$22/year | $2/copy | Volume 71 No. 06 | JUNE 2019
THE VOICE OF WISCONSIN'S POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY
HARVEST & SPECIALTY VEHICLES/TRACTORS ISSUE HEALTHY GROWN Expansion Pays Off! WHAT IS OUR Vidalia Onion? INCREASE CALCIUM To the Tuber Zone GAGAS FARMS FAMILY Helping Those in Need
INTERVIEW:
Michael Wolter
Wolter Riverside Farms
A healthy and now “Healthy Grown” potato field is shown on Schroeder Bros. Farms, Antigo, Wisconsin.
WPVGA Associate Division 19th Annual Golf Outing & Barbeque The Ridges Golf Course
WPVGA Associate Division
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
The WPVGA Associate Division will host the 19th Annual Golf Outing at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. The golf outing is followed by a splendid dinner barbeque and raffle prize drawings.
PLATINUM SPONSOR Syngenta
The golf format is a four-person scramble with a shotgun start limited to the first 42 foursomes and sign up is a first-come basis, so sign up soon! Don’t miss out! Registration will start at 9:00 a.m. and the scramble will begin with a shotgun start at 10:00 a.m. Cost is $80/person which includes 18 holes of golf with cart. Proper golf etiquette is expected.
SILVER SPONSORS Advanced Farm Equipment AgCountry Farm Credit Services & Compeer Financial Volm Companies, inc.
Lunch is available for all golfers that day courtesy of an associate sponsor. The dinner barbeque is held immediately following golf and is open to everyone in the industry whether you choose to golf or not. Tickets are required. ‘Barbeque only’ ticket price is $20/person. Make checks payable to WPVGA. Please contact Julie Braun, 715-623-7683, if you have any questions. You can sponsor a hole for a minimum $200 donation in cash or prizes. Call Julie Braun, 715-623-7683, for more details.
✁
LUNCH SPONSORS Rural Mutual Insurance: Zinda Insurance Group, Plover, WI Jim Wehinger, Adams, WI
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 28, 2019
❑ Yes! I will golf. I am registering ______ golfers.
Group Leader Name: _____________________________
(Fee for golf only is $80 per person. This does not include barbeque.)
Company Name: _________________________________
❑ I wish to order _______ Barbeque Tickets at $20.00 per ticket.
Address: ________________________________________ City, State, Zip: __________________________________
❑ I would like to sponsor a hole at the golf outing. My donation of $_________ is enclosed.
Phone: __________________________________________ These are the people in my group: 1. ______________________________________________
Golf Fee: Number of Golfers x $80
$_________
Barbeque Tickets: Number of Tickets x $20
$_________
+ Hole Sponsor/Donation
$_________
Total Amount Enclosed:
2. ______________________________________________
$_________
Please return completed form and payment to: WPVGA • P.O. Box 327 • Antigo, WI 54409-0327
3. ______________________________________________
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On the Cover: Since 2018, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers
Association has supported a goal of expanding the Healthy Grown program beyond the fresh potato, onion and carrot market. The potato field on the cover is located at Schroeder Brothers Farms in Antigo, Wisconsin, which joined the Healthy Grown program as a seed grower, certifying some fresh acres as well.
8 BADGER COMMON’TATER INTERVIEW: In the course of day-to-day operations at Wolter Riverside Farms in Antigo, Wisconsin, Michael Wolter says he tries to spend a little time doing everything—from planting and irrigating to grading and packaging—to piece together how the different parts of the operation tie into one another. Such includes driving a lot of truck next to the harvester in the fall of the year.
DEPARTMENTS: ALI’S KITCHEN.................... 53 BADGER BEAT.................... 46 EYES ON ASSOCIATES......... 43
26 GROWER HELPS BUILD HOUSES FOR THE POOR Gagas family travels to St. Lucia to aid those in need
29 MARKETPLACE
Spudly promotes potatoes at Camp Randall Stadium during the 2019 CrazyLegs Classic
44 AUXILIARY NEWS
Area students treated to harvest parties and Kids Dig Wisconsin Potatoes program
FEATURE ARTICLES:
MARK YOUR CALENDAR...... 6 NEW PRODUCTS................ 37 NOW NEWS....................... 18 NPC NEWS......................... 35 PEOPLE.............................. 23
15 HEALTHY GROWN PROGRAM helps growers meet demand for sustainable options
PLANTING IDEAS.................. 6
40 FINANCIAL STABILITY: Continually improve your farming operation’s finances
POTATOES USA NEWS........ 52
50 GOOD CALCIUM LEVELS in potato tubers can reduce multiple quality problems
WPIB FOCUS...................... 52
4
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WPVGA Board of Directors: President: Wes Meddaugh Vice President: Rod Gumz Secretary: Mike Carter Treasurer: Gary Wysocki Directors: Bill Guenthner, Charlie Mattek, Alex Okray, 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: Kenton Mehlberg Vice President: Paul Cieslewicz Secretary: Sally Suprise
Treasurer: Rich Wilcox Directors: Chris Brooks, Julie Cartwright, Kristi Kulas & Nick Laudenbach Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association Board of Directors: President: Dan Kakes Vice President: Jeff Fassbender Secretary/Treasurer: Matt Mattek Directors: Roy Gallenberg & 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
Subscription rates: $2/copy, $22/year; $40/2 years. 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 June
5
MARK YOUR
Calendar JUNE
10-12 15 18-19 21
UNITED FRESH McCormick Place Chicago, IL SILVER LAKE TRIATHLON Silver Lake Park, 7 a.m. Portage, WI UNITED POTATO GROWERS OF AMERICA 2019 CROP TRANSITION CONFERENCE Crowne Plaza Aire MSP Airport Bloomington, MN WSPIA SPUD SEED CLASSIC GOLF OUTING Bass Lake Golf Course Deerbrook, WI
6 9-12 13 16 18 23-25 25
PARDEEVILLE TRIATHLON Chandler Park, 8 a.m. Pardeeville, WI NPC SUMMER MEETING Chula Vista Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI POINT DUATHLON UW-Stevens Point Allen Center Stevens Point, WI ASSOCIATE DIV. PUTT-TATO OPEN GOLF OUTING The Ridges Golf Course Wisconsin Rapids, WI HANCOCK AG RESEARCH STATION FIELD DAY Hancock, WI WISCONSIN FARM TECHNOLOGY DAYS Walter Grain Farms Johnson Creek, WI ANTIGO FIELD DAY Langlade County Airport and Research Station Antigo, WI
2 10 17
RHINELANDER FIELD DAY Lelah Starks Farm Rhinelander, WI ANTIGO TATER TROT Antigo City Park, 8:30 a.m. Antigo, WI WAUPACA AREA TRIATHLON South Park, 7 a.m. Waupaca, WI
1-2 17-19
WGA INNOVATION EXPO Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI PMA FRESH SUMMIT Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA
14-15
POTATO EXPO The Mirage Las Vegas, NV
JULY
AUGUST
OCTOBER
JANUARY 2020
Planting Ideas I’m a vacation guy.
I don’t drive fancy cars, my clothes are, as one coworker likes to tease me, “vintage,” my family and I live in a 125-year-old farmhouse, we go out to eat a couple times a week and I haven’t been to a mall in months. There’s not a lot I need or buy. But I do love time off, and when I take vacation, I like to go places. Again, they don’t have to be extravagant places. Camping in Wisconsin or the Rockies or Smokies is fine with me. I also like nice little mom-and-pop hotels on oceans or lakes. I’m not that fussy. When I’m on vacation, I like to relax, turn off the cell phone and spend time with my wife and kids. I get away from it all. It’s my one extravagance and selfish indulgence. Some people don’t even allow themselves that. I was talking to Cliff and Carole Gagas of Gagas Farms, who I’m posing with in the above picture, during the McCain Grower Awards Banquet last November, and they told me about a trip they were anticipating taking. I was all ears because the second-best thing to being on vacation is hearing about one. As they started to tell me about it, though, I realized it wasn’t a vacation. Cliff and Carole told me that, every year, they travel to St. Lucia on a mission trip to help build homes for the poor. Organized by the Good News Project, the annual trip gathers volunteers who spend two weeks at a time building modest houses, each with five windows, two doors and a partition down the center. The houses don’t have electric or running water, though they can be added by the owners at later dates. This year, Cliff’s sister, Marilyn Wierzba, and their dad, Donald Gagas, also joined in to help. The trip was especially special for the Gagas family who sponsored the full expense of a home, and when it was completed, family members dedicated it in honor of Donald and Irene Gagas, much to the surprise of Donald, a second-generation potato and vegetable grower. Cliff even found potatoes in a St. Lucia grocery store that were packed in Golden Sands Farm bags from Plover, Wisconsin. He never quits working, apparently, and that’s what makes people like him so special. See the complete feature article in this issue, along with pictures of their trip. Please email me with your thoughts and questions. If you wish to be notified when our free online magazine is available monthly, here is the subscriber link: http://wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe.
Joe Kertzman
Managing Editor jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com
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Interview MICHAEL WOLTER,
Wolter Riverside Farms
By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater
What Michael Wolter says amazes him is that his family
NAME: Michael Wolter TITLE: Day-to-day operations COMPANY: Wolter Riverside Farms LOCATION: Antigo, WI HOMETOWN: Antigo, WI YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: 6 PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT: Bartender SCHOOLING: Four years at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Four years varsity hockey AWARDS/HONORS: Academic all-conference FAMILY: Wife, Britta; mom and dad, Corinne and Mike; and siblings, Matt (farming), Kristen and Nick HOBBIES: Golf, family time at the lake, music and playing with my dog, Easton
Above: Michael Wolter of Wolter Riverside Farms says he has enjoyed returning to the farm after college, starting with the basics and working his way up, which he notes has been a constant learning curve. 8
BC�T June
was farming 900 acres of potatoes using and filling the same storage space as they have now, but they’re farming 600 acres. That’s called progress and efficiency—more production on fewer acres—a story common to Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers. Like many potato growers, his family’s roots run deep— stretching back to when Michael’s grandparents, Herbert and Hilda Wolter, of Antigo, started and operated a potato farm. That original family farm is now run by Michael’s cousin, Keith Wolter, and up until his recent passing, Keith’s father, Glen. Michael’s uncle, John Wolter, also helped run Hyland Lakes farm. Wolter Riverside Farms, on the other hand, has its own story. Michael’s dad, Mike, decided he wanted to try something different and went to work construction for a couple years with Michael’s uncle, Dick Schumitsch. “After starting a family and not liking to be on the road as much as construction demanded, Dad decided
to come back and try to farm on his own,” Michael relates. “An opportunity came up, and my grandpa, Ben Schumitsch, helped him get on his feet. Dad grew 175 acres the first year,” Michael continues, “expanded to about 900 at one point, and now we are back down to about 600 acres each year.” Are you strictly a fresh or table stock potato grower, and if so, what varieties? We are currently table stock growers. It’s what Dad grew up with and what he knew best, so when he started the farm, he decided to go with what he knew. As far as varieties, we grow reds, Norkotahs and Goldrush potatoes. What kind of spacing are you using? We alternate between 30- and 34inch rows. Who are your customers? Most of
Rows of potatoes were recently hilled on Wolter Riverside Farms, with irrigation usually ramping up after hilling.
our crop goes through Bushmans’ Inc. John Hopfensperger and Mike Carter at Bushmans’ have a great relationship with our office manager, Norm Wild. They have been great to us over the years, and in my short tenure, I have grown to really appreciate everything they do for us. Do you pack, store and/or ship? Explain. Between the home farm and the Zalewski farm, we store everything that we harvest. None of our product ships off the field. We have a packing shed at the home farm on Highway Y in Antigo. We flume our product, then grade. We have a Volmpack auto bagger, which is product number one, pretty cool and impressive that it still runs and is extremely efficient. We recently installed a baler and stacker, which has greatly improved production and decreased the chiropractor appointments. What is your role on the farm, and what does a typical day consist of for you? Well, unfortunately, I wasn’t around the farm very much when I was younger, especially during the school year. I was a three-sport
athlete in Antigo, so I rarely had time. I would help with irrigation in between baseball and hockey tournaments in the summer. So, with that said, when I came back six years ago, Dad thought it was very important for me to start out with the basics and work my way up. I’ve enjoyed that because it’s a constant learning curve. During the winter, I try to help anywhere possible. If we are short on the grader, I will help there, or if we are busy on the packaging floor, they can always use a hand.
