board, U.S. Potato Board or USPB, to Potatoes USA.

The new strategic plan for Potatoes USA includes the collective input of over 450 members of the United States potato industry, Potatoes USA staff and the Board’s agency representatives from around the world. Thoughts, ideas, wants, needs and desires were presented and documented over an 18-month period beginning the summer of 2014.

This far-reaching update comes on the heels of the organization’s newly created mission and strategic plan, which were also approved.

With access and utilization of over $6 million in USDA funding annually, Potatoes USA works in more than 20 countries around the world. Exports of U.S. potatoes have experienced unprecedented growth over the past 30 years and now account for 18 percent of production.

Potatoes USA exists to “strengthen demand for U.S. potatoes.” We are the global champion for U.S. potatoes, representing 2,500 family farms growing more than 600 varieties of potatoes. We promote U.S. potatoes in all forms including seed, fresh, frozen, chipping and dehydrated products.

We make potatoes exciting! We create positive change in the industry through innovative, collaborative and inspiring approaches in marketing, education and research.

“In the United States, Potatoes USA is the leading organizer of potato nutrition, research, education and varietal development,” said Potatoes USA President and CEO Blair Richardson. “We will have a positive impact on long-term demand, consumer awareness, research efforts and utilization of our potatoes by foodservice and retail operators,

consumers and other entities.”

“Potatoes USA is ready to fight for the future of this industry and will take an aggressive approach in doing so,” added Potatoes USA Chairman Mike Pink. He is one of the 2,500 farmers and grows potatoes in Pasco, WA. “The potato is an essential part of the American diet and should be something people can enjoy with pride. With its new strategic plan, mission and business name, Potatoes

USA is prepared to lead the way.”

About Potatoes USA Potatoes USA is the nation’s potato marketing and research organization. Based in Denver, Colorado, Potatoes USA represents more than 2,500 potato growers and handlers across the country. Potatoes USA was established in 1971 by a group of potato growers to promote the benefits of eating potatoes. Today, as the largest vegetable commodity board, Potatoes USA is proud to be recognized as an innovator in the produce industry.

For more information on Potatoes USA’s mission to “Strengthen Demand for U.S. Potatoes” by creating positive change in the industry through innovative and inspiring approaches, please visit PotatoesUSA.com. In an effort to enhance diversity of the Board, USDA encourages women, younger growers, minorities and people with disabilities to seek positions on the board.

BC�T April 67

NPC News Potato Growers Select 2016 NPC Leadership Tomorrow's Leaders Trained Ryan Crane, Exeter, ME Elected 2017 Grower-Leader The Potato Industry Leadership Institute (PILI) Class of 2016 brought together 23 outstanding potato growers and industry representatives.

The annual program, administered

by National Potato Council (NPC) and United States Potato Board (USPB), identifies and trains the next generation of industry leaders.

From February 17-24, PILI participants traveled from potato growing regions across the country to attend eight days of industry training and professional development.

68 BC�T April

This year's class kicked off in Grand Forks, N.D., where the class received an overview of the local and national potato industry, including some of the challenges and issues beyond the production sector.

NPC Executive Vice President and CEO John Keeling provided attendees with an overview of the industry's pressing public policy issues. USPB Chief Marketing Officer John Toaspern gave a market and consumer update and highlighted international export opportunities for potatoes and

Above: Participants in the 2016 Potato Industry Leadership Institute: (front row, L-R): Greg Campbell, Grafton, ND; Bryan Fischer, Kalkaska, MI; Troy Sorenson, Alliance, NB; Toby Price, Kennewick, WA; Jordan Driscoll, Pocatello, ID; Katie Walchli, Hermiston, OR; (middle row, L-R) Rebecca Jones, Moses Lake, WA; Andy Schroeder, Antigo, WI; Jared Erickson, Grand Forks, ND; Tyler Thompson, Center, CO; Jaren Raybould, Saint Anthony, ID; Ryan Crane, Exeter, ME (2017 Grower-Leader); Mike Kirsch, Madras, OR; Karl DeJonge, Manhattan, MT; (back row, L-R) Bridgett Lake-Cheff, Ronan, MT (2016 Grower-Leader); Ben Zechman, Minden, NB; Patrick Morris, Lansing, MI; Tanner Wahlen, Aberdeen, ID; Casey Park, Rexburg, ID; Brian Mahany, Arkport, NY; Clay Allen, Pasco, WA; T.J. Hall, Hoople, ND and Travis Meacham, Moses Lake, WA.

potato products.

