1901_Badger Common'Tater

$22/year | $2/copy | Volume 71 No. 01 | JANUARY 2019

THE VOICE OF WISCONSIN'S POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY SHOW PREVIEW ISSUE

INTERVIEW:

Michael Shafel

Sunnydale Farms Inc.

GROWERS PLAN TO Reduce Phosphorus CORN THAT FIXES Its Own Nitrogen RESEARCHER PRESENTATIONS Set for Grower Ed Conference A SINGLE PROTEIN CAN Control Plant Flowering

With the help of an Eco-Ridge bed shaper, nice, uniform hills of Yukon potatoes are achieved on Sunnydale Farms.

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800-826-0200 715-677-4533 • Fax: 715-677-4076 Rosholt, Wisconsin

On the Cover: Dirt has never looked so attractive on the cover of a

magazine as the nice, uniform rows of hilled Yukon potato plants shown on Sunnydale Farms in Bryant, Wisconsin. The rows were made using Eco-Ridge bed shaping hiller technology that Mike Shafel of Sunnydale Farms says was added to the farming operation in 2018. Nicely done.

8 BADGER COMMON’TATER INTERVIEW:

Mike Shafel, president and owner of Sunnydale Farms in Bryant, Wisconsin, drives a John Deere 7630 tractor pulling a four-row Miedema planter. Located in Langlade County, the farm is situated on a unique table-flat plain area where the state’s seed potatoes are historically concentrated and grown.

In fact, approximately 235 acres of certified and foundation seed potatoes are produced on the farm.

DEPARTMENTS: ALI’S KITCHEN.................... 65 BADGER BEAT.................... 32 EYES ON ASSOCIATES......... 55

16 CORN VARIETIES TAKE NITROGEN FROM AIR

Can the trait be bred into commercial U.S. cultivars?

47 WPIB FOCUS

Wisconsin Potato Industry Board meets and tours Alsum Farms and Produce

56 AUXILIARY NEWS

Close to 30 members enjoyed a paint-and-sip night at Ponderosa Pines

MARK YOUR CALENDAR...... 6 MARKETPLACE................... 38 NEW PRODUCTS................ 52 NOW NEWS....................... 24 NPC NEWS......................... 50

FEATURE ARTICLES:

PEOPLE.............................. 54

20 UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP helps Antigo potato farmers reduce phosphorus runoff

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

42 SLATE OF PRESENTATIONS set for Grower Education Conference & Industry Show

POTATOES USA NEWS........ 57

58 CAN A SINGLE PROTEIN promote or prevent the transition to flowering in plants?

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BC�T January

SEED PIECE........................ 62

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1619 County Road K, Custer WI 54423 • Call: 715-592-4650 • Fax: 715-592-5063 • Email: tip@tipinc.net WPVGA Board of Directors: President: Josh Mattek TL-332S.indd 1 Vice President: Gary Wysocki Secretary: Rod Gumz Treasurer: Wes Meddaugh Directors: Mike Carter, Mark Finnessy, Bill Guenthner, Eric Schroeder & Eric Wallendal Wisconsin Potato Industry Board: President: Heidi Alsum-Randall Vice President: Richard Okray Secretary: Bill Wysocki Treasurer: Keith Wolter Directors: John Bobek, Andy Diercks, Cliff Gagas, John T. Schroeder & Tom Wild WPVGA Associate Division Board of Directors: President: Casey Kedrowski Vice President: Joel Zalewski

Secretary: Cathy Schommer Rich Wilcox 6/26/15Treasurer: 11:57 AM Directors: Chris Brooks, Paul Cieslewicz, Nick Laudenbach & Kenton Mehlberg Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association Board of Directors: President: Charlie Mattek Vice President: Dan Kakes Secretary/Treasurer: Roy Gallenberg Directors: Jeff Fassbender & J.D. Schroeder Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors: President: Kathy Bartsch Vice President: Devin Zarda Secretary/Treasurer: Datonn Hanke Directors: Jody Baginski, Brittany Bula, Deniell Bula & Marie Reid

Mission Statement of the WPVGA: To advance the interests of WPVGA members through education, information, environmentally sound research, promotion, governmental action and involvement.

Mission Statement of the WPVGA Associate Division: To work in partnership with the WPVGA as product and service providers to promote mutual industry viability by integrating technology and information resources.

Badger Common’Tater is published monthly at 700 Fifth Avenue, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409

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

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

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Foreign subscription rates: $35/year; $55/2 years.

Telephone: (715) 623-7683 Mailing address: P.O. Box 327, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409 Or, subscribe free online: http://wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe/ ADVERTISING: To advertise your service or product in this magazine, call (715) 630-6213, or email: Joe Kertzman: jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com.

The editor welcomes manuscripts and pictures but accepts no responsibility for such material while in our hands.

BC�T January

5

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WISCONSIN AGRIBUSINESS CLASSIC Alliant Energy Center Madison, WI WISCONSIN FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLE CONFERENCE Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI WSPIA ANNUAL SEED MEETING North Star Lanes, 12:30 p.m.

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Planting Ideas Harvest must be over because my mailbox is full,

the phone keeps ringing and I have any number of new email messages.

It’s good to be liked. Or maybe it’s good old holiday and post-holiday spirit that’s prompting people to connect this time of year.

One email message was from Lori Patoka, and even though I indicated in an earlier “Planting Ideas” column that I wasn’t going to make it a habit of showing cute pictures of kids and grandkids, the image at right is most worthy.

Granddaughter of Lori and Gary Patoka of Patoka Farms, Adelynn O’Brien, age 2, is helping mom decorate for Christmas.

She filled the snowman’s bucket with “Daddy’s potatoes.”

Adelynn’s dad and mom are Lance and Beth O’Brien, and her other set of grandparents are Dale and Lori O’Brien, with both Lance and Dale working for Hamerski Farms. So, there are potato farming connections all over the place, and thus the “bending of the rules” to show the little cutie, dressed in pink footie pajamas, no less. I mean, come on, how adorable!

A letter also landed in my mailbox from an old family friend (old, as in going way back … well, and as in years.) I’ve known Pat Wielgosh for as long as any of my close friends, and he dropped a note to ask how I was doing, inquire about the family and send me a newspaper clipping.

The clipping is a column from the Wall Street Journal titled “How Potatoes Conquered the World,” and it explains how potatoes weren’t really part of the first Thanksgiving dinner, of course, eaten by the Wampanoag Indians and Pilgrims in 1621. In fact, the first 100 Thanksgivings were spud free.

The article did prove interesting. During the Seven Years’ War, a Frenchman named Antoine-Augustin Parmentier was taken prisoner by the Prussians and forced to live on a diet of potatoes. To his surprise, he stayed relatively healthy, and convinced he’d found a solution to famine, dedicated his life after the war to touting the potato’s nutritional benefits. He even persuaded Marie-Antoinette to wear potato flowers in her hair. Later, as most know, Thomas Jefferson, then U.S. ambassador to France, introduced Americans to French fries at a White House dinner in 1802.

So please do email me with your thoughts and questions. If you wish to be notified when our free online magazine is available monthly, here is the subscriber link: http://wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe.

Joe Kertzman

Managing Editor jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com

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Foundation & Certified Seed Potatoes

Interview

MICHAEL SHAFEL, Owner, Sunnydale Farms Inc.

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater

NAME: Michael Shafel TITLE: President, owner/operator COMPANY: Sunnydale Farms Inc. LOCATION: Bryant, WI HOMETOWN: Antigo, WI YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: 13 PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT: Lifetime of farming experience SCHOOLING: Antigo High School and North Central Technical College ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Northwoods Tractor Club Board Director FAMILY: Wife, Kathleen, married for 33 years, and son, Markus, and his wife, Kristy HOBBIES: Reading, antique tractor enthusiast, NASCAR, hunting and snowmobiling Above: Michael Shafel sorts B-size seed potatoes while filling the warehouse at Sunnydale Farms Inc. Sunnydale Farms has been in the family for five generations.

8

BC�T January

A fifth-generation family farm, Sunnydale Farms Inc. originated in the early 1900s and is located in Langlade County near Bryant, Wisconsin, where the silt loam topsoil is fertile, and the air is crisp and cool in all but the heat of summer.

The county’s unique table-flat plain area is where Wisconsin seed potatoes are historically concentrated and grown.

production of certified seed potatoes, and in 1990, the farm operation incorporated. In 2005, Jim and Bonnie retired.

Michael Shafel is the president and owner/operator of the Shafel family farm—Sunnydale Farms Inc.—where approximately 235 acres of certified and foundation seed potatoes are produced. The operation also includes a three-year rotation between crops of wheat, oats, snap beans, soybeans and alfalfa.

Today, the operation consists of Mike, his wife, Kathleen, their son, Markus, and his wife, Kristy. There are three full-time and six to eight seasonal employees.

In 1968, Mike’s parents, Jim and Bonnie, took over the family farm from Jim's father, Joe. At that time, it was a combination potato and dairy farm.

In 1971, they transitioned away from dairy to concentrate solely on the

Potatoes ship to extended parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states, and varieties include Dark Red Norland, Red Norland, Yukon Gold, Superior, Atlantic and Snowden.

Why did your family decide to grow potatoes in the first place? A direct descendant of the family, who settled in the area many years ago, recognized the potential of the fertile soil and unique climate of the Antigo Flats

Looking east toward Sunnydale Farms buildings in Bryant, Wisconsin, Snowden seed potatoes are in full bloom.

for potato production.

Opportunity arose to meet the needs for potato consumption in the larger cities of southern Wisconsin and upper Illinois, with potatoes transported via railcar.

A shift took place during the late 1960’s that required many area farms to solely concentrate on potato production, transitioning away from dual dairy/potato farms.

What made you and your dad stay in the business? Farming is rewarding, there are many opportunities to embrace, and there is a lot of variety in each day, and within the seasons.

of extended family members plus our outstanding and enthusiastic employees.

My parents fulfill a complementary role during retirement by assisting with administrative tasks.

Markus is our primary tech person, and in an all-around capacity, he has a wide range of duties. He can be seen operating the sprayer-rig, then loading the warehouse in the fall and fixing, welding and hauling, just to name

a few of the endless tasks around any small farm.

And, fortunate for me, Kathleen comes from a farming background. Though she works full time off the farm, she understands the day is not done at returning home from work.

She seamlessly switches gears to assist me with many farming tasks that take place during the evening hours and weekends throughout the year. continued on pg. 10

What trips your trigger, so to speak, about being a seed potato farmer?

To me, farming is a creative outlet.

I enjoy design and engineering of farming equipment. In a professional and personal sense, farming provides fulfilling achievement as a food producer.

Also, I enjoy and find reward in mentoring young individuals about the aspects of farming.

Your wife, Kathleen, and son, Markus, work on the farm—in what capacity? Any other family members?

It is no secret that farming takes a collaborative effort. We couldn’t do it without the dedicated assistance BC�T January

9

Interview. . .

continued from pg. 9

Seed potatoes are unloaded at Sunnydale Farms.