An image taken by Michael Wolter from his tractor during planting shows Josh Wendt in the John Deere straight ahead, Michael’s brother, Matt, off to the right tilling and Mike Wolter Sr. in the planter at left.
my brother, Matt, and myself do most of the tillage work in front of the planter. The biggest role I have filled is irrigation in the summer. I drive truck and help wherever I can during harvest. During the production times (planting and harvesting), I try to spend a little time everywhere to piece together how the different parts of the operation tie into one another. I enjoy the variety of farming; it is very rare that any two days are the same.
During planting season, Josh Wendt,
continued on pg. 10
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BC�T June
9
Interview. . .
continued from pg. 9
Who else from your immediate or extended family works on the farm and in what capacities? My younger brother, Matt, is back on the farm as well. He and I have a great friendship and I really enjoy working with him. He was also the best man at my wedding (Michael and Britta married on February 23, 2019). My cousin, Norm, is our office manager and oversees the everyday sales and shipping process. How many total acres are you growing, and are there rotational crops? We are farming about 1,400 acres each year but have slowly been decreasing. Our rotational crops are snap beans, soybeans, alfalfa and oats. We are always looking for new alternatives when it comes to rotational crops.
continued on pg. 12
Michael Wolter says he drives a lot of truck alongside the harvester during the fall of the year.
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Interview. . .
continued from pg. 10
I am trying to convince Dad to let me plant a couple acres of Christmas trees, so that would be an experience, not so sure about rotational though (laughs)! Was last year a tough year for you? Will you do anything different this year? It was not optimal. Mother Nature surely tested our patience. But what we had to do was be patient and try to do everything in our power to make sure the product that was going into storage was in the best shape it could be. It’s interesting that you’re in the Antigo, Wisconsin, area, but not a seed grower. Did you ever consider growing certified seed potatoes, and why or why not? Yeah, like I said, table stock is what Dad was familiar with, so we went with that. I guess if you ask me personally, never say never—who knows how the industry is going to change. I mean, in the 30-plus years that Michael Wolter Riverside Farms Inc. has been around, it is night and day different from what it was in the beginning.
Front and center, kneeling, Michael Wolter participates in the November 2018 WPVGA Member Development session, focused on leadership and understanding the personalities and strengths of others to work as a team. As part the team building exercise, members were asked to each function as part of a potato planter, with all parts (people) creating the whole machine.
You participated in the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Member Development Program. How was that experience for you? I really enjoyed it. Tamas Houlihan and the WPVGA, per usual, did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed going down to the capitol in Madison and seeing that side of the business.
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12 BC�T June
Jordan Lamb (attorney and WPVGA partner, DeWitt LLP) is fantastic. I was really impressed with her. I'm a people person, so it’s always nice meeting new faces and networking. Everyone involved was fun to work with and I look forward to seeing them at their farms, expos and other events. Do you want to be more involved in the WPVGA or the industry in general, and if so, in what capacity? Absolutely, and to what capacity I’m sure will evolve over time. As I said, I enjoy working with people. The legislative side of things intrigues me because I enjoy (some) politics and knowing that there are people in Madison fighting for our wants and needs. As I continue to farm and become more educated, I think which route I am best suited to take with the WPVGA will reveal itself. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from the land or farm, and what have you gotten better at? I would say the biggest thing I’ve
learned, and to put it broadly, is that growing potatoes is a science. And why try to fight science? There is optimal growing/storing temperature and moisture. Unfortunately, sometimes those factors are out of our control, so I guess, in that sense, it’s more of an art than a science. We do what we can to prepare the best crop possible and have a great harvest. I think that can translate to life as well. Control the controllable and let the chips fall where they may. Has your farm’s technology or machinery progressed, and if so, how? Dad has often said, “As a business, you’re either improving or falling behind each day,” so we are always looking for ways to be more efficient. We’ve added an automated stacker
and baler to our packaging line. That has gotten rid of a lot of headaches and chiropractors. Josh and Dave Wendt do a lot of our machine work. They are incredible at remembering issues we had in the last growing season and finding solutions. We’ve also added a dirt-eliminating table to the harvest, which has helped exponentially with the unloading of trucks in the fall. We used to have someone shoveling steadily, and now we might fill up a couple wheelbarrows at the end of the day. With so much less dirt coming across the line, graders can focus more on potatoes, and at the end of the day, we hope we are storing better. What do you most enjoy about growing potatoes in Antigo, Wisconsin? The everyday variance.
Above: While the Volmpack fills 5-, 8-, 10-, 15- and 20-pound bags and clips them, the baler fills 50-pound bale bags and the stacker stacks them on pallets. Once stacked on the pallets, the bale bags are uniform and work well for handling at the Walmart distribution centers where Wolter Riverside Farms ships the majority of its product.
Each day is going to bring something new, a challenge if you will. I enjoy adjusting on the fly and managing my time to get as much work done in a day as possible. I love being outside. The summer days can get a little hot at times, but it still beats the corner office in my opinion. Antigo is a fantastic farming community. I have had the pleasure of meeting most of the growers, and we are all in it together. continued on pg. 14
Interview. . .
continued from pg. 13
Active in the potato industry, volunteering for and enjoying Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association events, Michael Wolter, left, putts the ball while Russell Wysocki (right) looks on at the 2018 Putt-Tato Open fundraising golf outing.
As an incoming grower, it can be a bit intimidating, but there is a great support system here in Langlade County. What are your biggest challenges? The hardest part for me about farming is that everything comes around once a year. I consider myself a hands-on learner, so I try to pick up as much as I can during planting/ growing/harvesting, and by the time I think I have something down, it’s
In a parting shot, Mike Wolter Sr., standing at topleft, fills a planter on Wolter Riverside Farms in Antigo, Wisconsin.
on to the next thing. I try to retain as much information as I can, and the kicker is that most of it is going to change next year! But it’s great having the help in Dave and Dad. What can you do now to ensure a good harvest this coming fall? I think that goes back to controlling what we can. What are your plans, and is there anything on your wish list for the
farm? Um, to continue a great thing that Dad, Dave, Norm and everyone else at Riverside Farms has started. I think that the biggest problem is going to be labor. A lot of farm work, as we all well know, isn’t sunshine and rainbows. With the improvements to technology tied in with automation, it will alleviate some issues, but not everything. I think that consolidation is a potential solution. Anything I’ve missed that you’d like to add? I just want to thank you, as well as Tamas and the staff at WPVGA, for this opportunity and reaching out to me. You all play an incredible role and deserve a ton of credit for the growth and sustainability of the potato industry in Wisconsin. I wish all the farmers in the state a safe and prosperous growing season.
14 BC�T June
Healthy Grown Expansion Pays Off!
Program positions growers to capture consumer demand for sustainable options By Deana Knuteson, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin Department of Horticulture, Healthy Grown, Wisconsin sustainability and Nutrient and Pest Management (NPM) programs The Wisconsin “Healthy Grown” program works to advance growers’ use of biointensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems, to efficiently manage inputs and enhance ecosystem conservation efforts by certifying under the Healthy Grown potato, onion and carrot standards. Healthy Grown high-bar standards
promote agricultural sustainability, enhance environmental farming systems and put Wisconsin growers in a position to capture the expanding consumer demand for sustainable options in the marketplace.
Above: Cut potato seed is planted on Alsum Farms, which has been part of the Healthy Grown program since its inception in 1996. “We highlight the Healthy Grown Program and our commitment to sustainable farming in our marketing messages to customers,” Larry Alsum says.
The “good for you, good for the environment” mantra has been successful as growers have received
positive press and national attention for being active in this award-winning program. continued on pg. 16
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BC�T June 15
Healthy Grown Expansion Pays Off!. . . continued from pg. 15
Healthy Grown encourages education between growers and University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison specialists, and this individualized interaction and educational process has proven to be successful and valuable to the industry. The value of documented sustainability advances in the marketplace has been expanding. National programs such as The Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC, https://www. stewardshipindex.org/), The Sustainability Consortium (https:// www.sustainabilityconsortium. org/) and Field to Market (https:// fieldtomarket.org/) are developing and researching options for local, grower-driven solutions to complex sustainability issues. Healthy Grown fits markets looking for food grown under systems with key criteria for sustainability, including new terms such as resilient agriculture, food security, healthy and sound ecosystems, green production systems, stewardship and regenerative production systems. 16 BC�T June
ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABILITY The program has a long track record of developing, measuring and documenting advances in sustainability for on-farm production aspects. Healthy Grown has been nationally recognized for its innovation and advances in on-farm sustainability adoption. The program can promote sustainability programs on farms, and with the documented improvements, growers have experienced benefits to their farms by certifying under the Healthy Grown label. Benefits include enhanced public relations (locally and nationally), better educational tools, direct interactions and planning options with UW-Madison faculty and staff, and more advances to be prepared for other existing audits (e.g. food safety) and/or potential regulatory actions. Many growers value the outcomes for public relations and promotions with neighbors. In fact, the entire industry benefits from the positive aspects of
Healthy Grown when advancements of this ecologically-sound program are highlighted. Since 2018, the WPVGA Promotions and Consumer Education Committee has supported a goal of expanding Healthy Grown to the entire industry, beyond just fresh market, and expanding acres. Such expansion will ultimately help the industry by encouraging better public relations, promoting additional sales and value-added opportunities, and increasing overall market access. DIFFERENTIATING WISCONSIN The Promotions Committee believes that expanding acres and uses of certified vegetables will provide an opportunity to extensively differentiate Wisconsin production within the marketplace. In 2018, the program expanded acreage, added growers and certified 10 operations with over 11,000 acres Above: A potato field stretches to the horizon on Schroeder Brothers Farms in Antigo, Wisconsin, which joined the Healthy Grown program as a seed grower, in 2018, certifying some fresh acres as well.
of Healthy Grown produce. That number will increase in 2019, as we have enrolled additional growers and are looking at again increasing certified acres. New for 2019 is the development of a data portal that growers can use for online document storage and simplified certification in subsequent years. This site, hosted on the WPVGA website, lets growers clone data yearto-year and store longer-term Healthy Grown data while maintaining security for individual data privacy and protections with secure log-in procedures. Use of the portal should help with long-term data management for Healthy Grown and simplify yearto-year paperwork needed for certification. Combined information (without specific names and/or locations)
e
s Paid Here, Stay ium He em r Pr
FARM DIVIDEND PROGRAM Up to
5
Back
would then be used to demonstrate positive changes among Healthy Grown and potentially for promotion and marketing materials benefiting both certified growers and the industry.
drady@wisconsinpotatoes.com. To sign up for certification and receive needed documents, contact Julie Braun, 715-623-7683, jbraun@wisconsinpotatoes.com.