Participants toured Hoverson Farms and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Potato Research Worksite and were able to attend an exciting University of North Dakota hockey game on their last night in Grand Forks.

Attendees then flew to Washington, D.C, and heard from public policy and communication experts speaking at NPC's Potato D.C. Fly-In. While in Washington, D.C., they were immersed in the legislative and regulatory priorities of the U.S.

potato industry and practiced how to deliver key messages to Congress effectively.

The program finished with a day of lobbying visits to offices on Capitol Hill, where participants joined their state grower delegations for the FlyIn to meet with members of Congress and advocate for industry priorities.

Bridgett Lake-Cheff, Lake Seed Inc. in Ronan, MT, served as the group's Grower-Leader, after being elected to the position in 2015.

“The PILI program has helped me grow within the industry, preparing

Top Left: Larry Alsum, a speaker at NPC's Potato D.C. Fly-In, introduced Congressman Reid Ribble to Fly-In attendees.

Top RIght: NPC's Potato D.C. Fly-In participants met with Michael Keith "Mike" Simpson, D.M.D., member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho's second congressional district.

Bottom: Republican Reid James Ribble, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district since 2011 spoke to the Potato D.C. Fly-In group.

me to become the best person and leader I can possibly be,” said Cheff.

At the conclusion of the event, the 2016 class elected Ryan Crane, Crane Brothers Farms, Exeter, ME, to serve as the 2017 Grower-Leader.

The Institute is made possible each year through a major sponsorship from Syngenta.

The National Potato Council is the advocate for the economic well-being of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental, and trade issues. NPC supports the U.S. potato industry by monitoring issues affecting the strength and viability of the potato industry, influencing regulators and legislators on issues crucial to the industry's long term success, ensuring fair market access for potatoes and potato products, and bringing the unique issues and interests of diverse growing regions in the U.S. together on a national level.

The mission of the United States Potato Board is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. For complete information about the programs, ROI results, resources and tools available to all members of the industry through the USPB, please visit www.uspotatoes.com.

BC�T April 69

Eyes on Associates

By WPVGA Associate Div. President, Wayne Solinsky, Jay-Mar, Inc.

Hello Everyone!

As I write April’s column with the due date a month prior to the publication, I find myself very thankful.

As you will recall the first week or so of March was a welcome change in our weather. We had 50’s and some

60’s and it really felt good to feel the warmth of a new year. A new spring, a new season.

And, as a farmer and a Wisconsin resident, it really makes me thankful that I live in Wisconsin. It is a great state. We always have a new season to look forward to and that alone will

put a little perk in your step.

By the time this publication is in print, there will be new crops being planted for the 2016 season, which will be well under way for our 2016 growing season, so be safe and productive.

One of the things I want to remind

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.

70 BC�T April

everyone about is our WPVGA Associates Putt-Tato Open Golf Outing. It is set for July 13 at the Bull’s Eye Country Golf Club.

However, Dan blessed many people he did not know as his parents, Greg and Linda, honored Dan’s wishes to be an organ and tissue donor.

Mark your calendars and be sure to register as soon as possible as it tends to fill up pretty fast. We continually make this event bigger and better every year and the industry really looks forward to the fun and camaraderie.

Drew’s spinal cord was severed in the accident and now, unfortunately, he is paralyzed from his waist down.

This year we will expand our Raffle prizes awarded on the course since everyone likes the opportunity to win great prizes.

There are lots of super Sponsor opportunities and Sponsorships.

In return, you get fantastic exposure both at the event and in our preadvertising and post-advertising in the Badger Common Tater.

Please try to attend the event or help sponsor a portion of it as Drew’s medical issues have caused a substantial financial hardship on the Nelson family, who are WPVGA Associate Members and long-time loyal WPVGA supporters.

For more information, please visit the Together 4 Drew Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ events/1529381457382931/.

Donations may also be sent direct to Together 4 Drew c/o River Cities Bank

This is a great way to show your support for the potato and vegetable industry.

The Sponsor categories are Platinum, Silver, Gold, Meal/Lunch Sponsor; Specific Top end Raffle prizes (to be announced later) and Hole in one, Occupied Hole Sponsor, and Hole sponsors. There is great exposure for advertising in all the levels proportionate to the level of sponsorship in which you partake.

Drew and one of his best friends, Dan Weinfurter, were in a terrible automobile accident last summer where Dan tragically lost his life.

I also want to throw out a huge thank you out to Farm Credit Services (FCS) in Stevens Point for continuing to allow us to meet at their facility for our Associate Board meetings. Thank you, Mike Maguire, we appreciate your continued generosity.