Does the farm support several families, and if so, does that make you proud? If by “families,” you mean people who rely on this farm being successful, then, yes, there is a whole cascade of families—everyone from our employees, to service industry people, to suppliers, to financial institutes, the local community, etc.

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A John Deere 8300 pulls a plow and a Cultipacker to loosen and break up dirt, pushing down small stones and smoothing the soil in the process.

If you mean families other than immediate family members already mentioned, then no.

Are you growing for both the seed and chip markets? And where are your customers? Yes, our red seed varieties go as far as the East Coast states and some neighboring Midwestern states.

You grow Dark Red Norland, Red Norland, Yukon Gold, Superior, Atlantic and Snowden seed potatoes.

While some seed stays right here in Wisconsin to be grown, the Atlantic and Snowden seed chip potato

Overall, when farming does well, many will naturally benefit.

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A close-up image shows a Yukon variety in the plant’s early growth stage.

varieties are distributed to growers in the southern Midwestern states area.

Why those varieties, and do you have a favorite, a best-seller or both?

My personal favorite is the Superior potato variety, though our red varieties have been a main production focus for our farm for many years.

An early-1950’s picture captures Mike Shafel’s great uncle, Louis, driving an Oliver tractor to spray potatoes. Louis’s daughter, Judy, is in the field at far right, keeping her distance.

How has the farm progressed in size and technology over the years?

In 2008, we started utilizing autosteer technology, which capitalized on efficiency. This was a signature

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moment towards other automated improvements that followed, with the goal of not having to work as hard in mind. continued on pg. 12

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 11

Since I come from the era of 24/7 farming, with limited opportunity for downtime or other interests, my hope is the next generation of farming, Markus, will be able to enjoy more freedom.

I think you have 1,000 tillable acres, is that correct? And how many were planted in 2018? Sunnydale Farms is approximately 800 tillable acres with 235 in potato production, 125 acres of snap beans, 100 in alfalfa production, 70 acres of soybeans

and 225 in oats and field corn.

Any equipment you’re especially proud of or that is new/a step up from previous equipment? New in 2018, we added Eco-Ridge bed shaping hiller technology. Initial results look favorable—the new equipment makes for nice uniform hills. The goal is better-quality potatoes with less green ends.

How were the growing and harvest seasons, and yields? The 2018 season had challenges due to weather

conditions. Early on, during planting season, the conditions started out wet.

Then on the heels of wet, the weather changed to a run of unseasonably hot.

Afterward, the growing season was very dry. Then in the fall, the weather did a huge swing back to wet. To say the least, conditions during the later stages of fall harvest were very trying. As a result, potato yields were affected, along with most crops in the area.

Is yours a standard seed potato growing operation, or do you specialize in certain methods, equipment, storing, packing, shipping? Explain. For the most part, our methods are in-line with other small to mid-size farms for this area, and the industry standard for a small farm.

Is it important to you that the farm stay in the family? I see an amazing amount of potential in today’s young people and look forward to growth in continued on pg. 14

Above: Mike Shafel drives a John Deere 8300 pulling a four-row Miedema planter on Sunnydale Farms.

12 BC�T January

Left: Markus Shafel operates a John Deere 244J wheel loader to transfer cut seed into a field truck.

Please join us for a Seed Cutting Class • Thursday, February 7 Milestone reps will be present!

After the WPVGA Industry Show • 1:00 p.m. at Sand County Equipment • Lunch will be served with beverages!

Interview. . .

continued from pg. 12

sustainable practices and technologies with strategic direction to enhance opportunities for Markus and his family.

Is it imperative to stay on top of education? Technology? Yes, technology is an important part of farming. Markus fulfills an important role by being very tech savvy. Kathleen adds support guidance, assisting me by helping to make sense and navigate any required changes.

before coming back to the farm?

That is important, though I’ll add, for farming, a good “working” education is absolutely necessary, and a delicate mix of practical knowledge and life skills is required.

Something that concerns me is that I see trends where an increasing number of young people do not come from a farming background and thus tend to have very limited opportunity in the industry.

The skills both Markus and Kathleen possess are indispensable.

How important is it that the next generation get an education first

Above: Boxes of handpicked potatoes are loaded onto the bed of a truck in this vintage photo. Mike Shafel’s grandpa, Joe, is standing on the running board outside the driver’s-side door.

Left: While Jim Shafel pulls a plow via a John Deere 8300 in the foreground, Mike plants Yukon seed potatoes at right in the background.

14 BC�T January

Farming is still for people who like wide open spaces and do their best by working with their hands.

Anything you’d like to add, Mike, that I may have missed? Yes, it is important for me to honor the legacy of my deceased daughter, Kayla, by conducting business with high

integrity. This significant loss has forever shaped my goals and values to live life with reverence.

Simple things, like quiet moments while taking my dogs for a ride to check fields, have taken on a different meaning for me.

Far Left: Antique tractors from Mike Shafel’s collection are lined up and ready for a July 4th lawn display.

Middle: A healthy irrigated field of Atlantic seed potatoes is shown in peak season at Sunnydale Farms.

Above: Snowden seed potatoes are hilled, rowed and hearty during peak growing season.

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BC�T January 15

Corn That Fixes its Own Nitrogen Can the trait be bred into commercial cultivars to reduce demand for fertilizers?

By Eric Hamilton, University of Wisconsin-Madison Communications A public-private collaboration of researchers at the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison, the University of California (UC)-Davis and Mars Inc. has identified varieties of tropical corn from Oaxaca, Mexico, that can acquire a significant amount of the nitrogen they need from the air

by cooperating with bacteria.

To do so, the corn secretes copious globs of mucus-like gel out of arrays of aerial roots along its stalk.

This gel harbors bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the plant, a process called nitrogen fixation.

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16 BC�T January

The corn can acquire 30 to 80 percent of its nitrogen in this way, but the effectiveness depends on environmental factors like humidity and rain.

Scientists have long sought corn that could fix nitrogen, with the goal of reducing the crop’s high demand for artificial fertilizers, which have monetary, energy and environmental costs.

Further research is required to determine if the trait can be bred into commercial cultivars of corn, the world’s most productive cereal crop.

Above: The dripping gel from aerial roots of corn harbors bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the plant. Image courtesy of HowardYana Shapiro

The findings were reported August 7 in the journal PLOS Biology.

NITROGEN-FIXING BACTERIA “It has been a long-term dream to transfer the ability to associate with nitrogen-fixing bacteria from legumes to cereals,” says Jean-Michel Ané, a professor of bacteriology and agronomy at UW-Madison and a coauthor of the new study.

Legumes, such as beans, are the only group of crop plants previously known to acquire a significant amount of nitrogen through fixation, which they perform in specialized tissues called root nodules.

Howard-Yana Shapiro, the chief agricultural officer at Mars, a senior fellow in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC-Davis and a coauthor of the report, identified the indigenous varieties of corn in a search for cultivars that might be able to host nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

The corn is grown in the Sierra

Mixe region of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, part of the region where corn was first domesticated by Native Americans thousands of years ago.

Farmers in the area grow the corn in nitrogen-depleted soils using traditional practices with little or no fertilizer, conditions that have selected for a novel ability to acquire nitrogen.

The biological materials for this investigation were accessed and utilized under an Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement with the Sierra Mixe community and with the permission of the Mexican government.

The corn is striking. Most corn varieties grow to about 12 feet and have just one or two groups of aerial roots that support the plant near its base.

But the nitrogen-fixing varieties stand over 16 feet tall and develop up to eight or 10 sets of thick aerial roots

Jean-Michel Ané, a professor of bacteriology and agronomy at UW-Madison, says it has been his long-term dream to transfer nitrogen-fixing bacteria from legumes to cereals.

that never reach the ground.

SUGAR-RICH GELS Under the right conditions, these roots secrete large amounts of sugarrich gel, providing the energy and continued on pg. 18

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BC�T January 17

Corn That Fixes its Own Nitrogen . . . continued from pg. 17

oxygen-free conditions needed for nitrogen-fixing bacteria to thrive.

Establishing that plants are incorporating nitrogen from the air is technically challenging.

“It took us eight years of work to convince ourselves that this was not an artifact,” says Ané, whose lab specializes in studying and quantifying nitrogen fixation.

“Technique after technique,” he adds, “they’re all giving the same result showing high levels of nitrogen fixation in this corn.”

The group used five techniques across experiments in Mexico and Madison to confirm that the Sierra Mixe corn’s gel was indeed fixing nitrogen from the air and that the plant could incorporate this nitrogen into its tissues.

“What I think is cool about this project is it completely turns upside-

Nitrogen-fixing corn varieties secrete large amounts of sugar-rich gel as they grow in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of Jean-Michel Ané

down the way we think about engineering nitrogen fixation,” says Ané.

The gel secreted by the corn’s aerial roots appears to work primarily by excluding oxygen and providing sugars to the right bacteria, sidestepping complex biological interactions.

The research team was even able to simulate the natural gel’s effects with a similar gel created in the lab and seeded with bacteria.

BREEDING TRAIT INTO CORN The simplicity of the system provides inspiration to researchers looking to identify or create more crop plants with this trait.

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Breeding the trait into commercial cultivars of corn could reduce the need for artificial nitrogen fertilizers, which have a host of disadvantages.

More than 1 percent of the world’s total energy production goes toward producing nitrogen fertilizer.

Developed countries contend with waterways polluted by leaching nitrogen, while adequate fertilizer is often inaccessible or too expensive for farmers in developing countries.

Corn that fixes some of its own nitrogen could mitigate these issues, but more research will be required.

“Engineering corn to fix nitrogen and form root nodules like legumes has been a dream and struggle of scientists for decades,” says Ané. “It turns out that this corn developed a totally different way to solve this nitrogen fixation problem.”

“The scientific community probably underestimated nitrogen fixation in other crops because of its obsession with root nodules,” he adds.

“This corn showed us that nature can find solutions to some problems far beyond what scientists could ever imagine,” Ané concludes.

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Nutrien - Great Lakes 5053 County 420-21st Road | Gladstone, MI 49837 Contact AndersonsPlantNutrient.com Nutrien - Great Lakes is an authorized retailer of PureGrade Liquid Fertilizer. ©2018 The Andersons, Inc. All rights reserved. PureGrade and GoldStart are registered trademarks of The Andersons, Inc.

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Growers Plan to Reduce Phosphorus Runoff

Unique partnership helps Antigo potato farmers manage runoff and water use

By Chuck Bolte, precision ag and nutrient management supervisor, AgSource Laboratories Bringing together different groups is nothing new, and now the growers of the Antigo Flats are teaming with several organizations to meet the goals of reducing phosphorus runoff and gaining a better understanding of water usage.

Collaborators include the University

of Wisconsin (UW) Discovery Farms, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), AgSource Laboratories and The Nature Conservancy.

that initial meeting, groundwork has been laid to learn what is happening in the field and with the surface and groundwater of the Antigo Flats.