If you would like more information about Healthy Grown, or are interested in the process and certification, please contact Deana Knuteson, 608-347-8236, dknuteson@wisc.edu. For information on marketing or sales of Healthy Grown, contact Dana Rady at the WPVGA office, 715-623-7683, Right: Healthy Grown onions are labeled and ready for shipping at Gumz Muck Farms. Onions were added to the Healthy Grown program three years ago as a way of expanding it. “We feel that the general public prioritizes the things that the Healthy Grown program exemplifies,” says Rod Gumz.
THE #1 WRITER OF FARMS IN WISCONSIN IS REWARDING POLICYHOLDERS Introducing the Rural Mutual Farm Dividend Program
To Kee ng. p Wisconsin Stro
For more information about the farm dividend program and how you may qualify, contact your local Rural Mutual agent.
Rural Mutual Insurance Company
www.ruralmutual.com BC�T June 17
Now News
Two Midwest Equipment Dealers Merge
Merger forms North America’s largest Case IH application equipment dealer By Margy Eckelkamp, Farm Journal’s AgPro Two Midwest equipment dealers are now merged to form the largest Case IH commercial application equipment distributor in North America. The entities of AG Systems, Inc., based in Hutchinson, Minnesota, and Heartland Ag, based in Ames, Iowa, have joined under the name Heartland AG Systems and have a footprint across eight states with nine locations. The previous companies share similar historical stories, having focused on serving commercial applicators and ag retailers. In a news release, the companies say this shared connectivity in their operations, experience and expertise will help strengthen the business going forward. “Both companies have a history of successfully supporting their customers under the fast pace and tight windows that are inevitably part of the custom application business. It’s what our reputation is built on, and that isn’t going to change,” Arnie Sinclair, general manager of AG Systems, says in a news release.
Image courtesy of Heartland AG Systems
FULL EQUIPMENT LINEUP For product lines, Heartland AG Systems will distribute the full lineup of Case IH application equipment, including Patriot series sprayers, Titan series floaters and Trident combination applicators. The
business will also sell and service RBR self-propelled applicators and other fertilizer and application-related products. AG Systems was founded in 1965 and is the longest-running distributor of Case IH application equipment
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. 18 BC�T June
in North America. It also grew its business as a manufacturer of anhydrous ammonia equipment, liquid applicators, pull-type spreaders, nurse tanks and the Brute bumper. Heartland Ag began in 1981 and was
previously a dealer of AG Systems’ anhydrous ammonia and liquid fertilizer applicators, nurse wagons and tanks. “This is an exciting time for our companies,” Bill Oltean, president of Heartland Ag says in a news release.
“We’re creating opportunities for our employees, customers and partners by bringing together our collective capabilities with our Case IH commercial application equipment portfolio.”
Legislators Introduce Growing Opportunities Act Act gives hemp farmers, processors and retailers confidence and certainty After a six-decade absence, the Farm Freedom Act returned hemp cultivation to Wisconsin. Entering its second growing season and following the federal government’s recent decision to remove hemp from the Controlled Substance List, interest in the crop has grown remarkably. In 2019, over 1,400 farmers applied for grower’s licenses from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection
(DATCP), up from 250 in year one. The number of hemp processor applications also grew exponentially from around 100 to nearly 700. On Friday, April 5, Sens. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) and Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) and Representatives Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) and Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) introduced the Growing Opportunities Act to help give farmers, processors, retailers and consumers more confidence and
certainty as the industry surges. “Hemp is back in Wisconsin, and it’s back in a big way,” says Sen. Testin. “It’s important that the State of Wisconsin empower farmers and processors to grow to meet that demand, while also offering consumers the ability to purchase these products with confidence of their safety.” continued on pg. 20
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Now News. . .
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The new legislation creates truth in labeling laws for hemp products, and incorporates lessons learned over the past year to create a program that better meets the needs of farmers and processors. NEW OPPORTUNITIES Rep. Kurtz, a certified organic farmer who has a hemp growing license, comments on the bill’s development. “We worked closely with DATCP, farmers, processors and others to craft a fair bill that will enable folks to take advantages of new opportunities,” Kurtz says. “At a time when commodity prices are low, it’s important to give our farmers the ability to diversify and explore more markets.”
Under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, states can either manage their own hemp program or wait for a federal agency to adopt oversight. The Growing Opportunities Act creates a framework to enable DATCP to keep managing Wisconsin’s program. “The Growing Opportunities Act will align our state with the 2018 Farm Bill’s regulations for growing and processing hemp,” says Rep. Considine. “This ensures that our state retains control of our growing hemp industry.” “I am excited to make the hemp industry more available and viable to Wisconsin’s farmers and agribusinesses,” Considine continues, “and I look forward to feedback and public input as we introduce this bill.”
“Wisconsin’s agricultural legacy has long included hemp. Today, we are again poised to be a key industry player,” says Sen. Taylor. “With the assistance of technology, hemp cultivation, production and product development are possible throughout the entire state.” “There are unlimited opportunities for urban communities to participate in the industry,” Sen. Taylor adds. “As a nation, we already consume millions of dollars’ worth of products made from imported hemp. Why wouldn’t we use hemp to create family-supporting jobs right here in our own state?” The proposal is currently circulating for co-sponsorship.
Videos Promote Benefits of Wetlands Educational tools encourage community-based conservation Wisconsin Wetlands Association (WWA) has debuted a new suite of educational videos designed to promote the many benefits wetlands provide to Wisconsin communities and to encourage and inspire more community-based wetland conservation work. “Wetlands are among the most important parts of our landscape for providing natural benefits like flood abatement and clean water,” says WWA Outreach Programs Director Katie Beilfuss. “These videos help communities understand how restoring wetlands can reduce floods, support wildlife and keep our waters clean for fishing, swimming, boating and drinking.” WWA produced six short 3-5-minute videos, including: • A white-board “explainer” video that uses simple illustrations and
20 BC�T June
Potato and vegetable grower Nick Somers of Plover River Farms in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, cares for hundreds of acres of wetlands on his property.
language to outline how wetlands manage water and support watershed health; • A light-hearted documentarystyle video featuring wetland conservation professionals explaining what wetlands are, why
they matter and how people can help protect them; and, • F our videos that tell the stories of Wisconsin landowners, farmers and community groups protecting and caring for wetlands in Eau Claire, Plover, Stone Lake and La Crosse
The videos are available for free download and distribution. WWA has also created and posted a companion video outreach “toolkit” to help land use planners, natural resource managers and educators incorporate the videos into public presentations and facilitate community conversations about local wetland conservation opportunities.
4180 Reardon Road / DeForest, WI 608.846.9064 / 800.523.2350
“We receive requests all the time from natural resource educators and community groups looking for tools to help them promote wetlands and how they can be solutions to local water problems,” says Beilfuss. “These videos help address that need.” To view the videos and find out how you can use them to help start and
Above: The La Crosse River Marsh is right in the middle of the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. It not only reduces floods, cleans water and provides wildlife habitat, but it also bolsters the city’s economy and quality of life.
enrich conversations and programs that will improve the health of Wisconsin communities and natural resources, visit wisconsinwetlands. org/videos.
HEARTLAND AG SYSTEMS www.agsystemsonline.com
continued on pg. 22
1180 State Hwy 7 East / Hutchinson, MN 320.587.4030 / 800.328.5866 BC�T June 21
Now News. . .
continued from pg. 21
Nutrien Ag Solutions Increases FFA Sponsorship Support ensures ag education and opportunities for future leaders
Nutrien Ag Solutions announces an increase in sponsorship of the National FFA Organization. In the past, the company has worked with FFA to ensure the future of agricultural education through its generous support that provided student members with the opportunities to grow into the world’s future leaders. This year, Nutrien Ag Solutions will serve as a silver sponsor to the National FFA Organization. The ag retailer of crop inputs will support areas such as the New Century Farmer program, the Washington Leadership Conference, Ag Sales
Entrepreneurship Proficiency and the National FFA Expo, to name a few. In addition, the company funds grants to FFA alumni and supporters, as well as the National Association of Agricultural Educators. “We appreciate that the goals and values of Nutrien align with FFA and that they see our members as a critical part of their industry and company success,” says National FFA Foundation President Molly Ball. “We are thankful for their increased support of our organization.” GIVE BACK TO YOUR ROOTS “I’m very excited to see where the ‘Give Backs to Your Roots’ partnership
Above: Nutrien Ag Solutions will serve as a silver sponsor to the National FFA Organization. Image by Lance Cheung courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Flickr/Creative Commons
is headed and what this year’s FFA grant recipients are doing to explore agriculture in their communities,” says Ian Loar, senior marketing manager of Nutrien. “We see FFA as a great organization to support the next generation of agricultural leaders.” At the local, state and national levels, FFA brings its mission to life for student members. Members gain experience in the areas of agricultural literacy and advocacy, agricultural knowledge, career exploration, leadership development, food security and service engagement. The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 669,989 student members who belong to one of 8,630 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
22 BC�T June
The organization is also supported by 459,514 alumni members in 2,236 chapters throughout the United States.
People
Richard “Dick” Chilewski Passes Away Supporting the industry, he served on the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board Richard (Dick) James Chilewski, age 74, of Coloma, Wisconsin, passed away after a brief illness, April 16, 2019, surrounded by his family at The Waterford of Wisconsin Rapids.
trapping with his family and friends. He and Jan spent time snowmobiling and ice fishing in northern Wisconsin where they eventually bought their own place on a small lake.
Dick was born on August 29, 1944, in Adams County, son of Stanley and June Chilewski. Dick grew up farming with his father. In 1958, the family moved to a small farm of approximately 300 acres that became Triple C Acres.
QUICK WIT Dick was a lot like his mom in his quick wit and ability to make people laugh. He was often the life of the party—at a lot of parties! He could find humor in most anything and always had a story to share.
He graduated from Westfield High School in 1962. On April 30, 1966, Dick married Janice Swen at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Almond.
He loved watching sports and talking (yelling) about them, most often with his son, Chad. He also enjoyed running the NASCAR Club with his friends and competing with them weekly to pick the race winner. At the end of each racing season, the winner was given the championship trophy, which Dick won in 2018. For the last several years, he enjoyed gardening in his raised garden beds.
In 1966, after the loss of his father, Stanley, Dick took over managing the family farm with the help of his brother, Hod, and uncle, Howard Chilewski. Over the years, Dick, his son, Chad, Hod and Jan grew potatoes and vegetables on over 1,700 acres. Throughout the years, he supported the potato and vegetable industries by serving on the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board and was president of the Central Wisconsin Vegetable Growers Cooperative. Dick enjoyed hunting, fishing and | Volume 71 No. $22/year | $2/copy
THE VOICE OF
O WISCONSIN'S POTAT
TRY & VEGETABLE INDUS
M VEGETABLES & FARCE ISSUE SAFET Y/INSURAN COOL BEANS! Kidney Beans Remain Staple A Fundamental
ERS ON TIPS FOR FARM Costs Long-Term Care URE WAYS TO MEAS Evapotranspiration MOLD MANAGING WHITE Crops ble In Potato & Vegeta
05 | MAY 2019
INTERVIEW:
Bryan H. Sheller
Crystal Farm, Inc.
