September 2021 Badger Common'Tater

$22/year | $2/copy | Volume 73 No. 09 | SEPTEMBER 2021

THE VOICE OF WISCONSIN'S POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

STORAGE & MARKETING ISSUE INTERVIEW:

ZACH KROGWOLD The Potato Plant, Inc.

STORAGE TIPS From the Experts GROWERS GAIN VIA Sorting Technologies RNA BREAKTHROUGH: Get 50% More Potatoes RESEARCH STATIONS HOLD Two Consecutive Field Days The picture of a high-yielding potato plant is courtesy of John Miller Farms.

Read a story inside about manipulating RNA for plants that yield more crops.

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Bob Dobbe • Paul Hegewald John Hopfensperger • John Eckendorf Jerome Bushman (FL - WI) • Nic Bushman Mike Gatz, Jim Stefan and Chris Fleming (Milwaukee) Sam Saccullo (All fruits and vegetables) Mike Whyte (Michigan) Transportation: Denise Moze • Nate Sohns Mike Carter CEO

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

On the Cover: Looking at the cover image, it’s easy to see why John Miller

Farms, Inc., of Minto, North Dakota, likes to use the phrase “Dryland Grown…

Northern Vigor” for its potatoes. John Miller Farms is a certified seed potato grower offering a bevy of well-established varieties. In a non-related story inside, but one that fits with the front cover image, scientists are manipulating RNA (ribonucleic acid), allowing rice and potato plants to yield more crops, as well as increase their drought tolerance.

8 BADGER COMMON’TATER INTERVIEW: Representing the fourth generation of his family involved in the Central Wisconsin potato business, Zach Krogwold of Potato Plant, Inc., Amherst, monitors a Volmpack Auto-Baler bagging spuds. The Potato Plant is a respected storage and packaging business capable of storing and shipping 200,000 hundredweight of potatoes a year. A grower/packer from the 1940’s until the late ’70s, the Krogwolds stopped farming to concentrate on potato storage and packaging.

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DEPARTMENTS: ALI’S KITCHEN.................... 69 AUXILIARY NEWS............... 57 BADGER BEAT.................... 64 MARK YOUR CALENDAR...... 6

SEED PIECE

State Farm celebrates 80th year of seed potato production with field day

EYES ON ASSOCIATES

2021 Associate Division Putt-Tato Open golf outing proves as popular as ever

FIELD DAYS FALL ON CONSECUTIVE DAYS

Hancock and Langlade Ag Research Stations hold court

MARKETPLACE................... 55 NEW PRODUCTS................ 50 NOW NEWS....................... 30 NPC NEWS......................... 67

FEATURE ARTICLES:

PEOPLE.............................. 48

14 RESPECTED INDUSTRY PROS share tips and advice on storing healthy potatoes

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

20 SORTING TECHNOLOGIES help growers become efficient and solve labor issues

POTATOES USA NEWS........ 54

44 RNA BREAKTHROUGH produces crops that can yield 50 percent more potatoes

WPIB FOCUS...................... 56

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BC�T September

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Secretary: Sally Suprise Treasurer: Rich Wilcox Directors: Paul Salm, Matt Selenske, Andy Verhasselt & Justin Yach Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association Board of Directors: President: J.D. Schroeder Vice President: Roy Gallenberg Secretary/Treasurer: Charlie Husnick Directors: Matt Mattek & Jeff Suchon Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors: President: Devin Zarda Vice President: Datonn Hanke Secretary/Treasurer: Heidi Schleicher Directors: Jody Baginski, Brittany Bula, Marie Reid & Becky Wysocki

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 Spudmobile Education & Outreach Administrator: 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 September

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MARK YOUR

Calendar SEPTEMBER 11

ALSUM TATER TROT 5K & FALL FESTIVAL Alsum Farms & Produce Friesland, WI

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POTATO BOWL USA WEEK Grand Forks-East Grand Forks, ND-MN

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POTATOES USA STATE/NATIONAL MEETING Wigwam Resort Phoenix, AZ

OCTOBER 2

2021 SPUD BOWL Community Stadium at Goerke Park, 1 p.m.

Stevens Point, WI

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WISCONSIN GROCERS ASSOC. 2021 INNOVATION EXPO Hyatt Regency and KI Center Green Bay, WI

21

2ND ANNUAL WPVGA ASSOC. DIV. SPORTING CLAYS SHOOT Wausau Skeet and Trap Club, 1 p.m.

Wausau/Brokaw, WI

25-26

RESEARCH MEETING West Madison Research Station, 1 p.m.

Monday, 8 a.m. Tuesday Verona, WI

29-30

PMA FRESH SUMMIT 2021 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans, LA

JANUARY 2022 5-6

2022 POTATO EXPO Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA

FEBRUARY 8-10

2022 GROWER ED CONFERENCE & INDUSTRY SHOW Holiday Inn Convention Center Stevens Point, WI

MARCH 29-31

60th ANNUAL WPS FARM SHOW Experimental Aircraft Association grounds Oshkosh, WI

MAY 9-11

UNITED FRESH CONVENTION & EXPO 2022 Boston, MA

30-6/2

11th WORLD POTATO CONGRESS & EUROPATAT 2022 Royal Dublin Society (RDS) Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland

JULY 12-14

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2022 WISCONSIN FARM TECHNOLOGY DAYS Roehl Acres and Rustic Occasions Loyal, WI (Clark County)

BC�T September

Planting Ideas There’s nothing more gratifying to a magazine editor than having an engaged audience and receiving fun and enthusiastic emails from readers. The first email came from Julie Lampert, who wrote:

“I came across an old issue of the Badger Common’Tater and saw this picture of my brother, Jeff [Sommers], and our 4-year-old nephew, Max, from September 2005. And the crazy/cool thing is that Max is now 20 years old and works with Jeff on the big farm! Wouldn’t it be fun to rerun this old picture alongside a current-day image of Jeff and Max on the farm?! Max has come full circle with the potato industry. Lol.” Yes, it would be fun to re-run the old photo next to a modern-day image (above). Thanks for sending along both pictures, Julie! Of course, Julie’s brother, Jeff, is well-known in the industry as a partner and general manager at Wysocki Family of Companies, Plainfield, Wisconsin.

The second email came from Chuck Bolte, VAS Laboratories, who was the featured “Interview” subject in the August 2021 Research & Sustainable Ag issue of the Badger Common’Tater. His email simply read: “Joe, well done. Have had 20-plus calls and texts this week already on the article. Thank you for thinking of my work and believing it was worthwhile to lead off such a great publication.” Talk about gratifying!

Yet another email arrived from Antigo certified seed potato grower, Robert Guenthner, who wrote: “Hi Joe. I absolutely loved Horia Groza’s article in the August 2021 issue.

He is a wealth of information and knowledge. I have an idea. Can you invite him to write a guest column for the Badger Common’Tater? This man, Horia, has a lot to offer. We know the strength of his passion for potatoes by his article. Sincerely, Bob.” Good suggestion, Bob. Thanks goes out to you and all engaged readers.

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

Joe Kertzman

Managing Editor jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com

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Interview

ZACH KROGWOLD,

owner/operator, The Potato Plant

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater

As its name suggests, Potato Plant, Inc is a potato packaging plant that has been in operation, in Amherst, Wisconsin, since 1979.

“It was started by my great-grandfather, Lawrence, my grandpa, Jon, and my uncle, Lonnie,” says Zach Krogwold, current owner/operator of Potato Plant, Inc.

NAME: Zach Krogwold TITLE: Owner/operator COMPANY: The Potato Plant, Inc. LOCATION: Amherst, Wisconsin HOMETOWN: Amherst YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: 1 PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT: Maintenance, Waupaca Foundry SCHOOLING: Amherst High School FAMILY: Wife, Krystal, and two boys, Everett and Westen HOBBIES: Hunting and motorsports

Above: Representing the fourth generation to work in the family potato business, Zach Krogwold is an owner/ operator of The Potato Plant in Amherst, Wisconsin. The packaging plant has been in business since 1979, but the Krogwolds have a history of growing potatoes in the area dating back to the 1940’s.

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BC�T September

“Great-grandpa Lawrence passed away in 1994, but everyone else is still involved,” Krogwold explains, “and there have been many expansions over the years to get us to where we are now.”

(WPVGA) Hall of Fame member, and Lonnie is a past president of the WPVGA, having served two terms, and was heavily involved with the National Potato Board (now Potatoes USA).

Where The Potato Plant is now includes being a respected storage and packaging business in the heart of Central Wisconsin potato country, capable of storing and shipping 200,000 cwt. (hundredweight) of potatoes a year.

“We supply a good product, we’re timely and reliable,” says Zach’s father, Kraig Krogwold. “Last year, we didn’t have a kicked load until the very end of the season.”

The Krogwolds have a long history in Amherst and Waupaca County, having been a grower/packer from the 1940’s until the late ’70s, when the family quit farming to concentrate on potato storage and packaging.

HALL OF FAMER Lawrence is a Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association

Kraig is proud of the advancements in technology that The Potato Plant, Inc. has been able to make. “We just installed a brand-new bale stacking machine,” he notes.