The project envisioned by a few growers and consultants four years ago is now off and running. Since

•R educe average PI (Phosphorus Index) from 4 to 2 for the Antigo Flats

Goals have been developed to:

• E stablish Edge of Field Monitoring • E ducate growers about surface and groundwater resources of the Antigo Flats

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Above: An Edge of Field Monitoring Station is shown on the Kohm & Spychalla LLC farm in Antigo, Wisconsin.

Starting in 2015, with an evaluation of most of the fields on the Antigo Flats, the ones with the most runoff were identified and then brought to the attention of respective growers.

Ideas for reducing runoff were presented to growers and most have been trying to implement new practices on those fields. In many cases, the mode of action has been to plant cover crops on those fields.

Cover crop usage on the Antigo Flats is estimated to have increased tenfold over the last four years.

In spring 2017, streamflow monitors were installed in the Spring Brook that flows through the Antigo Flats, and they have been collecting data since then.

Starting in July 2018 and ongoing, grab water samples are being taken on the first of the month from Spring Brook to monitor water quality throughout the year.

During a Fall Field Day at the Langlade County Airport in Antigo, Dave Hart from the Wisconsin Geological Society discusses the aquifer of the Antigo Flats and the effects irrigation has on it.

Samples are being tested for phosphorus and nitrogen, and plans are to start taking samples in 2019 from the Eau Claire River as well.

EDGE OF FIELD MONITORING Recently, the Antigo Flats was

selected by UW Discovery Farms for Edge of Field Monitoring. Hyland Lakes Spuds Inc. and Kohm and Spychalla LLC agreed to host sites, with installation occurring in August continued on pg. 22

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Growers Plan to Reduce Phosphorus Runoff. . . continued from pg. 21

and September of 2018.

The sites started collecting data in October. It was the unique partnerships that had been set up here in Antigo that led to the selection.

AgSource Laboratories staff and growers will be responsible for site maintenance and sample collection during and after runoff events. UW Discovery Farms will be responsible for analyzing samples and provided equipment at the sites.

The final goal is to learn more about the water resources of the Antigo Flats.

On November 8, Dave Hart from the Wisconsin Geological Society was in Antigo for the Fall Field Day, held at the Langlade County Airport, to discuss the aquifer of the Antigo Flats and the effects irrigation has on it.

Hyland Lakes Spuds Inc. of Antigo agreed to host an Edge of Field Monitoring Station, with installation occurring in the fall of 2018.

Many questions were asked, and growers in attendance have a much better understanding of how the aquifer was formed and is recharged.

GROUNDWATER LEVELS In addition, the Wisconsin Geological

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Society has a grant to install a monitoring well, in 2019, on the Antigo Flats to monitor groundwater levels throughout the year. This is part of a statewide effort to learn more about the effect humans are having on the groundwater resources of Wisconsin.

During the Fall Field Day, Dan Marzu, a University of Wisconsin-Extension ag agent working in Langlade and Lincoln Counties, explained cover crop trials.

This year’s trials showed the effect that cool soil temperatures can have on getting cover crops established, which proved dramatic when compared to the fall of 2017.

Left to right: Sid, John, Jonathan, Carl, Nick and Cliff.

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22 BC�T January

Eric Cooley, co-director of UW Discovery Farms, then spoke on what “Edge of Field Monitoring” is and how it works, as well as the purpose of the farmer-led water quality research and education program he helps run.

The Antigo Flats was selected due to its unique trait of encompassing private industry and grower commitment. Another key point of the application the Antigo Flats Producer Group submitted to UW Discovery Farms for consideration

was the willingness to work in a vegetable cropping rotation.

Special thanks go out to Tom Wild of Wild Seed Farms and J.D. Schroeder of Schroeder Brothers Farms, both in Antigo, who helped present the application to the UW Discovery Farms Steering Committee.

The next educational Field Day has been set for March 19. Topics that day will include: • Soil Compaction—can we fix what we did last fall?

• Cover Crops—will they effect spring planting dates and soil temperature?

• Soil Health—“What Does it Mean?”

• 2019 Soil Health Challenge In the last 12 months, there has been significant effort to advance the groups’ projects to the point where they are at today. The opportunity to

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During the Fall Field Day, Dan Marzu, a University of Wisconsin-Extension ag agent working in Langlade and Lincoln Counties, explained cover crop trials, which, in 2018, showed the effect that cool soil temperatures can have on getting cover crops established.

partner with others has made funds available, including those contributed by growers, the WPVGA and the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board.

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Now News Mid-State Truck Service Supports “Truckers for Tots” Transportation industry partners spread holiday cheer throughout state For 11 years running, Mid-State Truck Service and its dedicated transportation industry partners in central and western Wisconsin have continued to spread holiday cheer through their annual Truckers for Tots campaign, which directly supports local Toys for Tots programs and impacts local communities.

Jon and Tom Vandehey, owners of Mid-State Truck Service, support many local community efforts throughout the year, but feel

strongly about this campaign that directly impacts area youth who are tomorrow’s future.

It’s also another way to bring together local businesses to work cohesively, spreading some muchneeded holiday cheer.

Mid-State Truck Service was proud to once again partner with Furniture & Appliance Mart and Roehl Transport, as well as other transportation industry supporters and the 2018 toy retailer, Fleet Farm.

FULL SHOPPING CARTS Much like in the past, the 2018 Truckers for Tots campaign efforts included several shopping evenings where volunteers filled shopping carts and purchased new toys using the monetary donations collected.

The toys were then taken to the local Toys for Tots distribution centers where they were sorted and prepped for Christmas gifting.

The children who receive these toy donations typically do not know

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24 BC�T January

or understand the magnitude of financial stress that their families may be going through during the holidays, and the gifts help alleviate some of that stress.

The 2018 Truckers for Tots campaign once again hugely impacted local communities and families, as MidState Truck Service and its generous campaign partners donated nearly $30,000 in new toys, giving many children a Christmas to remember!

This type of generosity and teamwork is a true reflection of the strong commitment and dedication these industry partners have toward the communities that have done so much for them throughout the years.

About Truckers for Tots Truckers for Tots is an annual campaign committed to continuously supporting area youth. All proceeds received are directly donated to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation through the local Toys for Tots program.

Commitment continues as a result of maintaining relationships with local partners who include the MidState Truck Service team, valued customers, community members, industry suppliers and local Toys for Tots program representatives.

For more information or to view current partners, visit www.truckersfortots.com.

About Mid-State Truck Service Mid-State Truck Service, Inc. is a secondgeneration, family-owned business, since 1965. With six locations in central and western Wisconsin, the company provides the region with a wide selection of new and used medium and heavy-duty commercial trucks in addition to school and IC commercial buses.

Mid-State also offers full-service commercial truck leasing and daily truck rentals through

Idealease of Central Wisconsin, maintains a highly skilled and dedicated service center staff servicing all truck makes and models, operates a full-service body shop, offers 24-hour statewide towing for any size truck application and houses a complete, fullservice parts department carrying over $6.5 million in inventory.

For more information, visit www. midstatetruck.com, or contact Amie Gruetzmacher, 715-845-2244, Ext. 4003, amieg@midstatetruck.com. continued on pg. 26

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BC�T January 25

Now News. . .

continued from pg. 25

Nachurs Alpine Solutions Lands New Plant Manufacturing facility and NPK business acquired from Koch Fertilizer

Nachurs Alpine Solutions is pleased to announce that it has acquired the Garretson, South Dakota, manufacturing plant and related specialty NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) business from Koch Fertilizer, LLC. Jeff Barnes, CEO of Nachurs Alpine Solutions, says, “We believe this strategic acquisition fits very well within our current operations and has the ability to support all six of our business units in its geography.”

The Garretson facility is Nachurs Alpine Solutions’ seventh plant across North America, and all current personnel at the facility will remain on staff.

A drone image shows the Nachurs Alpine Solutions manufacturing plant acquired from Koch Fertilizer, LLC in Garretson, South Dakota.

Murray Van Zeggelaar, vice president of marketing for Nachurs Alpine Solutions, says, “We look forward to continuing service for existing customers of the Garretson facility, as well as improving our capabilities and service for our current Nachurs Alpine Solutions customers in the Upper Midwest.”

About Nachurs Alpine Solutions Nachurs Alpine Solutions is a 72-yearold specialty chemical company that pioneered the low-salt liquid starter fertilizer industry by introducing the first true-solution liquid NPK fertilizer.

Today, NPK liquid fertilizers sold

by Nachurs Alpine Solutions are marketed under the NACHURS brand in the United States and under the ALPINE brand in Canada. For more information, visit www.nachursalpine.com. continued on pg. 28 26 BC�T January

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Now News. . .

continued from pg. 26

McCain Holds Grower Awards Banquet Contract growers invited to celebrate the 2017 crop year On November 14, 2018, an annual tradition continued as Wisconsin potato growers gathered for the McCain Foods Grower Awards Banquet held at Sentry World in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

After guests had a chance to catch up during a social hour, they were seated and greeted by Kerry Larson, field manager for McCain Foods USA, Inc. Though everyone was thankful that it was a celebration of the 2017 crop year, with the awards banquet coming so soon after the 2018 harvest, the dreadful weather and eventual potato frost damage was fresh on everyone’s mind and an

inevitable topic of conversation.

So, Larson honored all the growers in attendance who pulled through a tough, hot, wet and eventual frostdamaging year for potato growers.

Particularly, Larson thanked Jon Jacobs of Cedar River Potato Company for being such a trooper.

“I called him everyday to ask him how it was going and how we were going

Above: Honored growers and McCain Foods representatives include, from left to right: Marc Kilfoil, McCain plant manager; Kerry Larson, McCain field manager; Mike Firkus, Firkus Farms, “Storage Champion;” Jim Mortenson, Mortenson Brothers Farm, “Ranger Direct Champion;” Tamra Bula-Garz and Gary Bula, Gary Bula Farms, “Storage Reserve Champion;” Joshua Manning, McCain scheduler/field representative; Cliff Gagas, Gagas Farms, “Class A Reserve Direct Champion;” Jon Jacobs, Cedar River Potato Co., “Class AA Direct Champion;” Randy Cherney, McCain field representative; Bob Gutke, Hetzel and Wohlfeil Farms, “Class A Direct Champion;” Rodney Norquay, McCain senior director of manufacturing, North America East; Morgan Forbush, McCain field representative; and Christine Wentworth, McCain vice president of agriculture, North America.

Left: Named “Field Champion Potato Grower,” Jon Jacobs (front and right) of Cedar River Potato Co. thanks Kerry Larson (left), McCain field manager.