Dick’s family was the most important thing to him, and he made sure to keep them close and spend as much time as possible together. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends. Dick is survived by his son, Chad (Jeannine) Chilewski; brother, Hod (Nancy) Chilewski; sister, Wendy
Badger Common’Tater
THE VOICE OF THE WISCONSIN POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY
Richard Chilewski 1944 - 2019
(Mark) Stevens; sister-in-law, Sally Dummitt; and brother-in-law, Jerry (Darleene) Swen. Dick is further survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Janice Chilewski; his parents, Stanley and June Chilewski; his brother, Larry Chilewski; sister-in-law, Judy Tafelski; brother-in-law, Wayne Tafelski; and nephew, Brad Tafelski. Funeral Services were held on Wednesday, April 24, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Coloma. Burial was in the Hancock Cemetery next to his wife, Jan. Pallbearers were Paul Leibsle, Peter Leibsle, Lloyd Marshall, Paul Miller, Mark Kerschner and Gary Chilewski, with Lenny Carlton as the honorary pallbearer. The family would like to especially thank the staff from Heartland Hospice for their compassionate, excellent care of Dick. continued on pg. 24
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Whether you are a grower, industry partner or simply enjoy rural life, sign up to receive this prestigious publication in print version, delivered direct to your mailbox for $22/year (12 issues). ee, issue’s interview Nephews of this Dayton (right) Wyatt (left) and Inc. Bryan Sheller, on Crystal Farm, onions grown proudly display
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People. . .
continued from pg. 23
Tasteful Selections Hires Chief Financial Officer Celeste Porter brings experience and diverse background to position Tasteful Selections® has added a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Celeste Porter, to their team. In this role, Celeste is accountable for the administrative, financial and risk management operations of the company, including development of financial and operational strategies and metrics, monitoring and enhancement of control systems and reporting of accurate financial results. Celeste will directly oversee the accounting, finance, human resources and information technology departments. Porter joins the team from Gazelle Transportation, LLC, where she served as the CFO and interim controller. Porter was also owner and principal consultant for her business, Breakthrough Financial Services, based in Bakersfield, California.
N V S
ELSON’S
ADVOCATE FOR AUTOMATION “I am excited to partner with the operations and farming teams of Tasteful Selections to enhance costing methods, integrate financial and operating systems and provide best-in-class reporting with the use of business intelligence tools and data science,” Porter says. Porter is an advocate for automation and has experience launching full-scale enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other systems to strengthen infrastructure, sustain scaling operations and allow for realtime business insights. She is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and holds a
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Celeste Porter
Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University. Porter is an active member of Women Leaders in Business, which fundraises and works to increase awareness and support for womenand children-centered issues in the community. “We are very eager to have Celeste join our team at Tasteful Selections,” Chief Operating Officer Nathan Bender says. “With her experience and extensive capabilities, Celeste will assist us as we continue to successfully grow our business.” About Tasteful Selections Tasteful Selections, LLC is a vertically integrated family-owned collection of farms pioneering and leading the bitesize potato category. To ensure a high standard of quality, flavor and freshness, Tasteful Selections owns and operates the entire process of planting, growing, harvesting and packaging—“field to fork fresh in every bite.”
Elaine H. Johnson Enters Life Eternal Elaine H. Johnson, 87, of Mansfield Township, Iron County, Michigan, entered life eternal on Monday, April 8, 2019, at Iron County Medical Care Facility in Crystal Falls.
and grandchildren.
Born July 25, 1931, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Elaine grew up in Channing, Michigan, graduating from Channing High School in 1949. Following completion of business school, she worked at an Iron Mountain business until 1952, when she married Melvin Johnson and moved to the family farm, located west of Sagola.
She is survived by her husband, Melvin, Mansfield Township; daughter, Marsha (Roy) Wainio, Sagola; sons, Rodney (Marion) Johnson, Mansfield Township, and Dale (Dee Dee) Johnson, Sagola; grandchildren: Faith (John) Kuzak, Crystal Falls, Jason (Michelle) Johnson, Sagola, David (Heather) Johnson, Kingsford, Kristel Johnson, Madison Heights, and Katie (Ryan) Lorentzen, Maplewood, Minnesota; seven great-grandchildren; and several nephews, nieces and cousins.
The Johnsons resided on the farm until 1962, when they moved to Mansfield Township. There, Elaine and Melvin have owned and operated Deerland Potato Farm ever since, along with their sons
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl E. and Judith (Frangquist) Christianson of Channing; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Elmer and Senia Johnson, of Sagola; and a daughter,
Elaine H. Johnson 1931 - 2019
Shelly Johnson, of Marquette. Funeral services were held Monday, April 15, at United Lutheran Church in Crystal Falls, with Pastor Dave Johnson officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the memorial or music fund at United Lutheran Church. Condolences may be expressed to the family of Elaine Johnson online at www.nashfuneralhome.net.
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BC�T June 25
Local Grower Gives Back
Family members of Gagas Farms Inc. travel to St. Lucia to help build homes for the poor By Cathy Kostuch
Cliff and Carole Gagas of Gagas Farms Inc., Stevens Point, Wisconsin, recently returned from a mission trip to Gros Islet, St. Lucia. Organized by the Good News Project, the annual trip gathers volunteers who spend two weeks at a time building homes for the poor. It is the third time Cliff and Carole have participated, and Carole states, “It’s rewarding to know we are able to help facilitate in providing shelter for deserving families on this island.” This year, Cliff’s sister, Marilyn Wierzba, and their dad, Donald Gagas, also joined in to help. Together, they made up four of the 16 volunteers who built three houses in St. Lucia between January 19 and February 2. The homes they constructed are simple, 12-by-16-foot, 26 BC�T June
two-room houses painted in bright colors as is the tradition of many island homes. The construction consists of five windows, two doors and a partition wall down the center. The homes do not have electric or running water, though they can be added by the owners at later dates. Each house is provided a set of bunk beds that are made by the Boys Training Center, a group home for troubled boys to which the Good News Project has donated tools for its woodworking and welding shop.
CHARGING STATIONS This year, the Good News Project started adding a solar-powered charging station for cell phones and lighting to each of the homes the group constructed. The trip was particularly special for the Gagas family who sponsored the full expense of a home. When it was completed, family members were able to dedicate it in honor of Donald and Irene Gagas, much to the surprise of Donald, a second-generation potato and vegetable grower.
Above: Cliff Gagas of Gagas Farms Inc., Stevens Point, Wisconsin, poses in front of a potato display at a St. Lucia grocery store. Cliff, who spent two weeks with his family in St. Lucia as part of the Good News Project building homes for the poor, was pleasantly surprised that the potatoes were packed in Golden Sands Farm bags from Plover, Wisconsin.
Volunteers, including Cliff and Donald Gagas, work on construction of a house in St. Lucia as part of the Good News Project.
In his dedication, Cliff said, “This house is sponsored by Gagas Farms, but we would like to dedicate it to our parents, Donald and Irene Gagas. Through their dedication and hard work, they made the farm the success that it is today. They also taught us how to share and give of ourselves to others in need.” During the dedication, they met the home’s new family and provided gifts, a blessing and a wish that they, in turn, might help others in need. The new owner is a single mother, Jacqueline, who will reside there with four of her five children. Prior to having this home built, the family was living with Jacqueline’s father in a small home nearby. She works at the local school in foodservice, which is about a two-mile walk. They have been on a waiting list for a home since May of 2017, though some are on waiting lists for several years, and they were extremely appreciative of the opportunity. Jacqueline thanked everyone for giving her a safe place to raise her children.
IT WAS NO PICNIC With the recent Wisconsin weather, many may think that it must have been a picnic to go to St. Lucia, right? Yes and no. The weather is great with temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s this time of year.
The island country does have days when it rains, and volunteers need to improvise or work through it. After small amounts of rain, it becomes muddy, making it challenging for construction. continued on pg. 28
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Local Grower Gives Back. . . continued from pg. 27
From left to right, Sally Suprise, of Rural Mutual Insurance, and Cliff and Carole Gagas check potatoes at Gagas Farms Inc. Cliff and Carole recently traveled to St. Lucia as part of a group of volunteers building houses for the poor.
The houses are not built in the tourist region of St. Lucia, but rather in the
Cliff Gagas takes a break from his building project to pose for a picture.
mountainous areas. Some of the homes feature a front door at ground
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level but stilts on the back side to be level. Many of the materials need to be carried a significant distance to the home sites because of the rough terrain. When they were not hard at work building and painting homes, volunteers for The Good News Project enjoyed several other activities. They visited a nursing home, took a day trip on a catamaran and participated in the local Sunday mass. In the evenings after dinner, volunteers played cards or games before retiring to bed as there were no televisions, radios or other entertainment where they stayed. Cliff and Carole said that they enjoy giving back and being able to donate their skills and service to others. They have made many great friends through this volunteer organization and look forward to helping again in the future. If you are interested in learning more, contact the Good News Project, 1106 5th St., Wausau, WI 54403, 715-843-5985, or visit www.goodnewswi.com.
Marketplace
By Dana Rady, WPVGA Director of Promotions and Consumer Education
Crazy Weather Strikes on Day of CrazyLegs Classic If you don’t like the weather, stick around … especially in Wisconsin! I’d say the weather on Saturday, April 27, couldn’t have gotten any crazier, but just as those words leave someone’s lips, Mother Nature has a funny way of proving them wrong. Nonetheless, on the day of the
CrazyLegs Classic 8-kilometer run and 2-mile walk in Madison, sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), the weather went from a cool 40 degrees with bluish-gray skies to 32 degrees and producing big, thick, wet snowflakes in about an hour’s time!
Above: Andy Hamernik (left) and Dennis Halterman (right) enjoy an endof-the-race picture with Spudly at the 2019 CrazyLegs Classic, April 27, near Camp Randall Stadium.
Above: Who has bigger muscles? WPVGA Promotions Director Dana Rady (left) and Spudly compete over who can do more pushups in Camp Randall Stadium. FYI, Spudly’s muscles are bigger, but Rady held her own!
This was quite a change considering the more spring-like temps we had enjoyed days earlier.
continued on pg. 30
The badger looks fierce, but he thoroughly enjoys having the Wisconsin Spudmobile in his midst for the 2019 CrazyLegs Classic near Camp Randall Stadium. BC�T June 29
Marketplace. . .
continued from pg. 29
CrazyLegs Classic participants exit the Spudmobile after visiting the exhibits and warming up inside.