“We hate to do it—eliminate a job or two—but we can’t find anyone to do it, stack 50-pound bales all day.

As you know, the labor market is tight, but we’re fortunate. We have very loyal employees who come back every year.”

The Krogwolds were also one of the first families to use irrigation in Central Wisconsin, along with the Okray and Burns farms, among others. “My grandfather, Lawrence, and his father, Halbert, had a steam engine they used to pump water out of Onland Lake, in New Hope,” Kraig says.

The Badger Common’Tater sat down for an interview with Kraig’s son, Zach, whose uncle, Lonnie, describes as “really good mechanically—he knows his equipment.”

Who are your father and mother, and did one of them show you the ropes at The Potato Plant? My mother is Amy, and my father, Kraig, is an owner/operator as well, and has shown me the ropes along the way.

What do your duties involve—what

“It is important to keep tidy, not only for the audit, but also to create a clean work environment to make the process move as smooth as possible.”

– Zach Krogwold do you personally do on a day-to-day Above & Below: After potatoes are flumed basis? I set up in the morning and get into Potato Plant, Inc., washed and dried, they are sized, graded and sorted things in order for the day. I spend a lot of time on the floor throughout are there other vegetables that you the day helping where needed, store and/or ship? We ship about checking over equipment and looking 500 truckloads a year, and we only for the next thing that will make store potatoes. improvements to our process and How many hundredweight of operation. potatoes does that equate to? It’s How many truckloads of potatoes roughly 200,000 cwt. go through the plant each year, and continued on pg. 10

BC�T September

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 9

Do you have your own trucking arm, and if so, how many trucks? We do not.

What is your storage capacity?

We store 130,000 bags at our own facility, plus another 15,000 at our grower’s farm where they have shortterm storage.

All the potatoes that come into our

facility are flumed in with water and forced up through the flow, where they are washed, dried, sorted and graded. Some come straight off the field after a couple days of cooling at our grower partner’s facility.

We often pull out of storage until the middle or end of May, and have even gone into June, but that’s pushing it a bit.

Left: Zach Krogwold monitors a Volmpack Auto-Baler bagging spuds at The Potato Plant.

Right: From left to right, Zach, Kraig and Lonnie Krogwold pose with bags of spuds at The Potato Plant.

What varieties of potatoes do you ship? They are all russets, mostly Caribou, Goldrush and Norkotah potatoes.

You mentioned that you and your family are not growers, and that Larry Kizewski of Kizewski Farms is your grower. Do you accept potatoes from other growers? Yes, Kizewski Farms is our grower partner, and we do accept potatoes from other growers on occasion, if time allows.

Who are your customers in general— retailers, wholesalers, processors?

Bushmans’ Inc., in Rosholt, Wisconsin, brokers all our loads.

A Verbruggen VPM-5 automatic palletizer is hard at work stacking bales of potatoes at Potato Plant, Inc. 10 BC�T September

Are the potatoes sold in Wisconsin or nationwide? They are shipped nationwide, with a lot going to the East Coast. We pack in 3-, 5-, 8- and 10-pound bags. We also do 15’s and 20’s, as well as some bulk totes, about three bulk loads a week on average. continued on pg. 12

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 10

What other family members work for Potato Plant? We currently have three generations—my grandfather, Jon, great uncle, Lonnie, father, Kraig, and myself.

Do you take pride in being a fourthgeneration business owner/operator, and if so, why? Absolutely, it is an accomplishment nowadays to keep a small family business going for four generations.

What are some storage secrets for keeping potatoes bruise and disease free? It is all about air movement and the correct moisture content.

How do you prevent storage rot?

We keep storage rot at bay through

Left: Larry Kizewski of Kizewski Farms, Stevens Point, is The Potato Plant’s primary grower partner.

Right: The old Krogwold family farmstead is shown in this color photo. The Krogwolds grew and packed potatoes from the 1940’s until the late ’70s, when the family quit farming to concentrate on potato storage and packaging.

With the Krogwolds being one of the first families in Central Wisconsin to use irrigation, a steam engine is used to pump water out of Onland Lake, in 1935. Pictured are, from left to right, Mike Jurgensen, Halbert Krogwold and Frank Karch.

12 BC�T September

air movement and temperature regulation.

I see that Potato Plant, Inc. is Primus certified. What does that entail?

It requires a once-a-year, two-day physical audit of the plant and paperwork to make sure we meet regulations.

How important are cleaning and disinfecting? Have they gotten more

detailed and regulated in recent years? It is important to keep tidy, not only for the audit, but also to create a clean work environment to make the process move as smooth as possible.

Regulations have remained the same from what I have been told, but there are always improvements to be made.

Above: Potato Plant, Inc., packages spuds in 3-, 5-, 8-, 10-, 15- and 20-pound bags, as well as shipping about three loads of bulk totes a week, on average.

What do you hope for the future of Potato Plant, Inc., Zach? Efficiency is my main goal … to keep the place going, and hopefully I’ll get to work with my boys one day in the family business.

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BC�T September 13

Potato Storage Tips From the Experts Two respected industry professionals share advice on storing healthy potatoes

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater For more than 40 years each, Eugene Mancl of Ron’s Refrigeration and Dale Nelson of Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems have been working with potato and vegetable growers, helping them store disease- and bruise-free potatoes.

“I guess it’s no secrete that I’ve been doing this a long time,” Nelson says.

“I was fortunate to get into this

business early in my career and it just felt right.”

working with potato and vegetable growers for about 45 years.”

“I worked in Idaho for two different companies,” he adds, “and in Minnesota and North Dakota for another, and finally made it back to Wisconsin, totalling 42 years.”

With no shortage of experience, the Badger Common’Tater editor sat down with Mancl and Nelson to get some tips and advice on storing potatoes.

Mancl says, “Ron’s Refrigeration was started in 1973, and we’ve been

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Above: Dale Nelson of Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems and Eugene Mancl of Ron’s Refrigeration agree that smart phones and computer monitoring cannot replace visiting the potato storage daily for a visual check on the crop. Potatoes are in storage at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station.

Mancl’s number one piece of advice to growers and/or brokerages/ shippers who might store potatoes and other vegetables: “Take the time to have your equipment checked and calibrated before the storage season.”

“Storage-related issues are avoidable if you or a technician takes the time to get your systems running and serviced before you plan to store,” he adds.

Nelson says, “The storage is not a hospital! At best, it can maintain the quality of the crop being put into it.

Although it is very possible to take

a good product and make it marginal in storage.”

ATTENTION TO DETAILS “The one piece of advice I would give the growers,” Nelson continues, “is, if at all possible [weather and time dependent], pay attention to details such as field hydration, harvest temperature, avoiding field low spots, etc.”

“Put the best crop you can into storage,” Nelson stresses.

Ron’s Refrigeration offers humidification and refrigeration services, as well as ozone, sprout inhibiting/Sprout Nip, Amplify and Shield.

Assuming the best route for potato growers and those storing produce is a combination of refrigeration and air flow with an application, Mancl was asked what a “best practices” scenario might be.

“The best practice can change considerably depending on the variety and intended use of the potato. Several factors can change the ‘best practices,’” he remarks, Above: Dale Nelson, shown at his desk, says no two crops going into storage are the same, and that growing conditions, weather, soil types and other variables will change from one location to the next. Potatoes are shown at Alsum Farms & Produce in Friesland, Wisconsin.

“such as growing and harvest conditions, ambient temperatures during storage and even market demand.”

“For most growers, getting the crop harvested and into storage in cool conditions and avoiding high temperatures, heavy rain and frost is

the first goal,” Mancl adds.

Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems offers humidification, refrigeration and air flow services, as well as FruitGard, Smart Block and CIPC Clove Oil applications, and other post-harvest chemistries. continued on pg. 16

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BC�T September 15

Potato Storage Tips from the Experts continued from pg. 15

NO TWO CROPS THE SAME “The hardest part is no two crops going into storage are the same,” Nelson says. “The growing conditions, weather, soil types and other variables will change from Spring Green to Central Wisconsin and even from Grand Marsh to Central Wisconsin.”

“We try to work with each grower and develop a ‘best practice’ for their needs,” he states.

Mancl says storage practices can change, but for the most part, cooling down the product and adding humidity is the primary focus.

“Ideally, using outdoor air with Humidcells and humidifiers is best, and plenty of fresh air,” Mancl recommends. “Refrigeration is a great tool, but it’s hard to beat Mother Nature’s natural cooling.”

As far as Sprout Nip, Mancl suggests treating a storage anywhere from

“The simplest things that you can’t replace with a smart phone are sight and smell.

Visit your storage and look around daily.”

– Eugene Mancl

Above: Eugene Mancl of Ron’s Refrigeration suggests that growers take time to have their equipment checked and calibrated before the potato storage season. Bushman & Associates potatoes are being piled in storage.

two to four weeks after the potatoes are stored and the pile has an opportunity to heal.

“We typically will treat a storage one time with either Sprout Nip or a Sprout Nip and Amplify combination,” he explains. “If the grower intends on storing for a longer duration, we would do a reapplication in the late spring to protect the crop into the summer months.”