28 BC�T January

McCain Foods Crop Year 2017 Grower Champions Champion Potato Grower Grower Storage Contract Firkus Farms, $2,000 Reserve Champion Potato Grower Grower Storage Contract Gary Bula Farms, $1,000 Field Champion Potato Grower Class A Field Direct Contract Hetzel and Wohlfeil Farms, $2,000 Reserve Champion Potato Grower Class A Field Direct Contract Gagas Farms, $1,000

Cliff Gagas (right) of Gagas Farms accepts his Reserve Champion Potato Grower Award for the 2017 crop season. Marc Kilfoil, McCain plant manager, stands directly behind Cliff, and McCain’s Rodney Norquay and Christine Wentworth are at center and left.

to pull through, and he was always positive and reassuring,” Larson said.

SPEAKERS THANK GROWERS Other speakers included McCain’s Christine Wentworth, vice president of agriculture, North America; Marc Kilfoil, new plant manager, Plover; and Rod Norquay, senior director of manufacturing, North America East.

McCain Foods has nine French fry plants in North America, with five of those in Canada and four in the United States, and the Plover plant processing 15 percent of the North American supply.

Challenges for McCain Foods include freight, labor and, of course, potato supply and quality, especially with difficult weather conditions, such as in 2018. As a result of the weather, McCain Foods kept their Plover plant open for longer hours, shortening plant shutdowns and making it possible to run more raw product that incurred frost damage.

“We understand and appreciate the heroics and what you had to do on your farm, working through the wet, frost and mud,” Wentworth said.

Larson concluded, “I thought you’d never get potatoes out of the field, and you did. I hope it’s the year Kerry was wrong, and the crop comes out better than expected. That’s why you are wearing ‘shining stars’ pins [handed out at the banquet]. You’re truly shining stars.” continued on pg. 30

Field Champion Potato Grower Class AA Large Field Direct Contract Cedar River Potato Co., $2,000 Reserve Champion Potato Grower Class AA Field Direct Contract Helbach Farms Inc., $1,000 Champion Potato Grower Ranger Russet Direct Contract Mortenson Brothers Farm, $2,000 Bruise-Free Champion Potato Grower Crop of 2017 Weekly Farms, $1,000

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Now News. . .

continued from pg. 29

Okray Insurance Agency Opens Plover Office Move allows for continued expansion of farm insurance clients statewide On January 1, 2019, Okray Insurance Agency began transiting from its Bancroft, Wisconsin, location to Plover. The company also has agencies in Portage and Random Lake.

“It was our goal to establish a Plover office to allow for continued expansion of our farm insurance clients, not only in that region, but throughout the state,” says Kyle Okray, owner and farm placement expert of the Bancroft (now Plover) office of Okray Insurance. “It provides a real central location for operations.”

Kyle’s father, Larry, is president and CEO of the Random Lake office.

“First and foremost, this is a familyrun business,” Kyle stresses. “My sister, Kassidy, manages our Portage location, and my dad is over on the eastern side of the state in Random Lake.”

“Dad travels weekly to all locations and beyond,” Kyle adds. “It’s the

personal touch and respect of farming that makes us truly different.

Our farming heritage goes way back, and we take an immense amount of pride in providing clients with coverage-rich protection at a fair price.”

In 2014, Kyle purchased the agency in Bancroft from Bancroft State Bank, which was in the process of selling to Portage County Bank.

“The agency had very few carrier options, and unfortunately, the clients really didn’t get the choices they deserve,” Kyle says. “In the time since, we have merged with my father’s agency and obtained many companies for placement options.”

“More and more, we find that there is a lack of qualified advisors that really understand the contract and provisions afforded to our clients,” he adds.

“Strong relationships are important,” Kyle says, “however, we find that agencies only offering one company lack in ability to make continued changes. We are farm insurance experts. We understand the key elements to providing multiple options to fit a particular farm’s operations.”

30 BC�T January

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Badger Beat

2018 Insect Pest Management Review

By Russell L. Groves, University of Wisconsin, Department of Entomology

In the 2018 crop season, only a few insect populations were larger than expected, and one was the lowest on record.

As reported in past years, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) continued its statewide range expansion and increase across the state.

Recall this pest species was initially detected in the state nearly nine years ago, with new reports over many counties in the west-central and southcentral parts by November 2018.

regions containing crops such as pepper, green bean, sweet corn, tomato and even potato could be affected if populations become large and sufficiently damaging in the years to come.

The BMSB established reproducing populations throughout many portions of central and southern Wisconsin.

Spring conditions contributed to a few, sporadic increases in populations of insects. One such insect was a hornworm caterpillar (aka. Sphinx moth), which was very abundant in the west-central portions of Wisconsin and observed feeding in ditch banks, grass pastures and other forages.

This insect is now established as a serious pest of fruit, vegetables and field and forage crops in the MidAtlantic region, and it is very likely these insects will become major issues once populations increase in localized areas.

In the Upper Midwest, processing vegetable and potato production

Migratory flights of the black cutworm were also notable this past spring, along with captures of true armyworm.

The closeup image depicts an adult green peach aphid. Photo courtesy of B. Bradford, UW Vegetable Entomology Laboratory 32 BC�T January

An adult brown marmorated stink bug is shown on the side of a building in the fall of the year. Photo courtesy of P.J. Liesch, University of Wisconsin (UW) Insect Diagnostic Lab

LARGE MIGRATIONS Remarkably, large annual migrations of these insects took place from late March through the protracted cool spring period and yielded very large cumulative totals of adult moths

Immature onion thrips populate the neck of a developing onion.

Photo courtesy of C. Wallwork, Agrii

across the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection’s monitoring sites.

These repeated and seemingly successive flights into May suggested that damaging infestations were imminent in fields in middle to late June. Populations did become locally high in a few discrete locations, but the threat did not develop as greatly as was expected.

The excessive summer moisture experienced in August, which moved through southern Wisconsin, produced torrential rains and generated significant local flooding.

According to the National Weather Service, the official rainfall total for a single evening in select areas continued on pg. 34

RIght: Distribution of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) in Wisconsin, as of late 2018. BMSB has been confirmed in 27 counties. Map courtesy of P.J. Liesch, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab (http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/2018/11/19/bmsb-2018/)

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Badger Beat. . .

continued from pg. 33

exceeded 11 inches, whereas much of northern and central Wisconsin remained dry.

Later in August and into early September, central Wisconsin did

receive larger than average patterned rainfall.

In each of these instances, smallbodied, foliage-feeding insects were negatively affected. Populations of

Weed Management Observations and Research Update

By Jed Colquhoun, professor and Extension specialist, UW-Madison, Dept. of Horticulture

Potato and vegetable weed management in the 2018

season was challenged yet again by variable and extreme weather events, the spread of new and often herbicide-resistant weeds and regulatory headwinds.

Despite these hurdles, the future looks relatively bright if we’re willing to take an innovative and integrated approach to weed management.

Extreme and variable weather events not only made it challenging to apply

weed management measures, but also increased injury risk.

onion thrips, green peach aphids and immature populations of potato leafhopper (nymphs) were negatively affected by the excessive rainfall in selected areas of the state.

Early-season heavy rains made it difficult in many areas to time hilling and pre-emergent herbicides, which put a lot of pressure on the limited post-emergent tools for most of season-long weed control.

The rapid switch in temperatures, from a cool early season to blazing hot during potato emergence, increased the risk for injury from herbicides. For example, soil temperatures Memorial Day weekend were well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the Central Sands.

Weather challenges at the end of the season remain fresh in our memory, with many potatoes suffering frost damage in ground frozen before they could be laid up. These fields should be carefully scouted for volunteers early in the 2019 season.

At a national level, Dicamba remains in the news. The initial registrations of three new Dicamba products that could be used over-the-top of resistant soybean and cotton were scheduled to expire near the end of 2018.

DICAMBA RESTRICTIONS With many concerns over alleged off-target Dicamba movement noted again across the country during the 2018 growing season, new twoyear registrations were recently announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that include additional restrictions beyond those introduced last year.

However, the details of these new restrictions and implications for Dicamba use remain ambiguous as commercial labels are pending at the time of this writing.

34 BC�T January

Also, on the regulatory front, the herbicides Linuron and Diquat remain in the EPA pesticide registration review, a process that occurs with all pesticides at least every 15 years.

Currently, EPA’s registration review schedule forecasts an interim decision for both herbicides by the end of June 2019.

Nationally, the interest in Dicamba is primarily to overcome widespread weeds that have become resistant to glyphosate herbicide.

new products in the final stretch with new commercial labels likely in the very near future.

OUTSIDE THE BOX Few herbicides are in development for any crop, so it’s time to really think outside the box for new, yet practical solutions.

In this area, we’re working with natural plant growth regulators to make the crop emerge faster and

form a canopy sooner, enhancing competition with weeds.

In crops like carrot, we’ve had early success when combining these growth regulators with competitive varieties and optimized planting timing and spacing, achieving yields greater than the conventional system and reduced reliance on herbicides.

We’re also interested in how these continued on pg. 36

Even worse, this year, the first case of resistance to six herbicide sites of action in a single plant was documented in a Missouri water hemp population.

In Wisconsin, we were relatively immune to the widespread herbicide resistance observed among weeds in states to the south of us, but that’s changed quickly and is no longer true.

WATER HEMP University of Wisconsin-Madison agronomy colleagues have tracked the spread of water hemp in the state and have now found this troublesome weed in 61 counties.

In fact, the 11 counties it hasn’t yet been documented in are in the farthest northern tier of the state where agriculture is less common and therefore less scouted.

ADJUSTABLE AUTOMATIC MASTER POTATO BALER

In 2018, there were 28 counties with confirmed glyphosate-resistant water hemp, up from just 12 counties in 2015.

With these challenges in mind, our research program in this area focuses on integration and innovation.

With the great work of Dan Heider and Rich Rittmeyer, our research portfolio has included about two dozen specialty crops in the past few years so that we can provide solutions throughout the crop rotation and state.

In potato, we continue to work four potential herbicide active ingredients toward registration, including two BC�T January 35

Badger Beat. . .

continued from pg. 35

natural plant growth regulators affect weeds, both in germination and seed production.

In a broader sense, our program continues to develop other research at the request of the agricultural community, such as the Water Stewards Program, where we now

turn our focus from water quantity to quality.

This year, we’re also putting together a Specialty Crop Task Force to work with growers, processors and others to identify potential new agricultural crops and resulting products that could add value in a time when most

commodities are challenged by low prices and increasing production costs.

We look forward to continued potato community leadership and involvement in these and other programs designed to benefit our diverse Wisconsin agriculture.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Recommendations

By Matt Ruark, UW-Madison, Dept. of Soil Science Development of nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for potato have always been tricky. The development of a static fertilizer recommendation, like single rate, for 100 hundredweight (cwt.)/acre ranges in yield (e.g. 350 to 450, 450 to 550, and 550 to 650 cwt./acre) doesn’t consider variation in timings and nitrogen (N) sources that farmers could use.

As we advance in our understanding of N need by potato based on variety, soil conditions and growth stage, we need an abundance of data to fine tune our recommendation system.

One limitation of the previous decade of research on N and potato is that the vast majority has been conducted at one location—the Hancock Agricultural Research Station (HARS).

Let’s get it straight.