Even so, the Spudmobile parked in Lot 18 next to Camp Randall Stadium with Spudly and several volunteers making the most of the dreary day and promoting the importance of being “Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes.” Over the years, CrazyLegs Classic has
become a popular race and proven a valuable gateway to thousands of consumers, both event participants and spectators alike! REACHING 10,000 PEOPLE This year, more than 10,000 people participated in either the 8k run or
Nick Somers, left, of Plover River Farms in Stevens Point, hands out potato protein cookies to participants of the 2019 CrazyLegs Classic. 30 BC�T June
the 2-mile walk, both of which began at Library Mall. The finish line was located inside Camp Randall Stadium where everyone gathered on the bleachers as awards were presented to participants and event sponsors. When it was WPVGA’s turn to
Spudly graciously accepts a plaque expressing appreciation for the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association’s involvement in the 2019 CrazyLegs Classic.
Spudly (left) and Ruby, the Wisconsin Cranberry (right), are figuring everything out through a playful duel at the CrazyLegs Classic, April 27, near Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.
receive its plaque as a participating sponsor, Spudly accepted it like the champion he is! The plaque expresses appreciation for WPVGA’s involvement in the 2019 CrazyLegs Classic, which marks the first major event the Spudmobile has been a part of in Madison since its inception in 2014. Once the presentations were complete, participants and spectators walked through Lot 18 where the
CrazyLegs Classic event participants and spectators gathered in the bleachers at Camp Randall Stadium for the awards presentations.
Spudmobile was parked. There, they tasted potato protein cookies WPVGA volunteers handed out. And those gathering in the parking lot were also quite amused as Spudly and Ruby, the Wisconsin cranberry, playfully dueled each other and played rock, paper, scissors. So, despite Mother Nature’s confusion of providing the appropriate
season, the event was beneficial in communicating the importance of buying local while also showing the versatility Wisconsin potatoes have as an ingredient in some unique and healthy recipes. A special thanks to Nick and Dianne Somers and Kyle and Devin Zarda who volunteered their time to spread the good word of Wisconsin potatoes. continued on pg. 32
2018 Growing Season On-Farm Split Field Trials Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin
TerraNu Calcium trials showed the following results:
Increased potato yields between 20-80 CWT/ acre vs other sources of calcium. Improved potato sizing between 3-10%, reducing the number of undesirable sized potatoes and increasing marketable yield. Increased tuber uniformity, individual size and total tuber counts.
BC�T June 31
Marketplace. . .
continued from pg. 31
Wisconsin Seats Open on Potatoes USA Board Through June 7, Wisconsin was accepting nominations for three representatives from potatoproducing organizations in the state to serve on the Potatoes USA Board.
an opportunity to be re-elected for a second three-year term. No representative can serve for more than two consecutive three-year terms.
The upcoming elections are for the term beginning in March 2020. Each term lasts three years with
During their terms, elected individuals are required to attend the Potatoes USA meeting held annually in March,
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and other meetings/events as indicated/requested. As a Wisconsin representative elected to the Potatoes USA Board, individuals are responsible for representing the state’s interests and keeping area growers informed of how Potatoes USA is fulfilling their interest and maximizing growers’ return on investment. GROWER LEADERS All are grower-leaders who actively participate in local government, or cultural or business affairs. The elected individuals are required to formally accept the nomination in a letter, and submit other original paperwork including a background form, no later than August 1, 2019. Potatoes USA encourages diversity on the Board and therefore supports women, younger growers, minorities and people with disabilities to seek positions. In recent years, Wisconsin has been allotted five seats on the Board. Beginning in 2020, the number of seats will increase to six. This increase of one seat is a direct result of production numbers the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sends to Potatoes USA, which is based on a three-year average. For the 2020 election, Wisconsin accepted nominations for three of the six seats, as two representatives are completing the third year of their second term, and therefore, going off the Board. Two other representatives are currently up for re-election. Please see the following explanation: - Sixth Additional Seat – no incumbent - Eric Schroeder, Schroeder Bros. Farms (Antigo) – completing third year of second term - Mark Finnessy, Okray Family Farms
(Plover) – completing third year of second term - Erin Baginski, Baginski Farms (Antigo) – incumbent up for re-election - Keith Wolter, Hyland Lakes Spuds (Antigo) – incumbent up for re-election - Heidi Randall, Alsum Farms
(Friesland) – will complete term in 2021 Wisconsin’s nominations closed on Friday, June 7. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) programs are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or marital status.
It is therefore Potatoes USA (National Potato Promotion Board) policy to have the representation of producers on its board that reflect the diversity of individuals served by its programs and strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nominations to the Board and to participate in the Board’s activities.
Prescribed Burn Produces Excellent Environmental Results It was a highly productive day, April 8, at Alsum Farms in Friesland, Wisconsin, when the farming operation scheduled and completed a prescribed burn on various acres. The burn was in collaboration with ecologist Jeb Barzen, who works with
the Wisconsin Healthy Grown program on such projects. Barzen says the burn was on 14 acres, with a 4.7-acre remnant prairie burned earlier in the day. Five Alsum Farms and Produce staff members and four volunteers helped Barzen
successfully complete the burn on an area he says has been burned several times since 2008. “The response has been excellent,” he notes. “Several species that were continued on pg. 34
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Marketplace. . .
continued from pg. 33
almost extirpated from the area have increased [e.g. Big Bluestem, Carex typhina, etc.], we have made progress on decreasing common honeysuckle [an invasive, non-native shrub] and have reduced shrub cover overall so that savanna species can return.” “Farm staff have also done a great job decreasing spotted knapweed [another non-native, invasive species] as well,” he remarks. Additionally, Barzen says managing adjacent remnant prairies along the railroad line has allowed rare and endangered insects to expand their range and begin using pollinator plantings. “Several grassland bird species of conservation concern—clay-colored sparrow, brown thrasher and lark sparrow—have also begun to use the area as a result of the burning and planting,” Barzen adds. FAVORITE PART OF HEALTHY GROWN This is one reason why Alsum Farm Manager Beau Hartline says the
A prescribed burn takes place, April 8, on several Healthy Grown acres, at Alsum Farms and Produce, based in Friesland, Wisconsin.
conservation projects are his favorite part of the Healthy Grown program. “With Jeb’s help, we have made huge strides in not only planting native habitat, but also actively managing it,” Hartline says, “as well as other prairie and savanna remnants that we would have never noticed.” Hartline recalls not being able to walk
or see through big portions of Alsum’s oak savanna unit, prior to the farm’s first burn in 2014, because of invasive honeysuckle. He says, at the time, he assumed that’s how the woods should be, but now he knows better! “I cringe every time I drive by an unmanaged wooded area full of honeysuckle,” he states. “Five years and several burns later, we can finally walk through most of the unit. I often see deer in the area now and cannot remember seeing them in previous years.” Besides the presence of wildlife, Hartline says he notices the grasses and other plant life holding the appearance of a prairie and growing more vigorously than they did before the burns.
Another beautiful image shows the prescribed burn at Alsum Farms and Produce in Friesland. 34 BC�T June
At the end of the day, prescribed burns are valuable ways of conserving Mother Nature’s resources and doing a good deed for the environment. In turn, this speaks positively to the public about the ways Wisconsin growers take care of their land and keep it sustainable for the future.
NPC News
NPC Announces New Executive Team Kam Quarles steps in as C.E.O. and Mike Wenkel as C.O.O. On April 5, the National Potato Council (NPC) announced a new executive team. Kam Quarles, the current vice president of public policy and communications for the NPC, will become the new chief executive officer of the organization. Mike Wenkel, the current executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission (MPIC), will step into the newly-created role of chief operations officer. “I’m extremely pleased to make this announcement of such a strong executive team. The NPC has delivered great value for our industry during its time in Washington, D.C.,” says Larry Alsum, president of Alsum Farms & Produce and the 2019 NPC president. “Kam and Mike share our goals of enhancing that value long into the future.” “It’s very exciting to take on this new role. I’ve spent nearly 20 years in D.C. advancing farmers’ interests, and half of that time working for NPC,” Quarles says. “This strong new team will relentlessly pursue federal and international policies that maximize the competitiveness of the potato industry.” “I am excited to join the staff of the National Potato Council and work to advance the industry on a national level by applying all that I have learned serving Michigan agriculture over the past 24 years,” Wenkel states. LEAD AGRICULTURAL LOBBYIST Quarles has served in his current role since December of 2016. Prior to joining the Council staff, he served as the lead agriculture lobbyist for the international law firm of McDermott Will & Emery for clients including the
The current National Potato Council vice president of public policy and communications, Kam Quarles will become the new chief executive officer of the organization.
Mike Wenkel, the current executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission (MPIC), will step into the newly-created role of NPC chief operations officer.
NPC, the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Sunkist Growers, Chiquita Brands International, the California Avocado Commission and other specialty crop interests.
He also previously served as vice president for the United Fresh Produce Association and vice president of the National Council continued on pg. 36
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NPC News. . .
continued from pg. 35
of Farmer Cooperatives. Wenkel joined the staff of MPIC in August 2012 as the executive director, and oversees research, promotional and educational activities for the industry. Additionally, he manages legislative activities for the Potato Growers of
Michigan, Inc. (PGMI), a nonprofit organization consisting of potato producers across the state. Prior to joining MPIC and PGMI, he served as the manager of the Membership and Field Services Department for the Michigan Farm Bureau for its 193,000 members. The new executive team will join
Hollee Alexander, senior director of programs and events, and Hillary Hutchins, manager of programs and events, in rounding out the current NPC staff. John Keeling will be retiring in June after 17 years leading the National Potato Council.
NPC Offers Scholarship for Advancing Potato Industry The National Potato Council will award one $10,000 scholarship to honor a graduate student (master’s degree or higher) working to conduct research and provide information
that will improve the future of the U.S. potato industry. Completed applications must be received on or before June 21, 2019
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and will be awarded in August 2019 towards the 2019-2020 academic year. Final scholarship selection is based on the following criteria: past academic achievement, leadership abilities, potato-related areas of graduate study, goals, benefit to the potato industry, extracurricular activities, grades and potential commercial value. The successful scholarship recipient will be required to provide the NPC with a one-page report on their research project or projects in April 2020. All interested parties are invited to apply. Application forms are available by visiting: https:// www.nationalpotatocouncil.org/ files/7915/5507/4987/2019-2020_ NPC_Scholarship_Application.pdf. For more information about the award and past scholarship recipients, visit: http://www. nationalpotatocouncil.org/eventsand-programs/scholarshipprogram/.
36 BC�T June
New Products Ceres Imaging Offers Pivot Analytics Suite Data analytics aids in water stress management for center-pivot potato growers Potatoes, water and artificial intelligence (AI) are three things with little in common until recently, thanks to one company. Ceres Imaging, an aerial imaging ag-tech startup, leverages artificial intelligence to provide actionable data and predictive water stress management for growers around the world, including potato farmers. Integrating modern technology into agriculture is proving to provide significant benefits for production, including savings to reverse the following: • The financial loss of clogged nozzles that could total $3,268 (per 2.15 acres) • The financial loss of leaking nozzles that could total $2,559 (per 2.15 acres)
has developed the Center-Pivot Analytics Suite, a full-service imagery solution designed specifically for center-pivot irrigated row crops.
• The environmental impact of using nearly 2.2 million gallons of water
Ceres is excited to share these tools with center-pivot growers and help them learn how combining scientificgrade imagery with data analytics and expert customer support can lead to proactive, instead of reactive, farm management.