“Sprout Nip [CIPC] has been the industry standard since 1960 and its effectiveness is unquestionable,” Mancl adds. “By design, Sprout Nip

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prevents cell division on the potato, providing the most effective sprout control.”

Amplify is a product that was introduced a few years back that prevents cell elongation on the potato, and when the two are combined, they produce a synergistic effect to provide longer sprout control.

POTATO FIRMNESS “Many of our customers comment that they feel they get an increased potato firmness when using the combination application,” Mancl suggests.

SIGHT & SMELL “The simplest things that you can’t replace with a smart phone are sight and smell,” Mancl remarks. “Visit your storage and look around daily.”

Mancl also says that Wisconsin is fortunate to have some the best potato and vegetable researchers in the world, along with great growers who care about their neighbors and are willing to help.

“I doubt they will run into anything that one of us hasn’t seen before,” he suggests. “My best advice would be: Don’t be afraid to ask if you have a question.”

“We hear from new and experienced growers every year with storage management questions,” Mancl says, “and one thing I learned long ago was that you can’t beat fresh cool/ cold air.” continued on pg. 18

Shield is the liquid form of CIPC used in the grading operations to provide sprout control on the final product going to consumers.

For a normal storage season, sprout inhibitors are applied once in the first few weeks, and if potatoes are stored long term, a reapplication may be necessary.

“We also do a Jet-Ag application, which is a PAA [peroxyacetic acid] product,” Mancl details. “We apply it in storage as a fungicide, bactericide and algaecide for potatoes.”

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“This product is applied as soon as the storage is full and the doors are closed,” he says. “We have found that a second application at a timed interval has been very effective in controlling silver scurf on potatoes in storage.”

Ozone has been an important tool for many growers for the past two decades, with generators being used from the first day of storage until the potatoes are removed from the building.

“Ozone has proven effective in killing/ controlling mold, fungi, bacteria and soft rot on potatoes in storage,” Mancl relates.

He says that storage managers and growers have the most advanced air systems at their fingertips and that the technology is changing as needs arise.

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Potato Storage Tips from the Experts continued from pg. 17

“Equipment will eventually wear out and technology changes,” he adds. “Don’t be afraid to invest in your farm’s future and benefit from tomorrow’s advancements today.”

“A lot has changed in vegetable storage systems over the years,” Mancl concludes, “and new technology and methods are being introduced regularly.”

Nelson details a few things every storage manager/grower should understand: • Air flow and how to manage it (not blowing too much air or too little) • Should a potato crop be dried, and if so, how much?

• Humidity management • Temperature management • Understanding dew points in order not to condensate on the potatoes and spread disease There are circumstances, Nelson says, where no sprout inhibitor is applied, normally for short-term potato storage.

“CIPC is still the main sprout inhibitor used,” he says. “Normally, on process crops [chips and French fries], one treatment is all that is needed. We will also blend Smart Block with the CIPC on some of the long-term storages to increase the efficacy.”

How long fresh market potatoes will be in storage and the variety

“The storage is not a hospital!

At best, it can maintain the quality of the crop being put into it.”

– Dale Nelson of potato will determine if CIPC is used alone or in a CIPC/Smart Block combination, Nelson details. For longterm fresh market potato storage, two treatments might be necessary.

If used as a standalone product, Smart Block will likewise take multiple treatments. “We will blend Smart Block with CIPC to reduce the amount of CIPC needed and give better sprout control,” Nelson says.

“At this time, Clove Oil is the only organic sprout inhibitor and needs to be used multiple times,” he adds.

CIPC, Smart Block and Clove Oil are all sprout inhibitors, with Smart Block and Clove Oil also having some effect on disease suppression.

FruitGard is a dry chlorine dioxide that comes in two different products—Wipe Out and Zeoair.

“We use Wipe Out shortly after the potato storage has been filled, giving it a little time to stabilize the pile,” Nelson details. “There are two products we mix together, and the ‘off’ gas is chlorine dioxide.”

SUPPRESSING DISEASE “With the stronger dose of chlorine

dioxide, we can take care of a lot of the disease pressure in the building,” he adds. “This is normally a one-time dose unless we have extreme disease pressure, and then a second or a spot treatment can be applied.”

Zeoair treatment is a long-term, lowdose treatment of chlorine dioxide.

“For probably 35 years, I was looking for a trickle charge of disinfectant that could be used all the time in storage. I wanted it to be safe, easy to use, and most of all, work,” Nelson relates. “This was it!”

“Zeoair has exceeded all expectations as far as containing disease in potatoes, and in some case, drying them up,” he states. “It has become a great management tool for the growers and processers, and best of all, it is stress-free to the potatoes.”

Through computer monitoring, growers and shippers can view storages on their phones at any time.

“The best advice I can give them is to make a trip to the storage and take a walk through,” Nelson recommends.

“This should be done, if not every day, at least every other day.”

“We can still see and smell better than any computer and detect small problems while they can still be corrected,” he stresses.

“Know the product going into storage, field and growing conditions, and harvest temperatures and conditions,” Nelson stresses. “So often there is a disconnect between the storage team and agronomy.”

18 BC�T September

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Growers Gain from Sorting Technologies Foreign materials and product defects are a constant worry for potato farmers and processors Submitted by Nuria Marti, Alarcon & Harris public relations It’s not easy for potato growers and processors to always ensure food safety or meet customers’ specified standards.

For one thing, all sorts of foreign materials get mixed up with potatoes when they’re harvested. For another, any batch is likely to contain some potatoes (and perhaps many) that are sub-standard.

When these unwanted materials get into a processing line’s product stream, they can be almost impossible to detect, yet business 20 BC�T September

reputations depend on eliminating them.

For these reasons, foreign materials and product defects are a constant worry, but modern technologies can deal with them.

TOMRA Food’s industry-leading sorting technologies—optical sorting machines, application-specific modules, multi-lane sorters and the company’s Insight data platform—are extraordinarily effective.

GRADING TO SPECS Sorting solutions are now available

Above: Potatoes are sorted at Gumz Farms LLC in Endeavor, Wisconsin.

for a wide variety of potato products, everything from potatoes just taken out of the ground or storage to fresh pack, chips, French fries, other frozen products (such as wedges, slices and hash browns) and dehydrated flakes and granules.

What surprises many potato processors is how sorters can do so much more than sort.

These highly reliable technologies also accurately grade to specification, minimize false rejects, increase recovery rates, handle high throughputs, manage peaks in demand, reduce the need for manual interventions on the line, solve labor-scarcity problems, and reduce downtime and the line’s total cost of ownership.

All of this means that investing in sorters can not only improve the sustainability of a business by cutting food waste, but also deliver a return on investment by enhancing yields and profits.

That sounds a bit like magic, but there is evidence behind it.

SORTING THE CROP Though potato products are sold in many forms, all begin their journey to market the same way: fresh from the field and unwashed.

Immediately, the challenges start, because harvested potatoes are commonly mixed up with all sorts of unwanted debris.

Rocks, stones, clods of earth, sticks, stalks, vines, wood, plastic bottles, field mice, fragments of glass, you name it, in a pile of freshly harvested potatoes, you might find it.

Long before these foreign materials can threaten food safety, they bulk out the crop, increasing the need for precious storage space. They also worsen the risk in the storage of potato rot, breakdown and product loss.

Growers can reduce these risks by running the crop through a pre-sorter before storage, then pre-sorting the potatoes again before they are washed and sent into processing.

The machine best suited to this task is the TOMRA 3A, a sensor-based sorter designed for freshly harvested root crops.

This machine is typically used at the entrance to a potato storage shed to provide a final clean-up after the freshly harvested crop has passed through a mechanical grader and soil removal equipment.

IDENTIFYING GOOD TUBERS The TOMRA 3A uses high-resolution cameras and near infra-red (NIR) to identify zero-value green potatoes; distinguishes between organic matter (the crop) and inorganic matter

The TOMRA 3A, a sensor-based sorter designed for freshly harvested root crops, is typically used at the entrance of a potato storage shed. It provides a final clean-up after the freshly harvested crop has passed through a mechanical grader and soil removal equipment.

(foreign material); and identifies good tubers that might otherwise be mistaken for clods because they are heavily coated in soil.

Because of the time pressures of short harvesting seasons, this machine is designed to operate continued on pg. 22

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Growers Gain from Sorting Technologies continued from pg. 21

Above: With the increase in fresh potato demand his farm has seen, Rod Gumz says the TOMRA equipment has been invaluable for the operation through reduced reliance on seasonal labor.

“The TOMRA 3A allows us to keep space between employees and get higher yields on the line.”

– Rod Gumz at high capacity, often working in storage sheds at a rate of 100 tons per hour.

Considering that growers might store potatoes in more than one location, the machine is designed to be moved easily from shed to shed.

The TOMRA 3A is so effective that it removes 95 percent of rocks, floating stones, dirt clods and corn cobs, plus

Opposite Page: The TOMRA 3A identifies good tubers that might otherwise be mistaken for clods because they are heavily coated in soil.

85 percent of other typical foreign materials.

Sometimes a small amount of foreign material can remain mixed up with the potatoes when they go into storage, but the task of removing the debris, which may be small and difficult to detect, is handled by a more sophisticated sorter later in the production process.