In closing, if you ever have any ideas, comments or concerns, please contact me or any of our other board members as we continue to try to bring value and new ideas to our Industry.

From me to all of you,

Wayne Solinsky

WPVGA Associate Division President

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Let’s blow out the stops and make this the best golf outing event ever!

Another event I would like to draw your attention to is the Together 4 Drew fundraiser, which is set for May 7 at the Wildhorse Saloon, 9031 County Road WW, Wisconsin Rapids.

Drew is the son of Dale and Kathy Nelson of Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems.

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BC�T April 71

Marketplace

By Dana Rady, WPVGA Director of Promotions and Consumer Education

Midwest Foodservice Expo Provides Good Exposure Early March marked yet another year when WPVGA participated in the Wisconsin Restaurant Association’s annual show, the Midwest Foodservice Expo.

Held at the Wisconsin Center downtown Milwaukee, the show attracts decision-makers from various restaurants as well as a number of culinary students.

WPVGA’s presence is beneficial in helping to raise awareness of Wisconsin Potatoes and have a 72 BC�T April

Top: Dana Rady of WPVGA and Rod Gumz of Gumz Muck Farms, Endeavor, spoke with many attendees about the benefits of buying local at the Midwest Foodservice Expo.

Bottom: Michael Gatz of Bushmans’ Inc., Rosholt, helps at the WPVGA booth at 2016 Midwest Foodservice Expo.

presence amidst those involved in the current and future Foodservice industry.

Attendees appreciate the draw of WPVGA’s potato chips as well as engaging in a conversation about the benefits of buying local, discovering

healthy recipes using Wisconsin Potatoes and learning how to purchase the quality potatoes our growers produce.

Thank you to Rod Gumz, Gumz Muck Farms and Michael Gatz, Bushmans’ Inc. for helping staff our booth!

2016 Food Safety Classes Beneficial for Growers The month of March marked WPVGA’s third year offering food safety training classes to its members. With approximately 40 people participating from 20 member organizations, the classes were certainly a success.

Some attendees were new to the food safety process, while others were repeats. This point is proof that the Wisconsin potato industry is getting more knowledgeable about food safety requirements.

This is the first year WPVGA brought in a new training company, namely, Karl Kolb from Ceres University. As the company is based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the proximity offers significant advantages for Wisconsin growers regarding their audits and/or pre-assessments.

This year’s class offerings continued to be the same as previous years.

WPVGA offered one class each of PGFS (Primus GFS), HACCP Certification and Harmonized Standard.

Aimed at keeping growers proactive in preparing for their annual food safety audits, WPVGA offered several classes this year.

Primus GFS training is a 3-day course, the completion of which prepares attendees for a globally accepted audit.

HACCP, or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, certification is required for all organizations that pack or wash product.

It also helps organizations with their risk assessments and assists with making the writing of a food safety plan easier.

Finally, Harmonized Standard training was conducted by a representative from SCS Global in California, an

organization familiar with and qualified to audit for the Harmonized Standard as well as the Global GAP schemes.

have proved valuable for the industry and the Promotions Committee believes it is important to continue funding them in the future.

WPVGA’s food safety training classes

continued on pg. 74

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(877) 789-9058 badgerlandfinancial.com BC�T April 73

Marketplace. . . continued from pg. 73

Wisconsin Potatoes Demonstrates Potato Recipes at Ag Women’s Summit When it comes to cooking, potatoes fit the bill for any meal, snack or appetizer. WPVGA received a wonderful opportunity to showcase that fact at the 2016 Wisconsin Ag Women’s Summit in Middleton on Friday, March 4, by preparing two Wisconsin potato recipes during one of the breakout sessions.

Representing WPVGA was Ali Carter and her husband Mike Carter, Bushmans’ Inc., Rosholt. Ali and Mike showed nearly 100 women in each breakout session how to prepare two dishes; one main course and one appetizer; explaining how easy and quick it can be to make delicious potato dishes without effort!

Lightened up Loaded Baked Potato Soup (http://eatwisconsinpotatoes. com/recipe/lightened-loadedbaked-potato-soup/) was on the 74 BC�T April

Top: Mike and Ali Carter prepare Lightened up Loaded Baked Potato Soup and Festive Papas Tapas for around 100 attendees at the 2016 Wisconsin Ag Women’s Summit.

Bottom: Mike Carter hands out prepared potato dish samples to attendees.