It’s taken a long time to get here, but after much research and partnering directly with growers, Ceres Imaging
The Center-Pivot Analytics Suite is the first imagery solution that uses artificial intelligence to automatically
• The financial loss of irrigation issues that could total $23,137 (per 2,400 acres)
detect, prioritize and alert farmers of issues in their fields. The analytics suite is specifically designed for operations over 1,000 acres, eliminating the need to sift through hundreds of images to detect issues. The Center-Pivot Suite is available for center-pivot irrigated crops, including corn, soybeans, cotton and potatoes. “Farmers expect more than a pretty picture from imagery,” says Ceres Imaging Chief Executive Officer Ash continued on pg. 38
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Madgavkar. “To be meaningful, imagery must be accurate and scalable and point to easy next steps.” Known for its scientific accuracy in specialty crops, Ceres Imaging has been methodical about entering the center-pivot irrigated market. Before entering the market, the
company flew over research fields from the University of Minnesota for independent validations and engaged in a limited release with targeted commercial customers. “In contrast to other imagery providers that jump into new markets quickly without real scientific validation, we’ve been more
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conservative with our expansion, waiting to enter until we were confident that we had the most accurate analytics on the market for detecting irrigation issues with imagery,” says Ceres Imaging Vice President of Science James McBride. Ceres Imaging combines scientificgrade image capturing from fixedwing planes, including visible/nearinfrared and thermal cameras, in a patented analytics process. SHOWS IRRIGATION ISSUES The output is a suite of imagery layers such as its Water Stress Index, which accurately shows irrigation issues in center-pivot farms, including clogged nozzles, pivot speed issues and other irrigation uniformity issues. The Center-Pivot Analytics Suite is the only aerial imagery solution that automatically identifies potential in-field issues by tracking changes in the shape, size and magnitude of problem areas over the course of the season, while controlling for ambient weather conditions, wind and soil variation. Issues are automatically ranked by the magnitude of the anomaly, and users are notified of high-concern fields that need their attention. For growers, the Center-Pivot Analytics Suite makes using imagery easy because it does much of the interpretation and prioritization. It highlights which fields to focus time on and which ones to prioritize for scouting, all with the industry’s highest degree of accuracy.
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As far as farm advisors, the CenterPivot Analytics Suite helps them save time and be more efficient in prioritizing which customers and fields to focus on. For retailers, the Center-Pivot Analytics Suite provides smart insights into issues customers face so retail businesses can be there to support them when needed. “In the past, we’ve been
overwhelmed with what to do with imagery. We were impressed with the accuracy and level of insights that come with Ceres Imaging,” says Shannon Schurbet, owner of Caprock Irrigation in Floydada, Texas.
further separates Ceres Imaging from the pack and will make it possible for us to quickly sift through all potential issues and focus our time on the big issues our customers may be facing,” Schurbet concludes.
“The Center-Pivot Analytics Suite
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AgBiome Innovations Introduces Lektivar 40SC Fungicide controls soil-borne diseases such as white mold, early blight and downy mildew On March 7, AgBiome Innovations™, the commercial arm of AgBiome™, introduced Lektivar™ 40SC, a novel fungicide (fluazinam) that provides superior control of foliar and soilborne diseases to include white mold, southern blight, downy mildew, early blight and many others. “We are excited to have Lektivar 40SC in our portfolio,” Ted Piatt, sales director at AgBiome Innovations,
says. “With low use rates, flexible application methods, long residual and quick rain-fastness, it is an excellent choice for a variety of crops such as lettuce, onions, peanuts, potatoes, cucurbits and many more.” Lektivar 40SC employs multiple modes of action to control diseases, with virtually no known resistance. “AgBiome Innovations’ rapidly broadening portfolio continues
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Continually Improve Your Farm’s Finances Foreseeing cash flow challenges improves your ability to manage them By Dean Johnson, certified public accountant, principal, Clifton Larson Allen LLP Agricultural economists are great sources for market and price expectations, but unexpected events often impact commodity markets. Whether your margins are strong or tight, developing a mindset of continuous improvement regarding your farming operation’s finances will improve stability when you get an unwelcome surprise from the markets or the weather. Even during higher profit years, a culture of continuous improvement will benefit your farm in the long term. Assess the stress. It can be difficult to determine if financial stress on an operation will be long or short term. Before you develop a strategy and act, first identify the likely duration of the stress. Short-term stress could be driven by a localized weather pattern hurting your yield but not the overall market price. During short-term stress, you 40 BC�T June
can usually count on long-term price recovery. In these situations, your mindset is to weather the storm. Significant operational adjustments may not be needed. LONG-TERM STRESS Long-term stress could be driven by a legislative change or a consumer base shifting to a new product. If the financial stress looks to be long term, aspects of the farm’s strategy and operations may need to be modified. Improving cash flow, profitability and working capital for the farm may be critical to maintaining financial stability. Significant and more permanent strategic and operational adjustments might be needed. Prepare a cash flow forecast. If you can anticipate shortages in cash flow or borrowing capacity, you’ll be able to more easily remedy the situation. The farm’s leadership team should
prepare a forecast of cash flow and monitor movement of the operation’s capital. Using historical results as a base, then adjusting for expected changes in capital in the future, a cash flow forecast is an intuitive exercise. Preparing a cash flow forecast with a trusted advisor can add to your organization’s strategic conversation. If the cash flow forecast shows borrowing capacity is exceeded at any point in the year, develop a plan to improve timing of cash flow (defer expenses, accelerate revenues), reduce operational or capital spending, increase revenues or simply pursue additional borrowing. MANAGE CASH FLOW Regardless of the action you take, knowing you may have a cash flow challenge in advance improves your ability to manage it. After you’ve prepared a cash flow forecast, you’ll want to compare it to
actual cash flow as the year goes on. Any significant differences should be explored. Investigation into variances improves an operation’s understanding of cash flow and its ability to predict future cash flows. However, the most valuable aspect of a forecast is organizational strategic alignment. When leadership evaluates, agrees to, documents and reviews the strategic direction of the farm, everyone can make day-to-day decisions that align with the farm’s strategy. Know your cost of production and control it. Before you come up with a strategy to address the financial stress in your operation, you need to know when a price for your product is profitable. If you produce a commodity, costs are what you can control the most. For a commodity farmer, controlling costs is the primary path to profit. Evaluate the following areas: • Plan and communicate how the operation tracks costs. All leaders of the farm should understand and agree on how the operations are being measured and evaluated.
If you produce a commodity, costs are what you can control the most. For a commodity farmer, controlling costs is the primary path to profit.
increasing production or providing custom work for other farms. Could you produce the same revenue with less assets by selling under-utilized assets or sharing assets with neighbors? Farm tax planning in past profitable years may have prompted year-end equipment upgrades, but make sure the upgrades make good business sense in today’s operation. • Tracking family living expenses (groceries, education, clothing, etc.) on a farm is sometimes difficult because of the close connection between farming and family. Separating the financial impact
of the living expenses from the operations of the farm is critical to understanding a farm’s true cost of production and profitability. •W hen making marketing decisions, be comfortable taking a profit rather than chasing the top of the market. Knowing how profitable a price will be under normal yield scenarios reduces the emotion of marketing decisions. nderstanding your cost of U production, amount of product already priced and current expected average price will help to manage pricing risks and make marketing decisions. continued on pg. 42
Determine the key indicators of strategic success and track them. Are costs tracked by crop? By field? Is a separate cost center used to track equipment costs? And how are overhead costs allocated to determine crop profitability? Use simple and well-defined business terms, and ensure employees understand and use them. Accounting structure and financial reporting formats should be aligned with agreed cost-tracking objectives. Remember, what you measure can be managed. • Determine if your asset base is efficiently producing revenue. Seek ways to produce more revenue with the same assets, such as BC�T June 41
Continually Improve Your Farm’s Finances. . . continued from pg. 41
• Discuss land rent with your landlord. While land rent is often one of the biggest costs of a farming operation, it could provide the biggest opportunity for savings. Land rent often has some flexibility, especially if there is a long relationship between the landlord and the operator. Where there’s a history of good communication and cooperation managing the land, focus on establishing annual rents at levels that are sustainable in the longterm for both parties. If your landlord relationship isn’t long or deep, now is a good time to start building the relationship and communicating the factors that influence your operation. • Review property tax assets and values. If you own land with multiple structures on it, review
When making marketing decisions, be comfortable taking a profit rather than chasing the top of the market. Knowing how profitable a price will be under normal yield scenarios reduces the emotion of marketing decisions.
the real estate property assessments to ensure all structures are still standing. Review the assessed values of existing structures and especially new structures to ensure they are appropriate. If you have personal property tax in your state, review your asset list to ensure all equipment is still owned by the farm. Identify idle, obsolete or scrapped equipment
that could be taxed at lower rates or removed completely. Operating a farm can be difficult even when commodity markets and profitability are relatively stable, but prudent and disciplined financial management can reduce stress and mitigate risk. Understanding your operation’s financial results and status allows you to make decisions with confidence in low-profit environments.
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Eyes on Associates By WPVGA Associate Div. President Kenton Mehlberg, T.I.P. / Ag Grow Solutions
One step forward and two steps back…This is the way
I would describe the “spring” we experienced. Despite less than ideal planting conditions, almost all the acres are in. If we could have gotten more than a day or two of sunshine in a row this spring, we would have really been in business! Regardless of where you are in your planting and growing schedule, good luck and be safe. Summer is upon us, so please take a moment to check your calendars for the following upcoming events: • July 16: Putt-Tato Open golf outing, The Ridges Golf Course, Wisconsin Rapids, 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. shotgun start • July 18: Hancock Ag Research Station Field Day While you are checking your calendars, let me take a minute to explain why the WPVGA Associate Division sponsors these events and why your participation is important to the industry. Our purpose as the Associate Division is to help foster and promote the various functions of the potato and vegetable industry. Our mission is to work in partnership with the WPVGA as product and service providers to promote mutual industry viability by integrating technology and information resources. Now here is where the rubber meets the road, literally and figuratively. In the last five years, the Associate Division has contributed over $200,000 to these industrysupporting causes:
• Provide monetary support to University of Wisconsin (UW) research stations • Provide grants to affiliated industry organizations • Assist with the Grower Education Conference and coordinate the Industry Show and banquet • Fund and award scholarships to students with WPVGA ties • Host the annual Putt-Tato Open golf outing and barbeque • Sponsor meals at the Rhinelander and Antigo Field Days • Provide monetary support to various industry projects and initiatives • Contribute toward updates to the Wisconsin Spudmobile mobile education unit • Support UW researchers The Associate Division supports the growers and the agriculture industry. Please keep this in mind as you mark your calendars. Thank you, to all, for your participation. Registration for the golf outing is now open and space is limited to 40 foursome teams, so please sign up early. Also check out the sponsorship opportunities available. This event is a great way to promote your business and support the industry at the same time.
The purpose of the WPVGA Associate Division is to help foster and promote the various functions of the potato and vegetable industry, such as the Hancock Agricultural Research Station (HARS) Field Day. Here, University of Wisconsin-Madison Assistant Professor of Horticulture Jeff Endelman discusses his potato variety development program at the 2017 HARS Field Day.
The raffle tent will be filled with great prizes again this year, so come prepared to take something home. As always, please contact any of our board members with thoughts or ideas you would like us to consider. We appreciate the opportunity to serve this great industry. Best of luck out there and see you next month.