HARS has a lot of advantages compared to farmers’ fields for doing N research. We can control all N inputs, test a lot of N rates, intensively sample a large area and lose yield without passing that cost onto the farmer.

However, there is a definite need to test how N fertilizer results at HARS reflect results seen throughout

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the Central Sands. As we move forward in improving N fertilizer recommendations for potato, onfarm studies will be an important component of the research.

Beginning in 2019, I will work to develop an on-farm research team and seek participants in conducting N rate, source and timing trials on grower fields.

There is a lot to learn and a lot of details to work out, but I and many others are looking forward to the challenge.

2018 Review of Diseases in Wisconsin Potatoes

By Amanda J. Gevens, Extension vegetable pathologist, associate professor, UW-Madison In 2018, disease was as variable as the weather across the entire state and production cycles. Overall, early blight and brown spot set on later, with some of the greatest pressure in August.

We saw flushes of brown spot show at the very tail end of the season just prior to vine kill in many parts of central Wisconsin. Of relatively minor, yet not insignificant incidence, were diseases including blackleg caused

by Dickeya and/or Pectobacterium species and white mold.

Late blight was confirmed in just four counties in Wisconsin in 2018. The

disease was caused exclusively by the US-23 genotype or clonal lineage of the pathogen and was found on tomato and/or potato from August 9 to September 24.

US-23 (generally sensitive to mefenoxam and Metalaxyl) was also the predominant type found around the United States during the 2018 production season. The disease was controlled well in the very few commercial potato fields in which it was identified.

Of note at the end of the season were the high temperatures with too much water within the month

of September.

This condition, in some locations, resulted in high incidence of pink eye. While not a disease itself, the damaged periderm can be invaded by multiple opportunistic pathogens causing disease such as Pythium leak, bacterial soft rot and Fusarium dry rot.

Others experienced higher incidence of bruising if moisture or temperatures were off at harvest, which later revealed secondary infection by Fusarium, primarily.

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Marketplace

The Spudmobile Rolls into 2019 Updates

By Dana Rady, WPVGA Director of Promotions & Consumer Education Back in 2014, when the WPVGA Promotions Committee purchased a 37.5-foot recreational vehicle (RV) and transformed it into a traveling billboard promoting the Wisconsin potato industry, the committee members were dedicated to keeping the Spudmobile on the road for 5-10 years.

Back then, five years down the road seemed so far off. And yet here we are, in the blink of an eye, approximately 81,000 miles, two drivers and hundreds of events later, just nicely traveling with the Wisconsin Spudmobile into its fifth year on the road as of August 2018. And what a successful venture it’s been!

From organizations that have requested the vehicle for the first time to those that have repeatedly requested its appearance, the Spudmobile’s popularity has been apparent as it has helped broaden people’s knowledge about agriculture and from where their food comes.

With five years in the rearview mirror, and another five down the road, updates are on the horizon as Wisconsin’s traveling billboard prepares for a facelift.

Come January 2019, the removal of the current vehicle wrap will be followed by the installation of a new one to keep the exterior looking fresh and vibrant.

The new vehicle wrap will continue to tell a field-to-fork story that is also in line with the “Power Your Performance with Wisconsin Potatoes” marketing message WPVGA is promoting.

CALL TO ACTION The new wrap will feature updated prepared images of potato dishes on each side, the “Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes” logo and a call to action that encourages people to “Ask for Wisconsin Potatoes.”

And, given the goal of expanding the Healthy Grown program, the “Healthy Grown” phrase is included under that call to action on both sides of the vehicle.

This is the current Potato Growing Map exhibited inside the Spudmobile that was created at the vehicle’s inception in 2014.

38 BC�T January

Some aspects on the current wrap that will remain on the updated one are the WPVGA “peeled WI potato logo” promoting various social media

platforms and a beautiful picture of an actual Wisconsin potato field under a bright, blue sky that was taken at Alsum Farms and Produce in 2014.

A medley of red and yellow potatoes toward the bottom of the vehicle will remain as a way of promoting the different potato varieties Wisconsin produces regularly.

All these exterior changes will be complemented by the update of a static exhibit inside the vehicle to be made digital and interactive.

The Potato Grower Map exhibit is the last one on the driver’s side of the vehicle. It currently showcases a map of Wisconsin featuring the potato-producing counties in the state, as well as the location of each agricultural research station. Above the map are images of many growers throughout the state.

While this exhibit has been beneficial

in sharing who growers are and where they grow the potatoes that end up on people's plates, an updated and digital exhibit will go further in communicating the value multi-generational farms have on today’s economy and families.

And if these updates weren’t enough, there is encouragement to install a public address (PA) system with exterior speakers onto the vehicle that comes complete with a headset.

TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGY With a touch screen, Spudmobile visitors will be able to touch the name of a farm in a specific area of Wisconsin and see information about the growing operation.

For example, consumers will be able to learn when the farm was established, where it’s located, the number of acres grown and potato varieties produced, as well as some other interesting facts.

They will also see images of the farms and families. This is huge in offering a human element to the project of which will be easier for consumers to relate.

Imagine being at a highly-attended event and suddenly hearing someone promoting Wisconsin potatoes, as well as the Spudmobile and buying local, as you walk along. Having a PA system on the vehicle will help garner additional attention and awareness.

Discussions are underway for all these updates, which are scheduled for the vehicle’s slower time of the year. The goal is to have them complete by the 2019 WPVGA Grower Education Conference.

So, keep your fingers crossed and get ready for new vibrancy to hit the road in 2019. Wisconsin’s traveling billboard is just getting started! continued on pg. 40

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Above: Flyte Family Farms designed and promoted a 2018 Healthy Grown corn maze for its “Fieldstones Family Weekend” on October 13. Spelled out in the cornfield was “Wisconsin Healthy Grown Potatoes. Good for You, Good for the Environment.”

As a new Healthy Grown grower, Flyte Family Farms wasted no time getting word out about the program by designing “Wisconsin Healthy Grown Potatoes. Good for you, Good for the Environment” into their corn maze for visitors to experience during the Flyte’s Fieldstones Family Weekend on October 13.

The Wisconsin Spudmobile was present, as well, to add to the experience and help educate the public about the great things growers are doing.

Thank you to Flyte Family Farms for their hard work in creatively designing this maze and using it to promote the Healthy Grown program and Wisconsin potatoes!

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Grower Ed Conference Covers Timely Issues

In its 70th year, the main event of the UW Extension & WPVGA boasts expert presenters It’s been 70 years, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension

and Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Grower Education Conference & Industry Show is as strong and vital as ever.

health with cover crops; breeding for late blight resistance; background nitrate variability in irrigation water and so much more.

Being held February 5-7 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, potato and vegetable growers will have the opportunity to mingle with WPVGA Associate Division members, companies and representatives, visiting booths to see the latest in everything agriculture.

Village of Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney will give a Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project update, and such issues as complying with pollinator protection label language, CRISPR technology, measuring evapotranspiration and forecasting crop water demand will take center stage.

Booth exhibitors showcase their machinery, products, technologies, tools, devices and services, while gaining a good overall view of the potato and vegetable growing

industry and a chance to explain their valuable places within it.

The February Industry Show helps growers get a head start on the season with expert market outlooks, research reports, information on new technologies and agribusiness advice.

This year’s slate of research presentations at the Grower Education Conference touches on hot-topic issues such as a Farm Bill update; groundwater quality; legislative updates; improving soil

The conference features a qualified and informed group of speakers and is a great place for growers to get the advice, tips and insights that will give them the edge they need in today’s

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to concertina and trumpet.

The conference’s annual WPVGA Associate Division Banquet, Wednesday evening, is the premier social event in the Wisconsin potato industry with great food and beverages, camaraderie and good times!

With a playlist of over 300 songs, attendees may hear tunes from Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, or Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra and Guns N’ Roses.

In addition to the annual industry awards, there will be drawings for cash prizes, with $1,500 to be given away, including more than 10 individual cash prizes and a $500 grand prize winner (must be present after the awards banquet and during the evening’s entertainment to win).

Banquet attendees will be treated to a variety of favorite songs by The Drovers after the awards ceremony.

Originally a three-piece group with two Fender Telecasters and a drum set, The Drovers now feature five musicians with instrumentation ranging from steel guitar and saxophone

REGISTER NOW! To register for the conference, please complete the Individual Registration Form by visiting: https:// wisconsinpotatoes.com/admin/ wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ Registration-Form-Individual2019-fillable.pdf and return it with payment to WPVGA, PO Box 327, Antigo, WI 54409.

If more than one person from the same company is attending, please use the Group Registration Form (https://wisconsinpotatoes. com/admin/wp-content/ uploads/2018/11/Registration-FormGroup-2019-fillable.pdf). If you have questions, please contact the WPVGA Office at (715) 623-7683.

ROOM RESERVATIONS There is a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center reserved for conference and show attendees. The room rate is $103 for a single or double room.

To reserve your room and take advantage of this rate, visit www. wisconsinpotatoes.com/events/2019grower-education-conferenceindustry-show/ and scroll down to the Holiday Inn Booking Link.

For those who prefer to make reservations over the phone, please call 715-344-0200, press 3 and reference the group name WI Potato & Vegetable Growers, or refer to group block code WIP. The room block will expire on January 27.

Make plans now to attend this valuable event. Please note that conference registration rates will increase after January 18, so register today! continued on pg. 44

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Or call Jonathon or John E. Bushman: 715-454-6201 BC�T January 43

2019 UW Extension & WPVGA Grower Education Conference Tuesday, February 5, 2019 Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Stevens Point, WI General Session - Moderator W. Stevenson Expo 1 and 2

Time 7:30 - 8:20

Registration

8:20 - 8:30

Welcome and opening remarks - Tamas Houlihan, Executive Director, Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, Antigo, WI

8:30 - 9:00

Management of bacterial blackleg and soft rot - Dr. Amy Charkowski, Professor and Department Head, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO.

9:00 - 9:30

Farm Bill Update - Ms. Sandra Chalmers, State Executive Director, USDA Farm Services Agency, Madison, Wisconsin.

9:30 - 10:30

Morning Break - Visit Exhibit Hall/Poster Session

10:30 - 11:00

Launching the USDA-SCRI potato soil health project - Dr. Matt Ruark, Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science University of Wisconsin, Madison.

11:00-11:30

The IR-4 Project: Pesticide use, residues and impact on export markets - Dr. Dan Kunkel, Associate Director, Food and International Programs, IR-4 Project, Princeton, NJ.