Mike and Ali Carter share the ease of preparing healthy and delicious Wisconsin potato dishes.

menu along with Festive Papas Tapas (http://eatwisconsinpotatoes.com/ recipe/festive-papas-tapas/).

also proved how easy it is to modify various recipes such as the Festive Papas Tapas.

While revealing how easy it is to make healthy potato dishes, they

Instead of a bruschetta-type topping, why not try lox and capers? The

possibilities are endless and certainly up for experimentation in your kitchen. More recipes are available on www.eatwisconsinpotatoes.com.

AUXILIARY NEWS

By Lynn Isherwood

The Auxiliary Board wishes to introduce the newest member to the Board.

Deniell Bula is part of the Bula Land Company in the Plainfield area. They raise potatoes, sweet corn, field corn as well as peas and beans.

Deniell shares her time with the other family business, Ponderosa Pines Pub and Eatery and also the Campground. This entails a variety of jobs including secretarial work, waitressing, cooking, bartending, assisting with planting and harvesting

and whatever else needs to be done.

Deniell also enjoys spending time with her daughter as well as friends, family and horses. Then, there is time outdoors camping and fishing during the summer months. Not to forget horse shows.

And, if that were not enough, she is the Assistant Volleyball Coach at Tri County. A real hometown woman.

The Auxiliary is pleased to welcome Deniell to the Board and reap the benefits of a willing helper in our numerous projects.

BC�T April 75

Ali's Kitchen Column & Photos by Ali Carter, WPVGA Auxiliary Member

LIGHTENED-UP LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

For months, I have been looking forward to giving a cooking demonstration at the Wisconsin Ag Women's Summit.

By the time you read this, the day will have come and gone, but as I write this column, I find the event just days away.

I am SUPER excited, a-n-d, perhaps just a teeny bit nervous. Despite the nervousness, I jumped at this chance to talk about cooking, meal preparation and potatoes (some of my favorite things!) This was an opportunity that I simply could not turn down and I am grateful for it.

Today, to prepare for the demo, I decided to run through both recipes and figure out the logistics 76 BC�T April

of prepping and assembling food in front of a live audience without the benefit of my normal kitchen appliances. In the process, we took some photos so that I can share with you one of the recipes I will be demonstrating.

This Lightened-Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe is from the WPVGA website, www.EatWisconsinPotatoes.com.

I encourage you to check out the site often. It has an abundance of great recipes from which to choose.

The soup is delicious and for the most part healthy. Paired with a salad, it makes a fast and nutritious meal to serve your family.

INGREDIENTS: 6 medium white potatoes, diced 8- ounces (or 2-½ cups) frozen cauliflower 1 head broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 leek, washed and chopped thinly 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 1- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic, divided 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (I chose to use chicken broth) 2 cups - 2% milk ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 5- ounces reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, for topping 5- slices center-cut bacon, microwaved and crumbled for topping C hives, chopped for topping (I used green onion today)

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Fill large pot with potatoes and salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. When potatoes have finished cooking, drain water and set potatoes aside in bowl or colander.

While potatoes are cooking, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. To prepare broccoli, remove bottom part of stem and slice into bite-sized florets leaving an inch of the stem intact. Place broccoli on prepared baking sheet, lightly drizzle with 1-teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with pinch of salt and ½-teaspoon garlic. Roast in oven for 20 minutes until crispy.

Heat 1-teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté leeks, crushed red pepper and garlic until leeks soften, about 1-2 minutes. Add cauliflower and vegetable stock, increase heat to medium-high and cook until cauliflower is soft. Remove pot from heat, and add potatoes, milk and ½-teaspoon salt.

Using an immersion blender, (or transfer soup to regular blender), puree soup until smooth and creamy.

To serve, ladle one cup of soup into a bowl and top with cheese, bacon, chives and roasted broccoli. Enjoy! Makes 10 servings.

Note: Boil or microwave broccoli for the topping if you do not want to fire up your oven for roasted broccoli.

A little bit of pre-planning brings this meal together even quicker than the 35-minute time mentioned on the actual recipe.

My biggest tip for easy assembly of any dish that requires bacon is to keep cooked and crumbled bacon available in your fridge or freezer to pull out and use when needed in recipes such as this one.

My mother-in-law, Kathy Carter, does this by baking the bacon in the oven.

Place strips of bacon on a baking sheet or roasting pan and put the pan into a cold oven. Set to 375-degrees and cook the bacon for about 20 minutes.