Kenton Mehlberg
WPVGA Associate Division President BC�T June 43
Auxiliary News By Devin Zarda, vice president, WPGA
Students at St. Francis School District near Milwaukee use the interactive touchscreens in the Spudmobile to learn about Wisconsin potatoes and how they’re grown.
With the school year coming to an end, it was the last chance for the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary to hold its annual Harvest Parties, Spudmobile school visits and Kids Dig Wisconsin Potatoes program. For me, it was a sign that spring had finally arrived, and we were fast approaching summer.
From left to right, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board members Marie Reid, Devin Zarda and Kathy Bartsch pose on the steps of the Spudmobile at Gilmore Fine Arts school in Racine. 44 BC�T June
Who was having more fun playing the bug game in the Spudmobile, the St. Francis School District students or Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board member Datonn Hanke (top left)?
Kathy Bartsch (top right), president of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors, addresses some of the 700 Gilmore Fine Arts students who visited the Spudmobile over the course of two days.
Our first visit, slotted for February, had to be rescheduled due to the wonderful winter weather we experienced this year. We started our tour of the state at the Lac du Flambeau Elementary and Middle School, spreading the word about Wisconsin potatoes, how they’re grown and why they’re nutritious and delicious. Over the course of two days, we showed hundreds of kids how potatoes grow, shared nutritional facts and let them know that they can ask for Wisconsin potatoes at the grocery store. Despite the cold temperatures,
the visit to Lac du Flambeau was enjoyable for everyone. In April, we headed down to the Gilmore Fine Arts school in Racine, and over the course of two days, we had close to 700 students visit the Spudmobile. It truly is great seeing these kids excited to learn about the source of their food. We started May by heading down to St. Francis, just outside of Milwaukee, for our first harvest party of the year. The entire school embraced having the Spudmobile and Auxiliary members visit. In honor of the event, a baked potato bar was set up for school lunch
Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board member Marie Reid (back turned) talks to Lac du Flambeau Elementary School students about Wisconsin potatoes.
and reviewed on Facebook by the resident student food critic, whose post is titled “Dominic’s Milwaukee Restaurant and City Review.” The review was shared to the Spudmobile’s Facebook page in May, so if you’d like to do a quick search for it, believe me, it is entirely too cute! We ended the season by holding harvest parties during an after-school program in Wonewoc, at St. Adalbert School in Milwaukee and Howe Elementary School in Green Bay. Our goal is to visit all corners of the state over the course of a few years so we can reach children across the state. If you would like to spend a day or two helping teach kids about potatoes, please reach out to the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association office to be added to our list of volunteers. The looks you get when kids realize their food can be grown in Wisconsin is incredible. Think about joining us.
Holding “butter pillows” while sitting on the potato beanbags in the Spudmobile during a visit to Lac du Flambeau Elementary and Middle School are, from left to right, Devin Zarda, Misty Hurd and Brittany Bula.
Until next time,
Devin BC�T June 45
Badger Beat
What is Wisconsin’s Vidalia® Onion? There’s interest in regional agriculture that emphasizes people and places producing the food By Jed Colquhoun, professor and Extension specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
In 1931, a Toombs County, Georgia, farmer named Moses Coleman made
what was then likely an alarming discovery—the onions he had planted weren’t hot as expected, but sweet. As the story goes, buyers were also surprised, as consumers expected hot onions, and Mr. Coleman found it challenging at first to sell his crop. Eventually, word spread of the new sweet-tasting onions and he was able to sell 50-pound bags for $3.50 each, well above the usual price. As Mark Twain once said, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” As could be expected, the neighbors began planting sweet onion varieties. 46 BC�T June
Above: University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Professor and Extension Specialist Jed Colquhoun, shown at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station Field Day in 2016, and his colleague, Paul Mitchell, have been working on forming a specialty crop task force. The task force is charged with helping search far and wide for something new to grow, testing whatever is found in Wisconsin’s climate and soils, and asking the question, “What is Wisconsin’s Vidalia® onion?”
the new crop to its stores, broadening the market well beyond rural Georgia.
So, how did a mistaken planting in rural Georgia turn into a sought-after food? The location turned out to be ideal for several reasons.
The area also enjoys mild winters and mellow soils without significant sulfur, both of which prove hospitable for sweet onion production.
Now, keep in mind that this all started before any interstates had been built and prior to rural roadside stands selling onions from Vidalia County had become popular among tourists meandering through the region.
WHAT SEPARATES VIDALIAS? But there are certainly other locations where sweet onions can be grown, so what makes the Vidalia onion so different?
Vidalia, Georgia was home to a Piggly Wiggly supermarket distribution center that purchased and shipped
In fact, the early success in Georgia attracted attention and soon others were bringing in sweet onions grown around the Southeastern United States
and marketing them as Vidalia onions.
specialty crops.
In 1985, the University of Georgia Extension and the U.S. and Georgia Departments of Agriculture hosted a series of meetings across the region to find ways to protect and market the brand.
In a Badger Beat article late last year, Paul Mitchell and I summarized the unfortunate economic challenges in Wisconsin agriculture. In short, we’ve become almost too efficient in production for our own good, consumption is on a long, slow decline for many of our commodities and the resulting oversupply has pulled down farmgate prices significantly.
This activity spurred the Georgia Legislature to give the state Department of Agriculture the power to dictate production districts among 20 counties now referred to as “the onion belt.” The Department also required certain Granex-type varieties and declared a marketing season.
We also introduced the idea of an informal specialty crop task force. We’ve been working on that effort for a few months now, learning from groups that have successfully or unsuccessfully evolved production, processing and marketing; meeting with individuals and groups small and large; and most importantly immersing continued on pg. 48
A few years later, the state trademarked the brand and similar federal protections were put into place, along with the creation of an onion commission that supports significant research and development to advance the industry. Since then, agronomic and technical advances have increased production. Most importantly, controlled atmosphere storage was adapted from the apple industry and allowed the onion crop to be stored for a longer marketing season. From 1989 to around 2000, production increased by threefold. SUCCESS ATTRACTS A CROWD Just like Mr. Coleman found out in the 1930’s when his neighbors started growing sweet onions, success attracts a crowd and the present-day sweet onion market is crowded with production from Mexico, Texas and Georgia. Weather, competition-related financial stress and market timing challenges have led to an anticipated 10-year low acreage in 2019. Despite these more recent challenges, the crop represents a successful and unique story in American agriculture. At this point, you’re likely wondering what the Vidalia onion story has to do with Wisconsin potatoes and other
continued on pg. 44
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Badger Beat. . .
continued from pg. 47
in new projects.
In contrast, we heard from vegetable processors this winter that expressed frustration in connecting with people about their products that seem to ideally fulfill current consumer trends: few ingredients, non-GMO, nutritious and packaged in a completely recycled container.
This has not been an academic exercise, but more of a focus on action as we learn by doing and rely on our experiences and networks more than our training. We’re trying new things, modifying those that show promise and dropping those that don’t. And this is where the Vidalia onion comes in. What we’ve learned and heard so far has many parallels to the onion story: • We need to tell the story of where food comes from better. The story of that sweet onion from Georgia spread from a rural farm stand to a national supermarket and continues to be known today.
But what’s the story behind that can of corn and how do we tell people about it in different ways? • Across the board, there’s an interest in changing the production conversation from quantity to quality, including redder skin on stored potatoes to lower acidity cranberries that taste sweet when eaten fresh. One of the reasons why the Vidalia
brand is preserved and recognized is that the onions are produced by registered growers and packers, a limited number of quality sweet onion varieties qualify, and the crop is inspected for quality. • There’s a broad interest in regional agriculture solutions that emphasize the place and people that produce the food, and include an identifiable image and protected name, like the Vidalia onion or Napa Valley wine. Other commodities and locations are embarking on similar ventures, such as new place-based branding efforts from the North Carolina sweet potato growers. • Wisconsin enjoys a diverse specialty agriculture industry, but we need to diversify yet again to include new crops and products that meet
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consumer preferences for nutrition, convenience, an artisanal feel and waste reduction. New products come to market at breakneck pace. In the 1990’s, the average supermarket stocked 7,000 products; today you’ll find over 47,000 products on the shelves. To that end, we’re searching far and wide for something new to grow and testing each out in Wisconsin’s climate and soils, ranging from new fruits that like the acidic soils where cranberries are grown to a highprotein African groundnut that fixes nitrogen, is drought tolerant and grows well in sandy soils. Like Mr. Coleman, who knows what we might stumble across? At one point, someone had a harebrained idea to try potatoes in Wisconsin!
In his quest to help local growers diversify and include new crops and products that meet consumer preferences, UW-Madison Professor and Extension Specialist Jed Colquhoun asks, “What’s the story behind that can of corn and how do we tell people about it in different ways?”
• We can benefit from exploring new markets and are currently working with two high-value sectors to learn more about such opportunities: exotic product or “deli markets” and international markets where development is rapid in all areas except food production, most often because of water scarcity.
Over the next several months, we’ll continue down these and other paths, reporting back along the way the thoughts and ideas we come upon. If you’d like to join us on this journey to “Destination Unknown,” please let me know. We’d enjoy the company!
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.
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For a directory of Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato Growers or a free video, contact:
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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.
BC�T June 49
Increase Calcium to the Tuber Zone Good calcium levels in potato tubers can reduce multiple quality problems It’s widely known that having good calcium levels in potato tubers can reduce multiple quality problems, including internal rust spot (IRS), internal browning and hollow heart. Calcium also plays a role in reducing susceptibility to bruising and postharvest diseases. So, what exactly do plants do with calcium? Its main function within cell walls is to give cell wall rigidity and strength, explains David Marks, calcium expert and managing director of Levity Crop Science. “The main symptom of calcium deficiency is the disintegration of cell walls and the collapse of affected tissues. It’s this tissue collapse that contributes to IRS, internal browning
and premature rotting and bruising post-harvest,” he says. Potatoes don’t need much calcium; the quality problems associated with calcium result from tiny localized deficiencies, he says. But these minor deficiencies, in terms of the portion of tissue affected, can make crops unsellable. “While tubers may have small areas of calcium deficiency, the rest of the plant rarely suffers any shortage at all and is often precipitating calcium out from leaves as an excess,” Marks explains. For example, if a 15.6 tons/acre crop of potatoes had complete loss due to internal rust spot, the actual quantity of calcium-deficient tissue (2 percent of each tuber is affected) is only 624 pounds/acre. The difference between the affected and healthy part of the potato is typically only 4 parts per million. SHOULD RAISE QUESTIONS “Therefore, the amount of calcium required to prevent an entire 15.6 tons/acre crop of potato from having internal browning is only .0399 ounces/acre. This should raise a few questions for growers,” Marks proposes.
Tubers produce little auxin once they start growing, so to get conventional calcium sources into a tuber, it needs to be done during the cell division stage. 50 BC�T June
“Why are small parts of the tuber deficient when the area right next to them isn’t? Why are these small areas of tissue deficient in calcium when there’s no whole plant deficiency and why doesn’t applying large amounts of calcium reverse the deficiency?” he asks.
Above: While tubers might have small areas of calcium deficiency, the rest of the plant rarely suffers any shortage at all and is often precipitating calcium out from leaves as an excess.