The TOMRA 3A significantly reduces the sorting work required at these later stages, decreasing stoppages due to machine damage and optimizing downstream equipment.

WORKING SMARTER A good example of the TOMRA 3A application is a system used at Gumz Farms LLC in Endeavor, Wisconsin, as its technology helps the grower and staff work smarter.

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Being efficient with time, energy and resources on top of hard work means a lot.

“To ensure our employees’ safety and well-being, we have increased regular cleanings of our facility, encouraged frequent hand washing and provided workers with PPEs [personal protective equipment],” says Rod Gumz, owner of Gumz Farms.

“Our biggest focus has been to emphasize social distancing in line with the CDC’s [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommendations,” Gumz adds. “The TOMRA 3A allows us to keep space between employees and get higher yields on the line.”

DELIVERING SOLUTIONS The TOMRA 3A delivers solutions for Gumz with its ability to remove a wide range of foreign materials, including clods, rocks, corn roots, corn stalks and green spuds, from harvested potatoes before putting

them into storage.

During the 2020 harvest, Gumz Farms was sorting an average of 60 tons/ hour with TOMRA’s help.

The reduced reliance on seasonal labor during harvest is another way the TOMRA 3A helps Gumz work smarter. Focusing more on the actual work, and less on managing labor, means more good potatoes in storage, less trash coming onto the washing line and fewer headaches.

“With the significant increase in demand we have experienced, it would be hard to keep up, but this is where our TOMRA equipment has been invaluable for the operation,” Gumz relates.

“The TOMRA 3A reduces labor by 75-80 percent,” he says, “while increasing output, letting us supply the growing demand we are experiencing.”

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BC�T September 23

Seed Piece

State Farm Celebrates 80th Year of Production

Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm Field Day included research updates and walking tours

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater

There was an air of excitement during the University of

Wisconsin (UW) Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm Field Day, July 15, 2021. It had been two years since researchers could show off the potato production work they’ve been conducting at the farm.

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Above: The State Farm Field Day, July 15, 2021, provided the first opportunity in two years for researchers to show off the potato production work they’ve been conducting there.

As he welcomed guests for the State Farm tour, Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program Director Alex Crockford explained that 2021 marked the 80th year of state farm seed production, which started in Three Lakes, Wisconsin, before being moved to its present location, in 1984.

Roy Gallenberg, vice president of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association (WSPIA), was asked to say a few words about the recent passing, July 12, of Darwin Gallenberg.

A WSPIA member, Darwin worked all his life on the family dairy and certified seed potato farm. See the “People” column in this issue for Darwin’s obituary.

Dr. Amanda Gevens, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology, gave a disease update to field day attendees.

DISEASE REDUCTION “There’s not much to say this year.

The beginning of the season was hot and dry, which reduced disease,” she noted. “The weather is in a pattern of hotter and dryer.”

Above: Dr. Russell Groves (right), UW-Madison Department of Entomology, described how his team is looking at necrotic viruses, specifically shifting strains of PVY, and how some plants are showing far fewer symptoms. He touched on average-to-delayed emergence of potato leafhoppers but an overall “great” year for insects, including aphids.

Since the Field Day, the state did experience more rain, and late blight was detected and quickly contained in two Wisconsin potato fields with no further damage. The fields were immediately destroyed to prevent spread.

Gevens gave updates on three new

active ingredients for late blight, including base protectants, fungicides and antisporulants.

Dr. Gevens also discussed black leg pectobacterium, early blight and Dickeya. continued on pg. 26

Above: Dr. Amanda Gevens (right, holding microphone) gave a disease update to visitors of the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm, on July 15, 2021.

BC�T September 25

Seed Piece

continued from pg. 25

With administrative director of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program, Dr. Renee Rioux, on maternity leave, her lab students, Drs. Derrick Grunwald and Kutay Ozturk, gave brief summaries of the program’s research projects.

generation seed potato production; leveraging novel technologies for virus detection and PVY resistance and isolation; and identification and characterization of blackleg and soft rot associated pathogens in Wisconsin seed potato production.

Subjects included evaluating powdery scab on seed potato varieties; tuber necrotic virus detection; isolation and application of potato endophytic bacteria for improved early

Dr. Russell Groves, UW-Madison Department of Entomology, described how his team is looking at necrotic viruses, specifically shifting strains of PVY, and how some plants Above: Celebrating his recent retirement as ag supervisor of the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm, Keith Heinzen was recognized during the field day for years of service. Shown with his wife, Rosemary, in the image above, Heinzen was presented a plaque by Alex Crockford (left in the top-left image) for his contributions to the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program and the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association.

are showing far fewer symptoms.

GREAT YEAR FOR INSECTS He touched on average-to-delayed emergence of potato leafhoppers and an overall “great” year for insects, including aphids, with lots of heat putting insect population development 10-12 days ahead of average years. “We’ll probably have 26 BC�T September

a functional third generation,” Groves remarked. “The insect numbers are on us.”

Above: Proud of his program’s success in potato variety development over the past few years, Dr. Jeffrey Endelman (left), UW-Madison Department of Horticulture, discussed the Plover Russet, Lakeview Russet, W13A11229-1rus and W13103-2Y varieties.

Groves also introduced the Wisconsin Vegetable Disease and Insect Forecasting Network (VDIFN) website, https://agweather.cals.wisc. edu/vdifn, which, among its many applications, helps predict aphid

activity and resulting spread of PVY. Dr. Jeffrey Endelman, UW-Madison Department of Horticulture, who leads the potato variety development program for the university, discussed

Plover Russet, Lakeview Russet, W13A11229-1rus and W131032Y, the latter of which traces its parentage to Soraya crossed with W9576-4Y. Endelman also explained continued on pg. 28

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BC�T September 27

Seed Piece

continued from pg. 27

his role in developing diploid potatoes.

With social distancing in place, walking tours, rather than wagon rides, were offered in some of the potato production fields, and attendees had the option to learn about the on-site greenhouses.

A boxed lunch was served, at which time Crockford noted the retirement of Keith Heinzen, ag supervisor of the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm. Crockford said a few words and recognized Keith for his

28 BC�T September

years of service.

“In my nine years in the program, I’ve had to say goodbye to some talented people. Keith is one of them,” Crockford stated. “His absence has been noticed. If I were to talk about work ethic and being reliable, hard-working, detailed, and having soft skills like being a friendly guy, good-natured and getting along with coworkers, then that’s how people regard Keith.”

The day concluded with Keith thanking Alex and the growers

Clockwise: Field day attendees were offered a walking tour led by Bob Arndt (left in the first image) and Alex Crockford (right) of potato production fields, as well as a visit to the greenhouses at the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm

in attendance, saying he enjoyed working in the seed potato program and wishing everyone the best.

There is little doubt that there will be another 80 years of seed potato production at the state farm in Rhinelander.

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Now News

DATCP and DNR Secretaries Tour Little Plover River Watershed enhancement project exemplifies multiple parties working together On July 29, several governmental, agricultural and environmental organizations enjoyed a tour of the Little Plover River as part of a presentation on the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project (LPRWEP).

LPRWEP members were pleased to conduct a tour with Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) Secretary Randy Romanski, and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deputy Secretary Todd Ambs and Secretary’s Director Dan Baumann, among many others.

DNR Deputy Secretary Todd Ambs (left) and DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski (center, olive-green shirt) enjoy a presentation by Tracy Hames (right) and Erin O’Brien (back to camera) of the Wisconsin Wetlands Association during a tour of the Little Plover River, July 29.

NEW

30 BC�T September

The LPRWEP is a successful multiparty collaboration convened by the Village of Plover and the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) to improve the health of the Little Plover River and quality of life of the surrounding community.

The Wisconsin Wetlands Association, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Portage County Land Conservation Department and Wisconsin DNR make up the core team of project advisors.

Since the project started, the Little Plover River has been flowing above the minimum 4cfs (cubic feet per second) rate set by the DNR as the public rights stage. continued on pg. 32

Several agricultural, governmental and environmental organizations toured the Little Plover River, July 29, as part of a presentation on the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project (LPRWEP). They are, from left to right, Tamas Houlihan (WPVGA Executive Director), Randy Romanski (Secretary of WDATCP), Dan Baumann (DNR), Todd Ambs (DNR Deputy Secretary), Dan Mahoney (Plover Village Administrator), Steve Gaffield (EOR, Inc.), Tracy Hames and Erin O’Brien (Wisconsin Wetlands Association), Steve Bradley (Portage County Conservationist), Dianne and Nick Somers (Plover River Farms), and Jerry Knuth (Wisconsin Wildlife Federation). Members of the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project were pleased to conduct a tour with the Secretaries of DATCP and DNR.

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World Potato Congress Seeks Industry Award Nominees Industry Award Ceremony is a prestigious event on the international potato scene On behalf of Romain Cools, president and chief executive officer of the World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC), and Tamas Houlihan, chairman of the WPC Industry Awards Committee,

nominations for the 2022 World Potato Congress Industry Awards are now being requested.