Kathy often keeps the extra bacon in a baggy in the freezer and simply pops it in the microwave for a few seconds when a recipe calls for bacon. Thanks to Kathy, I recently began using this trick myself at home. continued on pg. 78 BC�T April 77

Advertisers Index

Ali's Kitchen. . . continued from pg. 77

AG Systems, Inc............................43 AG Systems, Inc............................65 Allied Cooperative........................71 Badgerland Financial....................73 Big Iron Equipment.......................25 Fairchild Equipment......................51 Fencil Urethane Systems, Inc........10 GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.........23 Jay-Mar, Inc.....................................5 J.W. Mattek & Sons, Inc................36 Lindsay Corporation.......................9 Mach 2 Company, LLC...................29 Mid-State Truck Service................27 Minnesota Certified Seed Potatoes.............................45 Nelson’s Veg. Storage Systems.....35

Storing pre-cleaned and pre-chopped veggies available in the fridge is also a major time saver. Having the broccoli ready to roast quickly and bacon that only needs re-warming, brought my prep time down to about 20 minutes from start to table.

Three of our children are next to

me in the kitchen as I write this, all intently focused on finishing off the last of the soup. The meal has received approval from all three.

To me this is a definite sign of a successful recipe and I very much look forward to sharing it with the ladies at the Summit!

North Central Irrigation................39 Oak Ridge Foam & Coating Systems.......................................41 Oasis Irrigation.............................80 Roberts Irrigation...........................2 Ruder Ware LLSC..........................13 Rural Mutual Insurance................32 Sand County Equipment...............33

GET INVOLVED, STAY INFORMED, BE AWARE! Join Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) and keep abreast of what is happening in your industry.

Find out how to become a member today. Go to: wisconsinpotatoes.com/about/members

Stake a claim in your future today!

78 BC�T April

Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc.............7 Swiderski Equipment....................55 Syngenta.........................................3 T.I.P., Inc........................................17 United FCS....................................20 Wick Buildings, LLC.......................19 Wirz, Inc.......................................59 WPVGA Membership....................78 WPVGA Putt-Tato Open................79 WPVGA Scholarships....................21 WPVGA Spud Seed Classic............37 WPVGA Subscribers......................57 WPVGA Support Our Members....70 WSPIA...........................................47 Yara North America, Inc................11

WPVGA Associate Division 16th Annual Golf Outing & Barbeque

WPVGA Associate Division

Bull's Eye Country Club Wisconsin Rapids, Wednesday, July 13, 2016 We Golf Rain Or Shine!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 24, 2016

The WPVGA Associate Division will host the 16th Annual Golf Outing at the Bull's Eye Country Club in Wisconsin Rapids. The golf outing is followed by a splendid dinner barbeque and raffle prize drawings.

The golf format is a four-person scramble with a shotgun start limited to the first 36 foursomes and sign up is a first-come basis, so sign up soon! Don’t miss out! The scramble begins at 11:00 a.m. registration is at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $75/person which includes 18 holes of golf with cart. Proper golf etiquette is expected.

Lunch is available for all golfers that day courtesy of an associate sponsor. The dinner barbeque is held immediately following golf and is open to everyone in the industry whether you choose to golf or not.

Tickets are required. ‘Barbeque only’ ticket price is $15/person. Make checks payable to WPVGA. Please contact Julie Braun, 715-623-7683, if you have any questions.

GRAB ATTENTION! SIGN UP TO BE A SPONSOR Platinum Level Gold Level Silver Level Lunch Sponsor Sponsor A Hole Sponsor A Raffle Prize Call Julie Braun at 715-623-7683 for more details.

You can sponsor a hole for a minimum $200 donation in cash or prizes.

Call Julie Braun, 715-623-7683, for more details.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 24, 2016

✁ ❑ Yes! I will golf. I am registering ______ golfers.

Group Leader Name: _____________________________

(Fee for golf only is $75 per person. This does not include barbeque.)

Company Name: _________________________________

❑ I wish to order _______ Barbeque Tickets at $15.00 per ticket.

Address: ________________________________________ City, State, Zip: __________________________________

❑ I would like to sponsor a hole at the golf outing.

My donation of $_________ is enclosed.

Phone: __________________________________________ These are the people in my group: 1. ______________________________________________

Golf Fee: Number of Golfers x $75

$_________

Barbeque Tickets: Number of Tickets x $15

$_________

+ Hole Sponsor/Donation

$_________

Total Amount Enclosed:

2. ______________________________________________

$_________

Please return completed form and payment to: WPVGA • P.O. Box 327 • Antigo, WI 54409-0327

3. ______________________________________________

P.O. Box 327 Antigo, WI 54409

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Stevens Point, WI 54481 Permit No. 480

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