11:30-12:00

Groundwater quality in agricultural areas - Ms. Lori Bowman, Director, Agrichemical Management Bureau, WI DATCP & Mr. Bruce Rheineck, Groundwater Section Chief, WI DNR, Madsion, WI

12:00 - 1:15

Lunch: Legislative Update - (1) Jordan Lamb, DeWitt Ross & Stevens

Breakout Sessions

Expo 1 Plant Production Moderator - R. Groves

Expo 2 Managing Seed Risk Moderator - P. Bethke

1:30 - 1:50

Justin Clements & Russ Groves Fungicides as inadvertent drivers of insecticide resistance

1:50 - 2:10

Grace Christensen & Jeff Endelmann Breeding for Late Blight Resistance

2:10 - 2:30

Sean Schoville - Genetic mechanisms of resistance in Colorado potato beetle

2:30 - 3:30 Breakout Sessions

Ann MacGuidwin - Improving soil health with cover crops

Researcher and Grower Panel Managing seed risk in variable environments. Paul Bethke, Mike Copas, Andy Diercks & Wes Meddaugh

Matt Ruark - Other biological indicators of soil health

Richard Lankau - Microbiome-based prediction of potato soilborne disease and yield

Afternoon Break - Visit Exhibit Hall/Poster Session Expo 1 Environmental Quality Moderator - K. Schroeder

3:30 - 3:50

Chuck Bolte - Unique partnerships to help Antigo Growers better manage runoff

3:50 - 4:10

Chris Kucharik - Background nitrate variability in irrigation water

4:10 - 4:30

Dan Mahoney - Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project update

4:30 - 8:00

Sands/Spruce Soil and Plant Health Moderator - M. Marks

Expo 2 Bringing Value to Agriculture Moderator - Associate Division

Sands/Spruce Crop Improvement Moderator - J. Endelman Felix Navarro - Understanding the performance of new varieties: monitoring plant and tuber development plus chemical maturity

WPVGA Associate Division 10 min presentations featuring new technologies and approaches in agricultural management of potato and vegetable production systems.

Shelley Jansky - Hybrid potatoes

Yi Wang - In-season nitrogen management for new Wisconsin potato cultivars.

Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association and WPVGA Associate Division Reception

2019 UW Extension & WPVGA Grower Education Conference Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Stevens Point, WI General Session - Moderator R. Groves Expo 1 and 2

Time 8:00 - 8:30

Potatoes USA Update - Blair Richardson, Chief Executive Officer, Potatoes USA

8:30 - 9:00

Viruses - The chronic diseases eroding seed and crop quality - Dr. Stewart Gray, Research Leader and Professor, USDA ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

9:00 - 9:30

Complying with pollinator protection label language - Mr. Otto Oemig, Pesticide Registration Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

9:30 - 10:30

Morning Break - Visit Exhibit Hall/Poster Session

10:30 - 11:00

From GM tomatoes to CRISPR cows: How consumers make sense of modern agriculture - Dr. Dietram Scheufele, Distinguished Achievement Professor, Life Science Communication, University of Wisconsin, Madison

11:00 - 11:30

Improving forecasts of crop water demand with direct ET measurements over irrigated potatoes - Dr. Ankur Desai, Professor, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison

11:30- 12:00

UW Extension in 2019 and Beyond - Dr. Karl Martin, Dean and Director, Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison

12:00 - 1:15

Lunch: (1) John Keeling, NPC, and (2) Industry Appreciation Awards Expo 1 Potato Virus Disease Moderator R. Groves

Expo 2 Remote Sensing and Imaging Technologies, Moderator K. Schroeder

Stewart Gray - PVY management on the farm: What are the realistic expectations?

Kaitlin Morey Gold - Early disease detection and differentiation of potato late and early blights with hyperspectral systems

1:50 - 2:10

Aurelie Rakotondrafara Optimization of a PVY detection tool in single aphids.

Erin Wagner & Philip Townsend Summary of the first airborne UWSpex campaign: seasonal monitoring of potatoes at the Hancock ARS

2:10 - 2:30

Amy Charkowski, A. Fulladolsa, & Y. Zeng - Powdery scab and PMTV in potato - risk factors and management

Paul Bethke - Drone-based imaging

Breakout Sessions

1:30 - 1:50

2:30 - 3:30 Breakout Sessions

Sands/Spruce Wisconsin Muck Meeting Moderator R. Groves

Christy Hoepting - Managing downy mildew, Stemphylium, and Botrytis leaf diseases in onion

Randy Van Haren, Allied Cooperative, Pest Pros Division - Auxin mediated suppression of common scab

Afternoon Break - Visit Exhibit Hall/Poster Session Expo 1 Expo 2 Sands/Spruce Potato and Storage Quality Market Development & Sustainability Wisconsin Muck Meeting Moderator A. Gevens Moderator D. Rady Moderator R. Groves

3:30 - 3:50

Amanda Gevens - Managing Periderm Disorder Syndrome and Subsequent Storage Diseases

Deana Knuteson - The Wisconsin “Healthy Grown” Program – New Program Advances!

Jed Colquhoun New approaches for muck onion weed management

3:50 - 4:10

Yi Wang - Impacts of wound healing temperatures on potato storage quality.

Andy Diercks & Ida Yu - Potato Sustainability Initiative: Continuous improvement in sustainable potato production

Amanda Gevens Effectiveness of biologicals and biopesticides for disease management of muck vegetables

4:10 - 4:30

Troy Fishler - Storage quality of new potato varieties.

Paul Mitchell - Vegetable trends and sources of competitiveness for Wisconsin’s potato industry

Russ Groves - Seed treatment and foliar control options for onion insect management

5:15 - 6:00

Social Hour

6:00 - 10:00

WPVGA Associate Division Banquet

2019 UW Extension & WPVGA Grower Education Conference Thursday, February 7, 2019 Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Stevens Point, WI General Session - Moderator W. Stevenson Expo 1 and 2

Time 8:00 - 8:30

Jeff Endelman, UW Horticulture - Current trends in potato breeding & variety development

8:30 - 9:00

Yi Wang, UW Horticulture - Sustainable irrigation management for potato production in Wisconsin

9:00 - 9:30

Alex Crockford, WCSP Director - Disease look-a-likes and new diagnostic tools

9:30 - 10:00

Russ Groves, UW Entomology - Potato virus Y management - targeting aphid flights Morning Break

10:00 - 10:15 10:15 - 10:45

Jed Colquhoun, UW Horticulture - Potato weed and vine management updates

10:45 - 11:15

Amanda Gevens, UW Plant Pathology - Updates in potato foliar disease management

11:15 - 11:45

Matt Ruark, UW Soil Science - In-season assessment of nitrogen status of Goldrush

11:45 - 12:00

Adjourn - and Thanks for your Attendance and Participation

1:00

WPVGA Annual Meeting

46 BC�T January

WPIB Focus

Alsum Farms and Produce Hosts WPIB Meeting Wisconsin Potato Industry Board tours state-of-the-art grading, packing and shipping facility

On November 6, the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board (WPIB) met at Alsum Farms and Produce, in Friesland, after wrapping up one of the most difficult growing and harvest seasons on record.

Still, the occasion was an opportunity to conduct business, tour a state-ofthe-art grading, packing and shipping facility, and reflect on the season and the industry.

Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers have lived through tough times in the past.

Alsum Farms and Produce celebrated 45 years as an innovative grower, packer and shipper in 2018, but mentioned during the meeting that a fire, in 2002, had destroyed some of the cooler space and storage. The potato grower was able to rebuild.

The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) also celebrated an anniversary—its 70th—in 2018, and WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan used the WPIB meeting as an opportunity to review the association and its role in the industry.

Founded in 1948, the WPVGA is

Outgoing Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Sheila Harsdorf holds a bag of Alsum Farms and Produce potatoes during a facility tour, November 6, as part of the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board meeting. Secretary Harsdorf no longer holds her position at DATCP, with Democrat Tony Evers being sworn in as Wisconsin Governor on January 7.

funded by an 8-cent/hundredweight assessment and boasts 110 grower members, 189 Associate Division members and 162 Auxiliary members.

SERVING ITS MEMBERS The association advances the interests of its members through education, information, research,

promotions, governmental action and involvement.

Mike Lensmire, a principal at CliftonLarsonAllen, was in attendance to give a WPVGA financial overview and answer any questions, having conducted an annual audit and review. continued on pg. 48

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WPIB Focus. . .

continued from pg. 47

Outgoing Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Sheila Harsdorf said a few words about her background as a dairy farmer, as well as the state, direction and future of the ag industry.

Secretary Harsdorf, who no longer holds her position, with Democrat Tony Evers being sworn in as Wisconsin Governor on January 7, expressed the importance of public input. She said, “Public officials don’t serve alone. They need to hear from you.”

Kaitlyn Riley, current Alice in Dairyland, also spoke about the diversity and importance of Wisconsin agriculture to the people, state and economy.

As part of her Alice duties, Riley promotes agriculture by writing five

Wendy Alsum-Dykstra (third from bottom) discusses the Alsum Farms and Produce operation with Andy Diercks (second from bottom) of Coloma Farms, while Tom Wild (foreground) of Wild Seed Farms looks on during a tour of Alsum’s grading, packing and shipping facility.

monthly articles for newspapers, attends events such as Farm Tech Days and volunteers to help with the Spudmobile, among other outreach and promotional activities.

WPIB meeting attendees enjoyed a nice lunch provided by Alsum Farms and Produce, and were invited to tour the state-of-the-art grading, packing and shipping facility.

What do you expect from the seed potatoes that you buy?

The varieties that yo

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The early generation that you want.

The quality and yie ld you have come to that expect.

Wisconsin has it!

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WISCONSIN CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES 48 BC�T January

Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association, Inc. P.O. Box 173, Antigo, WI 54409 715-623-4039 www.potatoseed.org

View a directory of the Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato Growers on your smartphone.

Russet Norkotah potatoes are X-rayed, sorted and graded at Alsum Farms and Produce during a WPIB meeting and facility tour, November 6.

Wisconsin Potato Assessment Collections: Two-Year Comparison Month

Jul-17

Aug-17

Sep-17

Oct-17

Nov-17

Dec-17

Jan-18

Feb-18

Mar-18

Apr-18

May-18

Jun-18

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,396,699.63

728,925.87

1,091,193.52

2,115,859.48

3,758,248.10

9,090,926.60

Assessment

$97,708.18

$51,117.39

$76,383.31

$148,116.20

$263,042.39

$636,367.47

Jul-18

Aug-18

Sep-18

Oct-18

Nov-18

Month

Dec-18

Jan-19

Feb-19

Mar-19

Apr-19

May-19

Jun-19

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,631,620.99

1,724,518.33

1,223,827.03

2,489,512.74

2,711,563.12

9,781,042.21

Assessment

$114,203.25

$125,436.11

$95,267.11

$199,179.55

$216,890.04

$750,976.06 BC�T January 49

NPC News Farm Bill Passes

President Donald J. Trump signs Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 A day after the U.S. Senate voted in support of the 2018 Farm Bill by a margin of 87-13, the House cast votes, December 12, with 369-47 in favor of the bill. The Senate vote is believed to be the largest ever in support of a Farm Bill.

Regardless, in a major victory for specialty crops and bipartisanship, Congress sent the strong new Farm Bill to President Donald J. Trump with huge votes in both chambers.

“This new bill is an outstanding outcome for the potato industry

and all of agriculture,” says National Potato Council (NPC) CEO John Keeling. “Beyond the five-year certainty, the new Farm Bill provides for rural America.”