The WPC Industry Award Ceremony is an important and prestigious

Colorado Certified Potato Growers Association “Quality as High as our Mountains” RUSSET VARIETIES: Russet Norkotah S3 Russet Norkotah S8 Rocky Mountain Russet Silverton Russet Rio Grande Russet Canela Russet Mesa Russet Mercury Russet Fortress Russet Crimson King COLORED VARIETIES: Columbine Gold Colorado Rose Rio Colorado Red Luna Purple Majesty Masquerade Mountain Rose Vista Gold

32 BC�T September

Seed Growers: Zapata Seed Company Worley Family Farms SLV Research Center San Acacio Seed Salazar Farms Rockey Farms, LLC Pro Seed Price Farms Certified Seed, LLC Palmgren Farms, LLC Martinez Farms La Rue Farms H&H Farms G&G Farms Bothell Seed Allied Potato

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event on the international potato scene. The award recognizes a lifetime of contributions to the potato industry.

Typically, three outstanding individuals are recognized during the Industry Awards Ceremony at the World Potato Congress. The next congress is being held in Dublin, Ireland, May 30-June 2, 2022.

Industry Award proposers are invited to submit a written nomination, which must include the following information in order to have your nomination reviewed: Industry Award Proposer – You must provide your full name, professional status and contact information (email and telephone number).

Industry Award proposers are requested to refrain from a writein campaign in support of their nominee. Letters of support for your nominee will not be factored into the decision-making process.

Nominee Information - Please provide your nominee’s full name, contact information (email and telephone number), the nominee’s career outline and reasons why this nominee is a good candidate for the Industry Award (maximum 250 words).

Nomination Submission - Email your nomination information to the awards committee chairman, Tamas Houlihan, at thoulihan@ wisconsinpotatoes.com.

Nomination Deadline - Please note that applications will only be accepted until the close of business on November 30, 2021.

Industry Awards Committee members will review and assess all written applications received by November

30, and recommend potential award recipients to the WPC Board of Directors for final approval.

Prominent past award recipients include J.R. Simplot and Harrison McCain. The 2018 Industry Award recipients from the 10th World Potato Congress in Cusco, Peru, were Dr. Gary Secor, USA, Dr. Anton Haverkort, the Netherlands, and Alberto Salas, Peru.

For further information about the

Okray Family Farms Hosts Irrigation Technology Field Day

State producer-led watershed protection grant group holds farmer-to-farmer event The Central Wisconsin Farmers Collaborative held a Farmer-toFarmer Irrigation Technology Field Day, August 12, at Okray Family Farms, in Plover.

The Central Wisconsin Farmers Collaborative is a producer-led

watershed protection grant group established in 2021.

Three representatives from irrigation companies (Roberts Irrigation, Oasis Irrigation and North Central Irrigation) presented information on irrigation technology (variable rate

Nick Somers (center, black jacket) of Plover River Farms talks about some of the activities of the Central Wisconsin Farmers Collaborative. Somers is the lead farmer for the producer-led watershed protection grant group. Pictured are, left to right, Tracy Hames, executive director of the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, Randy Fleishauer of Plover River Farms, Somers, and Austin Ruzic of Heartland Farms.

Industry Awards application, please contact Tamas Houlihan, chairman, WPC Industry Awards Committee, at thoulihan@wisconsinpotatoes.com.

To learn more about the 11th World Potato Congress in Dublin, Ireland, please visit www.wpc2022ireland.com. systems, FieldNET Advisor moisture tracking, Pivot Watch, soil moisture sensors, infrared aerial imagery, etc.).

Attendees met in Plover, then drove down a pivot road to an irrigation panel for demonstrations. Each irrigation company representative presented for 20-25 minutes and allowed 5-10 minutes for questions and answers.

Thirty minutes was allowed for general discussion on water conservation practices among the producer-led group and other continued on pg. 34

Robert Archambeau of North Central Irrigation (left) and Kyle Ostenson of Valley Irrigation describe some of the latest technology in aerial imagery to fine-tune irrigation systems.

BC�T September 33

Now News …

continued from pg. 33

farmers in attendance.

All Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association growers were welcome to attend, and other producer-led groups invited.

The Central Wisconsin Farmers Collaborative is a producer-led watershed protection grant group that includes six farms in the Wisconsin River and Little Plover River watersheds. The farms include Plover River Farms (lead farm), Feltz Family Farms, Firkus Farms, Myron Soik & Sons, Okray Family Farms and Worzella & Sons.

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.

34 BC�T September

Top: A good crowd was on hand for the Central Wisconsin Farmers Collaborative Farmer-to-Farmer Irrigation Technology Field Day, August 12, at Okray Family Farms, in Plover.

Bottom: Soil moisture sensors are explained by representatives of Roberts Irrigation Company at the Central Wisconsin Farmers Collaborative (CWFC) Field Day. Pictured are, left to right, John Detlor of Okray Family Farms, Mike and Lonnie Firkus of Firkus Farms (members of the CWFC), and Chase Parr and Luke Abbrederis of Roberts Irrigation.

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2021 Putt-Tato Open Proves Popular as Ever Associate Division golf outing is a fun and eventful fundraiser for research, scholarships and more

Beautiful Wisconsin weather and a day of golf made for a winning combination when 42 teams hit the links during the 2021 Putt-Tato Open, July 13, at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa.

Sponsored by the Associate Division of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), the 21st annual Putt-Tato Open succeeded in raising funds for agricultural research, college scholarships and other industry causes to be determined throughout the year.

Above: Brian Lee of Okray Family Farms shows good putting form during the 2021 Putt-Tato Open, July 13, at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.

36 BC�T September

The four-person scramble presents a mid-season opportunity for those in the Wisconsin potato and vegetable industry to gather before harvesttime, have fun and

engage in much-needed face-to-face networking and camaraderie.

Thanks to sponsors, donations and willing participants purchasing raffle tickets and mulligans, the event raised more than $24,000 for worthy causes.

Associate Division Board members were out in full force in front of the clubhouse, checking groups in and selling mulligans to golfers who proved generous in their support of the industry.

WPVGA Executive Assistant Julie Braun and Financial Officer Karen Rasmussen once again coordinated the event, setting up a booth to sell raffle tickets and visit with golfers

throughout the day.

Jay Mar, Inc. and Rural Mutual Insurance—the Zinda Insurance Group of Plover, and Jim Wehinger, Adams—sponsored lunch hot off the grill on the course, and McCain Foods USA provided appetizers prior to dinner.

WINNERS ALL AROUND Following dinner, Associate Division President Chris Brooks crowned the tournament winners and, with the help of WPVGA staff, announced and gave out raffle and door prizes.

Though the winners get bragging rights throughout the course of the year, it is evident that golfers largely

Above: With a score of 59 and taking 1st Place in the four-person scramble tournament were Bushmans’ Inc. team members, from left to right, John Hopfensperger, Derrick Bushman, Nic Bushman and Chris Lockery. Chris tees off as John watches.

participate in the tournament and purchase chances to win prizes to support their industry. continued on pg. 38

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Above: Cory Gerzmehle (left) and Paul Salm of Team BMO Harris Bank are ready to hit the links during the 2021 Putt-Tato Open.

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BC�T September 37

Eyes on Associates … continued from pg. 37

Nearly all segments of the potato and vegetable growing industry are represented, from growers to brokerages, and insurance companies, banks and lending offices to real estate agents, fertilizer plants, irrigation dealers, chemical companies, implement and equipment dealers, the trucking, storage, building and construction segments, processing, refrigeration and others.

There’s fun at each stop and every hour of the tournament, with hole sponsors offering gifts, games and refreshments.

Left: Alsum Farms & Produce was well represented by, from left to right, Wendy Dykstra, Doug Posthuma, Cathleen Christensen (M3 Insurance) and Larry Alsum.

In addition to the raffle prizes, there are hole awards for longest drives and putts and being closest to the pins, as well as monetary prizes up for grabs for golfers with the best shots.

Right: Representing Silver sponsors Sand County Equipment & Lemken USA are, from left to right, Joe Dahlen, Paul Cieslewicz, Jeff Lauritzen and Jay Halbert.

Silver sponsors were AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Big Iron Equipment & Spudnik, Compeer Financial,

Above: Mike Toth of Central Door Solutions hits a chip shot during the 2021 Putt-Tato Open.

38 BC�T September

Nichino America-Torac, Sand County Equipment & Lemken USA, T.I.P., Inc. continued on pg. 40

2nd Annual Associate Division Sporting Clays Shoot Thursday, October 21, 2021 | Wausau Skeet & Trap Club, T196 County Road WW, Wausau, WI

Address for GPS Navigation: 153200 CTH-WW, Merrill, WI 12:30 pm Registration | 1:30 pm Shotgun Start | 4:00 pm Dinner

The event will take place rain or shine so dress accordingly The WPVGA Associate Division will be hosting its 2nd Annual Sporting Clays Shoot on October 21, 2021 at the Wausau Skeet & Trap Club. Registration includes one round of sporting clays for the 75 target course, dinner, drink tickets and entry in a door prize drawing.

Shotguns and Ammunition: Bring your own 12 or 20 gauge shotgun. Up to three boxes of shells will be provided for each registered shooter. If you don't have your own shotgun, one will be provided for you. Shooting vests and shell bags are also available at the course if you don't have your own.