In order to answer these questions, it’s important to understand how calcium behaves in a plant. There are two factors to be considered in plant calcium availability—transport and absorption. “Unlike most other mineral nutrients, calcium isn’t phloem mobile and can only be transported through the xylem. Calcium enters the plant with water and is transported upwards with transpiration, where it’s either absorbed and stored or is precipitated from the leaves as excess,” Marks explains. “Calcium only moves upwards,” he adds. “Nobody has ever witnessed or discovered a way to change this, which is why targeting of applications and correct placement is so important.” “Calcium applied to leaves can’t correct problems in the roots. Therefore, foliar sprays of calcium fertilizers will never put the nutrient into tuber. It’s physiologically impossible for the plant to move calcium down,” Marks stresses. POLAR-AUXIN TRANSPORT Calcium is absorbed into cells using polar-auxin transport, and as auxin moves out of the cell, calcium enters. Parts of a plant that are low in auxin can’t absorb the nutrient effectively, regardless of how much is available.
High auxin-producing areas include new shoots, flowers and leaves. Low auxin-producing areas include fruits, roots and tubers. “This is why applying calcium to correct physiological disorders can be so ineffective,” Marks notes. “It doesn’t matter how much is applied, parts of the plant with low auxin levels such as tubers can’t absorb it properly.” So how can tuber calcium levels be improved? Part of the answer is targeting the tuber zone, Marks relates. “Don’t apply it to foliage and expect it to get to tubers. For best results, it must be placed near the stolon roots inside the tuber zone,” he says. “Use calcium in an available form, and don’t confuse it with liming agents. It’s easy to think calcium status will be improved when liming agents are used to adjust pH, where, in truth, they supply very little. The calcium in lime is only 1 in 10,000 available,” Marks explains. “Time applications to when tubers can absorb it,” he suggests. “Tubers produce little auxin once they start growing, so to get conventional calcium sources into a tuber, it needs to be done during the cell division stage.” HOOK-EYE TUBER SIZE Once tubers reach 5 millimeters in size, there’s little new cell formation, and auxin levels decline. For calcium to be able to get in the tuber, it needs to be available between hook-eye and 5-millimeter tuber size.
Tubers produce little auxin once they start growing, so to get conventional calcium sources into a tuber, it needs to be done during the cell division stage.
David explains, “Levity has done a lot of research on fruit crops like apples, and we have had consistently good results correcting the physiological disorder ‘Bitter Pit’ using low rates at the right timings.” “We have shown that 100 fluid ounces of a product that the fruit can absorb is far more effective than 31 gallons of standard calcium,” he says. So, what does that mean for potato growers? “To get calcium into tubers, we need to hit the tuber zone. Our approach is to use a product that combines calcium with LoCal,”
“In the United States, we recommend Cell Power® SizeN® Calcium soil applied at tuber initiation through bulking,” he continues. “This approach puts calcium in the right place, in the right form and unlocks the ability of the tubers to absorb it where they would otherwise be unable to.” For more information on the products, please contact Omex Agrifluids at OmexUSA@Omex.com, or call 559-661-6138.
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Finally, Marks suggests that growers use more-advanced calcium products that have been shown in field trials to elevate in-tuber calcium levels. One such technology is LoCal, known as Cell Power® Calcium Gold and Cell Power® Calcium Platinum in the United States. Developed by scientists at Levity, it stimulates calcium transport into low auxin tissue.
Marks says.
Michael Lensmire | 715-344-4984 CLAconnect.com
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BC�T June 51
Potatoes USA News
Nominations Open for Potatoes USA Board Members
Potatoes USA announces nominations are now open for new board members for the 2020-2023 term. The Board is seeking nominees to fill 73 open seats for producers from the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming, as well as for importers. Potatoes USA is the nation’s potato research and promotion organization and is the central organizing force in implementing programs to strengthen demand for U.S. potatoes. Potatoes USA provides the ideas, information, tools and inspiration for the industry to unite in achieving common goals. All state potato organizations have received the information and materials to begin the process of seeking and nominating interested growers. Appointed growers will be seated on the
interested parties about Potatoes USA programs, relating the value of the Board to all growers, how the three-cent per hundredweight assessment is invested and ask for input from those interested in becoming active in the promotion of potatoes.
Board at the 2020 Annual Meeting in Denver, March 9-12, 2020. Board Member Guidelines It serves the good of potato production regions and Potatoes USA to recruit board members who will take an active interest in participating on the Board. A board member should communicate the interests of his/her production region to the Board and carry the message of the Board back to his/her farming community. A nominee for Potatoes USA should be willing to: 1. Attend the Board’s Annual meeting held in March each year of the three-year term, 2020-2023. 2. Be active in the potato-farming community. 3. Be visible in community work and participate in local government, cultural or business affairs— someone who is a leader. 4. Be willing to represent and communicate with his/her constituents on a regular basis. 5. Take the time to actively support Potatoes USA programs in his/her area. 6. Speak to grower groups, newspaper reporters and
If you are interested in being considered by your state grower leadership to fill an open spot representing your state, please contact your state program manager. Alternatively, contact Blair Richardson or Carla Rehfeld at the Potatoes USA office in Denver, Colorado. Email carla@potatoesusa.com, or phone 303-369-7783. The nominating process will be completed by August 15, 2019. Diversity Statement The Department of Agriculture’s programs are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or marital status, and it is Potatoes USA’s policy that membership on the Board and its committees reflect the diversity of individuals served by its programs. It is therefore the Board’s policy to have the representation of producers from diverse backgrounds on its board and strongly encourages women, younger growers, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nominations to the Board and to participate in the Board’s activities.
WPIB Focus
Wisconsin Potato Assessment Collections: Two-Year Comparison
Month
Jul-17
Aug-17
Sep-17
Oct-17
Nov-17
Dec-17
Jan-18
Feb-18
Mar-18
Apr-18
May-18
Jun-18
Year-to-Date
CWT
1,396,699.63
728,925.87
1,091,193.52
2,115,859.48
3,758,248.10
1,577,177.03
2,869,518.15
1,938,094.28
1,676,991.72
2,661,244.48
19,813,952.26
Assessment
$97,708.18
$51,117.39
$76,383.31
$148,116.20
$263,042.39
$110,407.00
$200,922.03
$135,724.59
$117,359.95
186,163.34
$1,386,944.38
Jul-18
Aug-18
Sep-18
Oct-18
Nov-18
Dec-18
Jan-19
Feb-19
Mar-19
Apr-19
Month
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
2,010,017.18
2,053,551.54
1,941,139.54
1,484,961.43
1,852,405.67
19,123,117.57
Assessment
$114,203.25
$125,436.11
$95,267.11
$199,179.55
$216,890.04
$160,823.98
$164,271.78
$155,340.82
$118,739.00
148,169.65
$1,498,321.29
Ali's Kitchen
Dish is Healthy and Comforting! Ham and Potato Casserole is low in carbohydrates and gluten and dairy free Column and photos by Ali Carter, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary I’m not alone in using diet to help manage a chronic illness, and I know quite a few people who carefully monitor what they eat to ensure they’re doing everything they can to remain healthy.
While some of the ingredients may not be your typical pantry fare, many readers will be familiar with the ingredients, and for the rest, these items are easy to find on most grocery store shelves.
While focused on our health and diet, we still want to eat well, right?
Ready in under an hour, the casserole can certainly be enjoyed for breakfast, however, I prefer to serve it for dinner with salad greens and some fruit. And, if you find yourself with leftovers, Ham and Potato Casserole tastes just as good when reheated the next day!
Today I offer a recipe that is both creamy and comforting and friendly to healthy lifestyles. This Ham and Potato Casserole is Paleo and Whole30 compliant, low in carbs, gluten free and dairy free.
continued on pg. 54
Ham and Potato Casserole
• 1 lb. cooked, cubed ham • 3 cups shredded potatoes • 2 cups fresh baby spinach • ½ cup sliced mushrooms • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme • 1 egg, beaten • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 medium onion, diced • 1 cup coconut milk (canned) • 1 cup chicken broth • ½ cup almond milk • 2 tablespoons tapioca flour • 1 tablespoon ghee • 1 garlic clove, minced • salt and pepper to taste
BC�T June 53
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Ali's Kitchen. . .
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Clifton Larson Allen...................... 51 Compeer Financial........................ 15 Fencil Urethane Systems................ 9 Great Plains Manufacturing.......... 38 Heartland Ag Systems (formerly Ag Systems, Inc.)... 21, 48 Jay-Mar, Inc................................... 28 John Miller Farms......................... 32 J.W. Mattek..................................... 5 Mid-State Truck............................ 37 Midwestern BioAg........................ 31 Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems Inc................................. 24 Noffsinger Mfg.............................. 22
TIPS • I used ham left over from our dinner the night before, but you can purchase pre-cooked and cubed ham, or cook up a ham steak in advance to use in this recipe. • I baked and then shredded russet potatoes for this dish, but frozen store-bought hash browns work great, too. Just be sure to let them thaw well before using in this recipe. • Ghee is one ingredient that can be tough to find. If you are unable to locate it on store shelves, ghee can be ordered online, or an equal amount of butter can be used in place of it for this recipe. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make your own at home! • While making the sauce, be sure to add the tapioca flour very slowly to the skillet. Mixing in the flour too quickly will give you unappetizing lumps in your casserole. DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, gently mix together the cubed ham, shredded potatoes, 54 BC�T June
spinach, mushrooms, basil, thyme and the beaten egg. Pour this potato mixture into a lightly greased 3-quart casserole dish. Set aside. Sauté the diced onions in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to soften (about 3-5 minutes). Add the garlic to the onions and cook for another minute or two. To the skillet, add the almond milk, coconut cream, ghee, broth, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Add the tapioca flour to the skillet and stir for about 2 minutes until the cream sauce thickens.
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Pour cream sauce over the ham and potatoes in the casserole dish. You may need to use a spoon to gently stir everything together and ensure the ingredients are mixed well before going into the oven.
Syngenta....................................... 11
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the casserole is cooked through.
WPVGA Spud Seed
Enjoy! Find more recipes at www.LifeOnGraniteRidge.com.
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Friday, June 21, 2019 Bass Lake Country Club W10650 Bass Lake Road Deerbrook, WI 54424
DINNER SPONSOR $2,000 • Company name and logo on three 12-foot banners placed in prominent areas including dinner area • Company name and logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for four golfers
GOLDRUSH SPONSOR $1,500 • Company name and logo on two 12-foot banners placed in a prominent area on the course • Company name and logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for two golfers
SILVERTON SPONSOR $1,000
BUSHMAN’S RIVERSIDE RANCH
SUPERIOR SPONSOR $500
• Company name and logo on one 8-foot banner placed in a prominent area on the course • Company name and logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event
OCCUPIED HOLE SPONSOR $300 • Company name on hole sign • Rights to occupy a hole on the course and provide giveaways* *If alcohol is being served, it must be purchased through the golf course • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event
BASIC HOLE SPONSOR $200 • Company name on hole sign • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event
• Company name and logo on one 12-foot banner placed in a prominent area on the course • Company name and logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for one golfer CONTACT KAREN RASMUSSEN for more details (715) 623-7683 Make checks payable to WSPIA
MAIL PAYMENT TO: WSPIA, P.O. Box 173 Antigo, WI 54409
Since 1998, this tournament raised over $95,000, which was donated to Wisconsin potato research.
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