“For us, it contains major new investments in specialty crop research and restores a vital trade program we rely on to remove potato export barriers,” Keeling explains.

Throughout this multi-year process, the potato industry and the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance pressed for passage of some key provisions:

National Potato Council President John Keeling, shown here speaking in 2017, says he’s relieved that Farm Bill Conference Committee leaders were able to come to an agreement on the 2018 Farm Bill that provides for rural America. Image courtesy of Agri-Pulse

• Restoring resources for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program that is vital for potato trade issues and reforming its operation to make it more

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responsive and efficient • Ensuring $80 million is available annually for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. This is an increase of $25 million annually over the current available amount.

• Maintaining vital resources for agricultural export promotion programs through the creation of a new Foreign Market Development Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture

of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and vital pest and disease prevention and eradication programs All these items were included in the final conference report.

• Supporting continued operation

New NAFTA Signed, Tariffs Remain On November 30, the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada jointly signed a new free trade deal intended to update the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

During the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, President Donald J. Trump and Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood together and announced their intention to ask their respective

legislatures to approve the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Combined, the three countries represent one of the most significant trading blocs in the world.

For potatoes, Canada and Mexico represent the second and third largest export markets with a combined value of over $575 million annually.

Despite the formal signing of the

new agreement, Mexico’s tariffs on U.S. frozen French fries remain in place. This is because those tariffs were in retaliation for the United States imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum on a number of countries, including Mexico.

Those U.S. tariffs have not been eliminated, so Mexico will continue to maintain its own tariffs until the Trump Administration takes action.

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BC�T January 51

New Products Terramera Launches RANGO Pest Control

Broad-spectrum insect, fungal disease and mite control product obtains EPA registration Terramera, the sustainable cleantech agriculture company, is turning its vision of affordable, clean food for everyone into practical on-farm products that help growers improve crop protection and yields.

A member of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association, Terramera announces that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves registration of the novel, broad-spectrum agricultural insect, fungal disease and mite control product, RANGO™.

With its commercial launch in November, RANGO contains highly effective, plant-based active ingredients built into a proprietary formulation with superior mixing and handling qualities.

It is Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed for use in organic agriculture and can also be used as an effective tool for conventional farming, making it essential for any Integrated Pest Management program.

In field trials on spinach, RANGO was more effective than a leading conventional fungicide at controlling

downy mildew.

TRIPLE PROTECTION “RANGO is our next generation, high performance plant-based product providing triple protection against insects, fungal diseases and mites,” says Terramera Founder and CEO Karn Manhas.

“This new product enables farmers to integrate a natural alternative, without having to change their farming or spraying practices,” Manhas adds.

“RANGO can be used on its own for superior control, or in rotation,

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.

52 BC�T January

expanding the use of plant-based products for both organic and conventional agriculture,” Manhas concludes.

The newest product in the expanding Terramera portfolio, RANGO has a unique mode of action, superior emulsion and stability properties, a zero-day pre-harvest interval and four-hour reentry, protecting against and treating a wide variety of insects, including aphids, mites, thrips, worms, whiteflies and fungal diseases such as botrytis, fusarium and powdery mildew.

About Terramera® Terramera is a global leader in technology for clean food with a mission to increase global yields while decreasing synthetic chemical loads in order to grow affordable, clean food for everyone.

Terramera is committed to cultivating safe, healthy homes and environments, and developing highly effective natural products for consumers and farmers. Terramera uses technology to unlock the power in nature, so people can live healthier, make clean food affordable and feed the world.

RPE Brings New Crop & Life to Party Potatoes Old Oak Farms fingerling potatoes prove to be unexpected crowd pleasers New crop, new offerings, let’s party! Old Oak Farms®, RPE’s core commodity brand, is bringing excitement to the fingerling potato for the third year in a row, with Party Potatoes®.

complement the main course served at any gathering,” Huffcutt adds.

In hopes of continuing to share this party nationwide, RPE has created a multi-themed promotional campaign catering to various seasonal occasions that bring people together and give them a reason to celebrate.

A value-added marketing plan is in place for all customers, including a brand-new party guide, new recipes, retail shippers and display bins, social media graphics, banners, informative infographics and videos, giveaways

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CREATING EXPERIENCES “Anybody who has entertained can relate to the idea of creating memorable experiences without a lot of effort,” says Tim Huffcutt, director of marketing at RPE. “Party Potatoes cook equally well if roasted or grilled, and, when paired with favorite dipping sauces,

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and much more!

Contact your RPE sales representative for details. To join the party, visit www.oldoakfarms.com/ partypotatoes.

RPE, a second-generation family farm, is a category leader and key grower/shipper of year-round potatoes and onions. RPE prides itself on maintaining a high level of business integrity that includes commitments to environmental sustainability, as well as category innovation and retail solutions.

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BC�T January 53

People

Lois Schroeder Passes Away A one-time WPVGA Auxiliary member, Lois was 85 years old

Lois Schroeder, of Antigo, Wisconsin, the true heart of her family, went home to heaven on Sunday, October 7, 2018. She was 85 years old.

Lois was born on November 13, 1932, in Chippewa Falls, a daughter of Louis and Lydia (Rekow) LeRoy. She married Donald Schroeder on October 16, 1954, at Peace Lutheran. He survives.

She was a graduate of Antigo High School with the class of 1950 and attended one year of technical college before working as a secretary for Gresch Implement and Thornton Finance in Antigo for six years.

Lois was a principal part of Don Schroeder Potato Farms and was a

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member of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Auxiliary.

She was a longtime member of Peace Lutheran Church, where Lois served on several boards and committees, sang in the choir and was a member of their Dorcas Society.

HELD DEAR TO THEIR HEARTS Survivors, including her husband, are two daughters, Sandra Lodholz, Ringle, and Nancy (David) Schoepke, Marshfield; two grandchildren, Jennifer (Jeremy) Laabs and Kate Lodholz; two great-grandchildren, Elijah and Timberly Laabs; a sister, Joyce (Donald) Dorzeski, Antigo; and

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many nieces and nephews who held Lois dear in their hearts.

She was preceded in death by a son, David Schroeder, a son-in-law, Tim Lodholz, a grandchild, Andrew Schoepke, a step-sister, Doris Thone, and two step-brothers, Edward and Walter Passehl.

A funeral service was held on Saturday, October 13, at Peace Lutheran Church, with Rev. David Karolus officiating. Burial took place in Elmwood Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to Peace Lutheran Church, 300 Lincoln St., Antigo, WI 54409, or Camp Luther, 1889 Koubenec Rd., Three Lakes, WI 54562.

Lois was the most selfless and giving woman her family ever knew. She represented the true definition of love.

EYES ON ASSOCIATES

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

As I sit at my desk writing

this month’s article, I can’t help but think how fast holidays come and go as the years pass by. I swear the months turn into weeks and the weeks to days, and that’s not even mentioning the little parcel of summer that we had this year.

Where did it go?

Here it is sunny and 70 degrees outside, then all of a sudden I blink, and it’s snowing!

I’ve mentioned before I am a father of two perfect kids … and I’ve often heard the older you get, the faster time goes. I believe it now. But what good could possibly come from all this?

Eating too much at Thanksgiving, Christmas shopping and then it’s the New Year’s resolutions all within a pretty short timeframe. As my grandma used to say, “What next?!”

The point I’m trying to make is that life isn’t slowing down, and I’m pretty sure I don’t want it to speed up any more.

DON’T WISH TIME AWAY Although there is no way to control any of these things, I’d like to see people, including myself, slow down and appreciate everything that each day has to offer. Too often saying or thinking “I can’t wait for next month” or “I hope this week flies by” is like wishing the days away without realizing that once time is gone, it’s gone.

each day. My key is to neither take life too seriously, nor take things for granted.

I bring this up again because the holidays are behind us, and with all the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget that each day and holiday with family and friends is a great blessing.

So please take time out in the new year to try and take an extra breath and really mean it when you say “Let’s get together soon,” as tomorrow is never promised.

To all the families, friends and colleagues that read the Badger Common’Tater, I wish you a Happy New Year filled with joy, health and continued success!

Cheers,

Casey Kedrowski

WPVGA Associate Division President

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WPVGA Associate Division President Casey Kedrowski (right) cherishes time spent with family, like at a Brewer’s game with his lovely wife, Lindsey (left), and, of course, Cinco the chorizo racing sausage (in sombrero).

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Anyone who knows me understands that I’ve always been the guy who appreciates waking up each morning and trying to make the best out of BC�T January 55

Auxiliary News

By Devin Zarda, vice president, WPGA

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all had a fantastic and safe holiday season.

It was good to be surrounded by friends and family for a little bit.

I know that we’re looking forward to 2019, but let’s look back for a quick review of a fun event that happened with the Auxiliary last year!

Back in November, the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary held a paint-and-sip night down in Plainfield at the Ponderosa Pines.

There was a fantastic turnout of close to 30 ladies who spent the night painting signs, munching on appetizers and sharing camaraderie.

From left to right, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board members Marie Reid and Kathy Bartsch, and Auxiliary member Becky Ann, proudly display their “Believe in the Magic” artwork created at a paint-and-sip night.

Don’t worry, Auxiliary members in the northern part of the state!

Your paint-and-sip night is coming.

Keep your eyes on your mailbox, and I promise an invitation will show up.

Until next time,

Devin

In November 2018, the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary held a paint-and-sip night in Plainfield at the Ponderosa Pines. There was a fantastic turnout of close to 30 ladies who spent the night painting signs, munching on appetizers and sharing camaraderie.

56 BC�T January

Potatoes USA News U.S. Dehydrated Potatoes Promoted in the Philippines “Potatoes USA Philippines” utilizes a Livelihood Program to target micro and small entrepreneurs with training on the use of U.S. potatoes. The program is designed to show how one can start a food business by making tasty food products using U.S. dehydrated potatoes.

Two seminars, with more than 135 participants, were held to demonstrate how this works. Both seminars had demonstrations using dehydrated potatoes, as well as creative workshops that encouraged participants to come up with other innovative products using dehydrated potatoes.

After the event, participants expressed interest becoming U.S. dehydrated potato distributors, while others met with an importer/ distributor of U.S. dehy to make purchases.

Potatoes USA also held a U.S. Dehydrated Potato Hotdog Application Seminar to show the versatility of U.S. dehydrated potatoes by sharing the unique formulation of hotdogs made from them.

The seminar included a lecture on dehydrated potatoes and an interactive hands-on hotdogmaking experience. The seminar hosted representatives from six food processing and manufacturing companies who all took samples of dehydrated potatoes to test in their facilities.

An event called the Bake Love Festival was hosted by a new distributor of

Rine Ridge Farms, Inc.

Several companies purchased U.S. dehydrated potatoes after the presentation to use in their products.

Additionally, new distribution routes were set up so that more companies can make future purchases.

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One Protein Can Control Flowering in Plants Is it possible to reduce a plant’s life cycle and complete the growing season early?