For those that have not shot before, personal coaches will be available to assist you.

Eye and Ear Protection: Safety glasses and ear plugs are required. Please bring your own if you can. Otherwise these can be provided for you.

Raffle and Prizes: Raffle tickets will be sold for a number of great prizes! Awards will be given for the top two male, female and youth shooters, and the top team.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Dinner Sponsor - $500 Shell Sponsor - $300 Drink Sponsor - $250

Occupied Station Sponsor - $150 Raffle Prize Sponsor - $50 or equivalent in-kind donation

Registration: Individuals or teams of five are encouraged to register. Each participant registration includes one round on the 75-target course, dinner, drink ticket & door prize drawing entry. Cost is $100 per participant.

Visit WisconsinPotatoes.com to sponsor or register for this event.

Contact Julie Braun with questions or for more information at (715) 623-7683 or email jbraun@wisconsinpotatoes.com Registration and sponsorship deadline is October 4, 2021.

BC�T September 39

Eyes on Associates … continued from pg. 38

and Volm Companies.

Providing a much-needed break during the growing season, the Putt-Tato Open generates significant funds that are put right back into the industry.

The large turnout every year is a testament to the Wisconsin potato and vegetable growing industry and its commitment to high-yielding agriculture. Count on the Putt-Tato Open to return in 2022 and for many years to come.

Above: At the Zimmatic by Lindsay sponsored hole, Sue Leibsle (left) of Oasis Irrigation helps Nutrien Ag Solutions’ Bryan Chilewski play life-size Jenga for a chance to win one of several prizes.

Bryan walked away with a nice T-shirt.

Left: Landing 2nd Place at the Putt-Tato Open with a score of 62 and representing Fencil Urethane Systems are, from left to right, Nick and Darci Laudenbach, Jake Schwartzman and Erik Johnston.

Bottom: With a fountain in the background on a beautiful day, Dennis Schultz plays the putting green while teammate Tamas Houlihan attempts to will the ball into the hole.

40 BC�T September

Top Left: Out for a good time at the PuttTato Open are, from left to right, Mike Carter, Mike Gatz, Andy Diercks and Paul Bratz.

Top Right: Representing BMO Harris Bank, Tom Domaszek plays one off the tee at the 2021 Putt-Tato Open.

Left: Finding themselves in a respectable 3rd Place at the Putt-Tato Open, with a score of 63, are, from left to right, Jay Wolf, Andy Verhasselt and Kenton Mehlberg. They represent T.I.P., Inc., a Silver sponsor of the event that had two teams entered in the tournament. continued on pg. 42

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Eyes on Associates … continued from pg. 41

Top Left: Playing for Team Chippewa Valley Bean and standing at the First State Bank sponsored hole are, from left to right, Josh Erikson, Jacob Ellerbock, Chase Knutson (Oasis Irrigation) and Joshua Johnson.

Bottom Left: Zak Helbach is the proud winner of a Swiderski Equipment peddle tractor raffled off during the 2021 Putt-Tato Open.

Above: Jim Ebben looks fully satisfied with his raffle prize—a 10-foot paddle board purchased through a donation by Altmann Construction.

Thank you to all of the participants and sponsors this year!

42 BC�T September

THANK YOU

WPVGA Associate Division

to the 2021 Putt-Tato Open Golf Sponsors SILVER SPONSORS AgCountry Farm Credit Services Big Iron Equipment, Inc. & Spudnik Compeer Financial Lemken USA & Sand County Equipment Nichino America - Torac T.I.P./AgGrow Solutions/Redox Volm Companies

LUNCH CO-SPONSORS Jay-Mar, Inc. Rural Mutual Insurance: Zinda Insurance Group, Plover, WI & Jim Wehinger, Adams, WI

APPETIZER SPONSOR McCain Foods USA

GOLF BALL SPONSOR Sand County Equipment

RAFFLE PRIZE SPONSORS • Arctic Cooler with Beverages – BMO Harris Bank • Bow – WPVGA Associate Division • Custom Bean Bag Toss Game – Compass Insurance • Garage Door Opener & Installation – Central Door Solutions • Kayak – C & D Professional Insurance Services, LLC-Dave Loken/Sally Suprise • Lake Arrowhead Gift Certificate – Lake Arrowhead Golf Course • Paddleboard & Gift Certificate – Altmann Construction Company, Inc. • Toy Pedal Tractor – Swiderski Equipment • Traeger Scout Camping Grill – Allied Cooperative & Pest Pros

HOLE SPONSORS Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative Anderson O’Brien Law Firm Compass Insurance Services

Edward Jones/Bob Ebben First State Bank Green Bay Packaging, Inc. Incredible Bank Insight FS & Precision Planting Istate Truck Center Keller, Inc. KerberRose The Little Potato Company M3 Insurance McCain Foods USA

Mid-State Technical College Mid-State Truck Service Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems Nutrien Ag Solutions Oasis Irrigation Oro Agri The Portage County Bank Progressive Ag Roberts Irrigation Company, Inc. TriEst Ag Group Wipfli

RNA Breakthrough Creates Crops that Can Produce 50 Percent More Potatoes

University of Chicago-led research could increase food production and boost drought tolerance Provided by EurekAlert, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the University of Chicago Manipulating RNA (ribonucleic acid) can allow plants to yield dramatically more crops, as well as increase drought tolerance, announced a group of scientists from the University of Chicago, Peking University and Guizhou University.

In initial field tests, adding a gene encoding for a protein called FTO to both rice and potato plants increased each of their yields by 50 percent.

Guifang Jia, at Peking University, led the research. “What’s more, it worked on almost every type of plant we tried it with so far, and it’s a very simple modification to make.”

The researchers are hopeful about the potential of this breakthrough, especially in the face of climate change and other pressures on crop systems worldwide.

The plants grew significantly larger, produced longer root systems and were better able to tolerate drought stress. Analysis also showed that the plants had increased their rate of photosynthesis.

“This really provides the possibility of engineering plants to potentially improve the ecosystem as global warming proceeds,” stresses He, who is the John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

“The change really is dramatic,” says University of Chicago Professor Chuan He, who together with Professor

“We rely on plants for many, many things,” Professor He notes, “everything from wood, food and

44 BC�T September

Above: The plants grew significantly larger, produced longer root systems and were better able to tolerate drought stress.

Analysis also showed that the plants had increased their rate of photosynthesis.

Image courtesy of Sandy Ravaloniaina on Unsplash

medicine to flowers and oil, and this potentially offers a way to increase the stock material we can get from most plants.”

RICE NUDGED ALONG For decades, scientists have been working to boost crop production in the face of an increasingly unstable climate and a growing global population. But such processes are usually complicated and often result only in incremental changes.

The way this discovery came about was quite different.

Many of us remember RNA from high school biology, where we were taught that the RNA molecule reads DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), then makes proteins to carry out tasks.

But in 2011, Professor He’s lab opened an entire new field of research by discovering the keys

to a different way that genes are expressed in mammals.

It turns out that RNA doesn’t simply read the DNA blueprint and carry it out blindly; the cell itself can also regulate which parts of the blueprint get expressed.

It does so by placing chemical markers onto RNA to modulate which proteins are made and how many.

Professor He and his colleagues immediately realized that this had major implications for biology.

FLESHING OUT THE PROCESS Since then, his team and others around the world have been trying to flesh out our understanding of the process and what it affects in animals, plants and different human diseases.

For example, Professor He is a co-founder of a biotech company now developing anti-cancer medicines based on targeting

RNA modification proteins.

Professors He and Jia, the latter a former University of Chicago postdoctoral researcher who is now an associate professor at Peking University, began to wonder how it affected plant biology.

Above: Adding a gene encoding for a protein called FTO to both rice and potato plants increased each of their yields by 50 percent in field tests. The plant shown was grown by Specialty Potatoes & Produce, Rosholt, Wisconsin. continued on pg. 46

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RNA Breakthrough Creates Crops that Can Produce 50 Percent More Potatoes … continued from pg. 45

They focused on FTO, the first known protein that erases chemical marks on RNA, which Jia found as a postdoctoral researcher in He’s group at the University of Chicago.

The scientists knew it worked on RNA to affect cell growth in humans and other animals, so they tried inserting the gene for it into rice plants and then watched in amazement as the plants took off.

“I think right then was when all of us realized we were doing something special,” Professor He relates.

The rice plants grew three times more rice under laboratory conditions. When they tried it out in real field tests, the plants grew 50 percent more mass and yielded 50 percent more rice.

LONGER ROOTS They grew longer roots, photosynthesized more efficiently and could better withstand stress from drought.

The scientists repeated the experiments with potato plants, which are part of a completely different family. The results were the same.

“That suggested a degree of universality that was extremely exciting,” Professor He remarks.

It took the scientists longer to begin to understand how this was happening. Further experiments showed that FTO started working early in the plant’s development, boosting the total amount of biomass it produced.

The scientists think that FTO controls a process known as m6A, which is a key modification of RNA. In this scenario, FTO works by erasing m6A RNA to muffle some of the signals that tell plants to slow down and reduce growth.

Imagine a road with lots of stoplights.

If scientists cover up the red lights 46 BC�T September

The plants grew significantly larger, produced longer root systems and were better able to tolerate drought stress. Shown are potatoes from John Miller Farms, Minto, Idaho.

and leave the green, more and more cars can move along the road.

Overall, the modified plants produced significantly more RNA than control plants.

MODIFYING THE PROCESS The process described in this article involves using an animal FTO gene in a plant. But once scientists fully understand the growth mechanism, Professor He thinks there could be alternate ways to get the same effect.

“It seems that plants already have this layer of regulation, and all we did is tap into it,” Professor He explains. “So, the next step would be to discover how to do it using the plant’s existing genetics.”

Professor He can imagine all sorts of uses down the road, and he’s working with the university and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to explore the possibilities.

“Even beyond food, there are other consequences of climate change,” Professor He says. “Perhaps we could engineer grasses in threatened areas that can withstand drought.”

“Perhaps we could teach a tree in the Midwest to grow longer roots,” he adds, “so that it’s less likely to be toppled during strong storms. There are so many potential applications.”

POTATO EXPO JANUARY 5-6, 2022

People Darwin Gallenberg Passes Away

Farmer worked all his life on family dairy and certified seed potato farm Darwin Gallenberg, of Bryant, Wisconsin, died Monday, July 12, 2021, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. He was 57 years old.

He was born on November 18, 1963, in Antigo, a son of James and Elizabeth (Drexler) Gallenberg.

Darwin was a 1982 graduate of Antigo High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He worked all his life on the family dairy and certified seed potato farm.

Darwin was a member of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association and the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association.

OUTDOORSMAN He enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include three sisters, Janet (Leonard) Fleischman, Antigo, and Mary and Jeanne Gallenberg of Rochester, Minnesota; five brothers, Donald (Sue) Gallenberg, Wausau, David Gallenberg, Bryant, DeWayne (Pat) Gallenberg, Rochester, Dale (Pam) Gallenberg, River Falls, and Dennis (Kim) Gallenberg, Elk River, Minnesota; as well as 13 nieces and nephews and many great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one nephew.

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Darwin Gallenberg November 18, 1963 – July 12, 2021

A funeral Mass was celebrated July 16, 2021, at SS. Mary & Hyacinth

Catholic Church, Antigo, with Rev. Charles Hoffmann and Rev. Michael Seis co-celebrating. Burial took place in Queen of Peace Cemetery.

Visitation and a parish wake service were held at the Bradley Funeral Home.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Darwin Gallenberg, please visit https://tree.tributestore. com/memorial-tree.

AgBiome Grows Commercial Team

Four newest members focus on product development and distribution AgBiome, a leader in developing innovative products from the Earth’s microbial communities, announces the addition of four new members to the company’s commercial team.

AgBiome’s commercial team is focused on product development and distribution of its first biological fungicide, Howler®.

The revolutionary biological fungicide harnesses the power of the plant microbiome with multiple modes of action that provide preventive, longlasting activity on a broad spectrum of soilborne and foliar diseases.

With a strong product pipeline and a growing global demand for biological alternatives, the company welcomes the following new team members: Patrick Haughton joins AgBiome as a vice president, head of Business Development for Food Value Chain. In this role, Patrick will build awareness of and drive demand for AgBiome’s products among target brands, retailers and consumers.

Gustavo Marcos joins AgBiome as a product manager focused on optimizing Howler’s distribution and commercial strategy execution.

Gustavo comes to AgBiome with a wealth of experience in research, sustainable technologies and global development.

Stephen Pryor joins AgBiome as an agronomist specializing in organic agriculture. Stephen will provide technical support and education for use of AgBiome products in organic production systems.

Frank Spadafora joins AgBiome as head of production. In this role,

AgBiome is headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park.

Frank will manage the production of Howler and AgBiome’s growing product pipeline. Frank brings over 30 years of manufacturing experience in the food industry, from designing production lines to process improvement, technology scale-up and product roll out.

“Our new hires are bringing with them a wealth of experience across

the food industry, and we are thrilled to have them on our team,” says Toni Bucci, AgBiome chief operating officer.

“We are living our mission to innovate and launch naturallyderived products that enhance global crop protection and responsible food production,” Bucci concludes.

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New Products Currie Provides Ozone Generation Equipment

Mobile Zone machine injects ozone into water for sanitizing storage and packing shed surfaces Currie Chemical Company Inc. has been providing ozone generation equipment for seven different industries since 1999.

Ozone is a versatile way of sanitizing and controlling microbial growth in many different applications. Ozone is a gas that is produced in place and can be used to treat air, surfaces and water.

Ozone is the strongest oxidizing sanitation product on the market today.

Currie Chemical Company now offers a Mobile Zone machine that will inject ozone into water, allowing you to sanitize the surface of your storage or packing shed, and with a flick of a switch, you can treat the air in your storage.

The Mobile Zone machine can treat a 20,000 cwt. (hundredweight)-40,000 cwt. storage, great for produce

50 BC�T September

packers or growers who pack.

There is no ozone resistance. Here’s how ozone controls specific storage rots: • Fusarium comes in on tubers from warm, wet soils. Fusarium continues to grow and decay tubers in storage, coming in contact with healthy tubers and causing more rot.

There are post-harvest fungicides

that work, but they are short lived. Ozone is present throughout the storage season and controls fusarium by killing the organism on the surface and within the potato while drying up and killing microbes coming in contact with healthy spuds.

Ozone will also heal the cuts and bruises on healthy tubers.

• Soft rot caused by pectobacterium comes into storage from wet spots in the field. Rot increases if temperature is not controlled.

Oxygen Fed Ozone Generator makes 30 grams an hour for around $12,000.

In 1999, ozone cost $2,500 per gram, and in 2018, it is $500 per gram, a fivefold decrease in price.

Ozone generators produce energy without any other inputs. Using liquid chemical, you will have to buy the same product for the same (or higher price) the next year.

With an ozone generator, flip the switch and you have ozone control again.

If interested in discussing specific applications, contact Noel Currie at Currie Group of Companies, noel@ curriecompany.com, 207-768-0681, www.curriecompany.com. continued on pg. 52

There are a few products like Jet Ag PAA bacterial control, but they do not last long. Ozone kills bacteria and dries up any decayed material throughout the storage season.

• Late blight-infected tubers might be brought into storage without having external symptoms and can then begin to decay quickly, causing huge losses. Ozone is there killing microbes and drying up infection all the time.

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• Pythium leak is a fungal infection that can be controlled by avoiding harvesting tubers with high pulp temperature, avoiding wet conditions and only harvesting potatoes with good skin set.

Unfortunately, such practices are difficult to perform during potato harvest.

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Ozone is the strongest oxidizer on the market today, killing every type of storage pathogen on produce, in the air and on the surfaces of storage buildings and containers.

It reduces evaporative shrink by half and is the most economical way of controlling rot in storage. Ozone has become amazingly affordable over the past 20 years.

When Currie Chemical Company started selling ozone generators, back in 1999, a Corona Discharge Machine used air that made 3 grams an hour for $8,000. Now, the Plasma Block

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BC�T September 51

New Products …

continued from pg. 51

M&P Engineering Offers Dry Onion Peeling

Machine uses self-adjusting knife assemblies to top, tail and peel onions of all sizes M&P Engineering is mostly known for its world-renowned onion peeling machines that feature a unique dry peeling process, eliminating the production of waste slurry.

M&P’s Large Onion Peeling Machine uses self-adjusting knife assemblies to top, tail and peel onions between 1.75-4.5 inches in diameter, with a capacity of up to 1,650 pounds of onions per hour.

Onions are a controversial vegetable all around the world. You either love them or hate them. And while this is true, they are arguably still the most used vegetable worldwide.

There are many different varieties of onions available. While some people will argue that it does not really matter what kind you use for everyday cooking, the truth is different types of onions have specific uses.

Some are sweeter, others bitter; some are easier to caramelize while others tend to be milder in flavor.

RED ONIONS Red onions, for example, are typically better eaten raw, as their flavor is milder than other types. They are popular in salads, relishes or pizzas as they taste sweet, and their nice purple color makes dishes look more appetizing.

However, when it comes to handling or peeling red onions, they can be a bit tricky to handle. Ten percent of them are double-hearted, and Indian onions, in particular, can be awkward in shape.

M&P’s Onion Peeling Machine is one of the few industrial peeling machines on the market that can handle onions with multiple centers.

The skinning wheel technology is especially unique in its handling of red onions and shallots as they do not need to be held during peeling.

52 BC�T September

Features of the Large Onion Peeling Machine:

• Dry peeling process • Continuous operation • Automatic pick-up of onions from hopper • No change of parts required when varying onion size • Variable speed up to 110 carriers/ minute (normal operating speed 90 carriers/minute) • Labor requirements of 3 or 4 depending on product quality • Simple mechanism using a tried and tested mechanical design • Raw material input rate of approximately 1,650 pounds per hour using onions 2.95-3.5 inches in diameter or 1,325 pounds per hour using onions 2.35-3.15 inches in diameter Benefits of the Large Onion Peeling Machine: • No water usage, no waste slurry to deal with and product remains dry • Simple to operate • Low labor requirement • No batch unloading process, leaving peeled onions undamaged • Can work with wide range of product size and quality • No changeover time between different products • High-volume, high-quality output • Simple to clean and maintain For more information, contact M&P Engineering, info@mp-engineering. co.uk, +44 (0) 161-872-8378, www.mp-engineering.co.uk.