By Eric Hamilton, University of Wisconsin-Madison Communications As plants stretch up toward the summer sun, they march ahead to one of the most important decisions of their lives—when to flower. Too early, and they might miss out on key pollinators. Too late, and an early frost could damage their developing seeds.

Potato growers and other farmers who rely on their crops to flower at just the right time can only sit and worry. It’s up to the plants.

That decision of when to flower is ultimately made by cells that must stop sending out leaves in order

to start producing flowers.

Scientists typically think of these critical decisions about cell fate as being controlled by the balance between one group of regulating proteins that accelerate cells toward one fate and others that keep the brakes on.

When the brake is released at the right cue, the cell marches toward its destiny as leaf or flower.

But new research published, August 6, 2018, in the journal Nature Genetics by University of Wisconsin

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Above Left: Working with Arabidopsis (a small, flowering plant related to cabbage and mustard), University of WisconsinMadison biologists have discovered a previously unknown mechanism for controlling cellular decisions, one of which combines an on-off switch in a single protein. Image courtesy of Dawid Skalec Above : With Wisconsin’s short growing season, if it’s possible to reduce a plant’s life cycle early, that could prove to be important for many crops. Two varieties of potatoes bloom in a field on Guenthner Potato Co. land outside of Antigo.

(UW)-Madison biologists includes the discovery of a previously unknown mechanism for controlling cellular decisions, one that combines an on-off switch in a single protein.

Professor of Genetics and Wisconsin Institute for Discovery researcher Xuehua Zhong and her lab found that the protein EBS can bind to two different chemical modifications on histones—proteins that DNA wraps around—either promoting or preventing the transition to flowering in plants.

Because the basic building blocks of EBS are found across plants and animals, this style of regulating crucial decisions about development and tissue generation is likely to be widespread.

CROP IMPROVEMENT The researchers say that this linking of a developmental on-off switch in one protein provides opportunities for improving crops and could also help scientists study diseases like cancer.

Every organism starts out as a single cell, which means that a cell must be able to express both flower and leaf genes, although not at the same time. These young cells are undecided about their fate.

“It’s like a first-year freshman. They have not declared a major yet,” says Zhong. “So how do you maintain this undecided state? One way is what we call epigenetics.”

Epigenetic regulation uses chemical decorations on DNA to help control which genes are shut off and which are active.

lab found that EBS is different.

“This one protein has domains that can read both activating and repressing marks, and then make the switch to turn on or turn off,” says Shuiming Qian, a scientist in Zhong’s lab who led the work.

“There have been proteins that can bind multiple modifications at once, but we’ve never seen one that can bind both repressive and active marks at the same time,” adds Ray Scheid,

a graduate student in the Zhong lab who contributed to the study.

PLANTS FLOWER EARLY The UW-Madison researchers also collaborated with scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study the structure of EBS. Plant scientists have long known that if EBS is absent, plants flower early.

Working with Arabidopsis (a small continued on pg. 60

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Regulatory proteins can bind to activating or repressing chemical marks to promote or restrict what genes are turned on, which, in turn, controls the type of tissue a cell may become or how an organism will change its growth.

Typically, gene activation is controlled by one protein, while another inhibits the gene’s expression. But Zhong’s

Contact John Miller: (701) 248-3215 BC�T January 59

One Protein Can Control Flowering in Plants. . . continued from pg. 59

Potato plants flower on Helbach Farms in Amherst, Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have discovered a single protein that can control flowering in plants.

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flowering plant related to cabbage and mustard), the research team found that if they disrupt the ability of EBS to bind to epigenetic modifications—either repressive or activating marks—flowering still occurs early, showing that the balance between on and off is crucial for EBS to work at all.

Zhong’s lab also showed that when it is time to flower, EBS changes its shape, which makes it attach more strongly to the activating modifications.

That change from “off” to “on” lets EBS turn on a set of genes that put the flowering program into action.

The joining of an on-off switch in a single protein provides flexibility in making key decisions about cell fate and development, says Zhong.

The team also sees opportunities for research and, one day, applications based on influencing how cells decide what to become through the control

From left to right, scientists Xuehua Zhong and Shuiming Qian, and graduate student Ray Scheid found that the protein EBS can bind to two different chemical modifications on histones—proteins that DNA wraps around—either promoting or preventing the transition to flowering in plants.

of just one protein.

An application that comes to mind for Zhong is based on what EBS is already good at—controlling flowering.

“In Wisconsin, we have very short growing seasons,” says Zhong. “If we can reduce a plant’s life cycle and complete the season earlier, that could be very important for many crops.”

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Career Program (Grant MCB-1552455); the National Institutes of Health-Mira (Grant R35GM124806); National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute (Grant R01CA193481); the Chinese National Key R&D Program (Grant 2016YFA0503200); National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 31622032 and 31770782); the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Alexander Von Hmboldt Foundation.

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BC�T January 61

Seed Piece Syngenta Opens Major Seeds Office in Chicago Facility positions company close to important corn and soy growing regions

Syngenta announces the establishment of a major

Global and North America Seeds office in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Approximately 50 Syngenta Seeds business managers and employees will relocate from other U.S. locations beginning in the first half of 2019. The new site can accommodate expansion for planned growth.

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“The U.S. is the most important seeds market in the world, and we believe the addition of a Chicago office positions us well to support our longterm growth strategy,” says Jeff Rowe, Syngenta president of Global Seeds, North America and China.

“Our purpose for opening the Chicago office is three-fold: it positions us geographically closer to our U.S. customers in the important corn and soy growing region, gives us access to an incredible talent pool for world-leading digital and tech innovation, and readily connects us to other key seeds markets globally through an excellent transportation hub,” Rowe explains.

Syngenta leaders in seeds marketing, sales and administrative functions Above: Jars of treated seed are on display at the Syngenta Seedcare Institute in Stanton, Minnesota. Image courtesy of Tim Pearson

will work together in the new Chicago office to continue growing the global and North America business, which is driven by customer-focused research and development.

David Hollinrake, president of Syngenta Seeds and North America region director, says, “We are investing significantly in our U.S. seeds business, adding talent in key areas and accelerating the development of new products.”

“Our new location near Chicago places us closer to the majority of our customers,” Hollinrake continues, “as well as to our business collaborators.

This will enable us to develop more solutions for a market demanding innovation and choice.”

EXPANSION LAUDED The company’s expansion in Illinois was lauded by state and industry leaders. continued on pg.64

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Seed Piece. . .

continued from pg. 63

“Syngenta’s decision to locate a major seeds operation in Chicago enhances Illinois’ reputation as a leading innovation center for agriculture,” says Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“The company’s work in seeds and crop protection solutions is a welcome addition to our farm and food industries. We are eager to supply talent and business resources that will help them grow,” Gov. Rauner adds.

“The Illinois Farm Bureau is pleased that Syngenta has chosen Illinois for a major new seeds office,” says Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr. “Agriculture is vitally important to the economy of Illinois and the entire Midwest.”

“For a major agricultural technology business like Syngenta to open a key

“The U.S. is the most important seeds market in the world, and we believe the addition of a Chicago office positions us well to support our long-term growth strategy.” � Jeff Rowe office in our state is excellent news for our farmers and the agricultural sector,” Guebert remarks.

Syngenta currently operates four facilities in Illinois, with more than 150 full-time employees and a $16 million payroll. A seed conditioning center in Pekin was established in

1911 and celebrated a century of continual operation seven years ago.

For more information about Syngenta Seeds, visit www.syngentaseeds. com. Join the conversation online— connect with Syngenta at Syngentaus.com/social.

The Rhinelander Agricultural Research Station, part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, would like to thank the following companies for their support and collaboration during the 2018 field year: • AgSource Laboratories • AMVAC • Bula Potato Farms Inc. • Carlin Horticultural Sales • Case IH/Beaver Machine Co. • Eagle River Seed Farm • Environmental Scholars of Rhinelander • Fastenal • Fontier Communications • Gaber Electric • Gallenberg Farms Inc. • Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center • Hanson’s Garden Village • Hartman Farms Inc. • Insight FS • Krapil Electric • M&J Harvesting, LLC • McCain Foods • McCoy Construction & Forestry

64 BC�T January

• Michigan State University • Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems • Nicolet College • Nutrien Ag Solutions • Oasis Irrigation • Pest Pros • Pomp’s Tire • Rhinelander Fire Department • Rhinelander Well Drilling • Riesterer & Schnell • Roberts Irrigation • RPE, Inc. • Schumitsch Seed • Schroeder Bros. Farm Inc. • Sowinski Farms • Syngenta • T & H Agri-Chemicals • Tasteful Selections • TIP, Inc.

• U.S. Forest Service • UW CALS • UW Department of Entomology • UW Department of Horticulture • UW Department of Plant Pathology • UW Department of Soil Science • UW Kemp Natural Resources Station • UW Marshfield, Hancock, Arlington & West Madison Ag. Research Stations • We Energies • WI Crop Improvement Association • WI DATCP • WI Dept. of Corrections • WI Dept. of Natural Resources • WI Seed Certification Program • WI Seed Potato Improvement Association • WI USDA NRCS • WPVGA Associate Division

Ali's Kitchen

Start the Day Right!

Hash Brown Breakfast Burritos are a snap to prepare, and they’re tasty, too Column and photos by Ali Carter, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Whether it’s a week day morning with a house full of kids hurriedly getting ready for school, or an early Saturday morning with a full day of fun scheduled, these Hash Brown Breakfast Burritos will help you to start the day right!

a week’s worth of ready-to-go meals.

I usually pick one morning each week to make a double batch of these easy breakfasts.

Wrap each burrito in aluminum foil, or plastic wrap, and store them on a plate in the fridge to be easily warmed up for breakfast on those busy mornings.

I simply line up the tortillas and the pans and bowls of fillings along my kitchen counter, and in minutes have

My family will often eat a few of them freshly made that day as breakfast, while the remaining burritos are enjoyed throughout the rest of the week.

continued on pg. 66

Hash Brown Breakfast Burritos *Makes six burritos

• 2 cups frozen hash browns, cooked until nicely browned • 6 eggs, scrambled • 16 ounces pork breakfast sausage, crumbled and cooked through • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese • 6 (12-inch) flour tortillas

BC�T January 65

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continued from pg. 65

DIRECTIONS To assemble burritos, spoon a line of hash browns down the center of each tortilla, layer a few spoonsful of scrambled eggs and sausage on top of the hash browns and then top with a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese.

Fold the sides of each tortilla in towards the center and roll up from the bottom. Be sure to tightly tuck in the sides of the tortilla as you roll it to keep the filling from sneaking out.

Wrap each filled burrito in foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

To reheat, remove and discard the foil or plastic wrap. Wrap the cold burrito in a piece of paper towel and microwave for about 40 seconds,

66 BC�T January

or until heated through.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

We prefer a dollop of sour cream and salsa.

Enjoy!

Find more recipes at www.LifeOnGraniteRidge.com.

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