BC�T September 53

Potatoes USA News Influencers Get Consumers to Crave Potatoes To get even more people eating more potatoes in more ways, Potatoes USA has partnered with six influencers across the United States.

showcasing tasty potatoes and highlighting everything from potato nutrition to potato tips and tricks and more!

Rebecca Costa, Christy Cusato, “Couple in the Kitchen,” Jennifer Fisher, Kasim Hardaway and Taylor Dadds are all experts in the food space and are known for their delicious recipe posts.

The 75 posts have also gathered a total of 30,000 comments, and through those comments, it is clear that consumers learned about the benefits of potatoes, discovered fun and new ways to cook with potatoes or wanted even more potato inspiration.

Since each influencer has anywhere from 20,000-113,000 followers on social media, it is an opportunity to spread positive potato content to a larger audience.

Collectively, there are 75 recipe posts published with vibrant imagery

The two delicious recipes pictured are fan favorites. All the recipes have been added to https:// potatogoodness.com. Go check them out!

Encouraging more consumers to eat spuds, Spudtacular influencers “Couple in the Kitchen” created this “Hasselback Potatoes” recipe, which has been posted on www.potatogoodness.com.

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54 BC�T September

Influencer Rebecca Costa went with “Potato Breakfast Toasts” as her spud-inspired recipe of choice.

Marketplace

By Dana Rady, WPVGA Director of Promotions and Consumer Education

Wisconsin Potatoes Featured on Interstate Billboard A new billboard is up on Highway 39/51, in the Wisconsin Central Sands potato production area, that might make your mouth water.

For another year, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) is working with Lamar in promoting the state’s potatoes to everyday traffic on the popular interstate and gain the interest of those visiting from out of state, especially Illinois.

Featuring a healthy loaded baked potato, the design is a replica of one from 2019. It not only has an eye-catching image of a finished potato dish, but also showcases WPVGA’s consumer website along with the words “nutritious, delicious, versatile.”

This Spud’s for You: The 2021 eye-catching Wisconsin potatoes billboard on Highway 39/51, near County Highway W, in Bancroft, attracts the attention of a plethora of drivers from in and out of state who travel the corridor.

Since copy needs to be short and that Wisconsin potatoes are healthy, sweet for drivers to be able to read delicious and quite versatile! it, that is the main message on which 21-09 Badger Common'Tater (7.25x2.25).v1.pdf 1 billboard 2021-08-04 is located 8:13 AM on I-39 The new WPVGA wants consumers to focus—

about 1.25 miles north of County Highway W, in Bancroft. continued on pg. 56

BC�T September 55

Marketplace …

continued from pg. 55

USDA Releases NEW Audit Schemes

Wisconsin growers receive training and Harmonized GAP/GAP Plus updates Wisconsin is known to many as a state that stays ahead of the curve, especially as it relates to the potato and vegetable industry.

The Healthy Grown program and internationally recognized University of Wisconsin-Madison research team, which maintains a close and vital relationship with growers, are two examples that really put the state on the map. Wisconsin has become known as the “green state.”

Food safety training is another part of WPVGA’s programming that has helped growers prepare for audits and obtain the proper certifications(s), since 2013.

Back in March, WPVGA organized HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) certification. Most recently, WPVGA worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding updates to its Harmonized GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) and Harmonized GAP Plus audit schemes released months ago.

Held July 14, at Smiley’s in Plover, 10

industry members attended to get the latest updates on new versions of each scheme.

While not required, having everyone from the same industry in one room at the same time for training speaks volumes in terms of audit preparation, and has been one of the biggest advantages to WPVGA organizing annual training.

Carol Burza and Tim Leege, both with the USDA, conducted the three-hour personalized training that allowed attendees to learn from each other and ask questions relevant to their respective organizations.

It was a valuable gathering that is certain to be monumental in ensuring growers have all the information they need for upcoming audits.

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

Jul-20

Aug-20

Sep-20

Oct-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Jan-21

Feb-21

Mar-21

Apr-21

May-21

Jun-21

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,267,472.18

1,267,472.18

Assessment

$101,400.66

$101,400.66

Month

Jul-21

Aug-21

Sep-21

Oct-21

Nov-21

Dec-21

Jan-22

Feb-22

Mar-22

Apr-22

May-22

Jun-22

Year-to-Date

CWT

1,292,191.75

1,292,191.75

Assessment

$103,342.07

$103,342.07

56 BC�T September

Auxiliary News

By Datonn Hanke, vice president, WPGA

Wisconsin Potatoes in the Classroom Auxiliary Board announces new education program.

Greetings fellow potato enthusiasts! The

name is Datonn Hanke, and I’m proud to be the new vice president of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA).

I’ll start off my string of articles with some exciting news in the form of a new program from the Auxiliary Board. We’re proud to bring our newest project, “Wisconsin Potatoes in the Classroom,” to fruition.

What is this new and exciting program, you may ask? Potatoes in the Classroom is a grant program funded not only by the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board, but also through proceeds from the annual WPGA baked potato booth at the Wisconsin State Fair.

This program provides financial support for the use of Wisconsin potatoes in high school agriculture

| Volume 73 No. $22/year | $2/copy

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Chuck Bolte of field, Bryant, Wisconsi Kakes Farms potato

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and family and consumer science classes to help strengthen the lessons on potato nutrition and preparation.

We are also giving teachers the option of having a cooking demonstration and/or presentation given to further educate their classes on the importance of including Wisconsin potatoes in their everyday diets.

We are excited about this program and can’t wait to see it officially kick off this school year.

For more information, go to www. kidsdigwipotatoes.com and select the “Wisconsin Potatoes in the Classroom” tab.

That’s all for now, can’t wait to chat with you all next month.

Sincerely,

Datonn

The “Wisconsin Potatoes in the Classroom” program provides financial support for the use of Wisconsin potatoes in high school agriculture and family and consumer science classes to help strengthen the lessons on potato nutrition and preparation.

Badger Common’Tater

THE VOICE OF THE WISCONSIN POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

Subscribe Today!

Whether you are a grower, industry partner or simply enjoy rural life, sign up to receive this prestigious publication in print version, delivered direct to your mailbox for $22/year (12 issues). wisconsinpotatoes.com/blog-news/subscribe BC�T September 57

Research Stations Hold Two Consecutive Field Days Potatoes and the researchers growing them had their days in the sun this July

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater For two days in a row, July 21 and 22, the Hancock and Langlade Agricultural Research Stations held potato field days, giving University of Wisconsin (UW) researchers a chance to show off the results of their hard work.

Station (HARS) Field Day, July 21, by Superintendent Troy Fishler, as well as Mike Peters, UW-Madison ARS director, and Amber Walker, who is responsible for the onsite Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility.

Guests were welcomed to the Hancock Agricultural Research

Tony Johnson, a UW-Madison Division of Extension forestry educator, described forestry and agroforestry outreach that he and his team conduct.

Above: It was nice to see such a large contingent of young Allied/Pest Pros employees taking advantage of educational opportunities offered up at the 2021 Hancock Agricultural Research Station (HARS) Potato Field Day. Left: In his address to HARS Field Day attendees, Mike Peters, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Agricultural Research Stations, enthusiastically relayed how great it was to be back “doing things” in person after a long year-plus of COVID-19 restrictions.

58 BC�T September

Central Wisconsin UW-Extension Agricultural Agent Ken Schroeder acted as master of ceremonies for the HARS Field Day and rode along during the wagon tours of the potato production areas.

HARS Field Day researcher presentations included “Insect Issues

2021: New Active Ingredients for Integrated Pest Management” by Dr. Russell L. Groves; “Potato Production Research Update” by Dr. Yi Wang; and a “Weed Management & Vine Desiccation Update” by Dr. Jed Colquhoun.

Clockwise: Dr. Yi Wang proudly wore a 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks T-shirt while giving her potato production research update to wagonloads of HARS Field Day attendees.

A warm, dry spring and intermittent rains throughout the growing season have made for healthy and bountiful potato crops at HARS, in 2021.

With Troy Fishler, HARS superintendent, looking on in the background, Sen. Patrick Testin (front) thanked the crowd for coming to the HARS Field Day and supporting Wisconsin agriculture. continued on pg. 60

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Research Stations Hold Two Consecutive Field Days … continued from pg. 59

From the U.S. Potato Genebank in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, geneticist John Bamberg described work his team is conducting at HARS on zebra chip, late blight and potatoes that are resistant to diseases.

TRUE POTATO SEED Dr. Paul Bethke, U.S. Department of Agriculture and UW-Madison Department of Horticulture, provided insights into “Diploid Potatoes and True Potato Seed” (see his “Badger

Beat” column in this issue.)

Dr. Amanda Gevens, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology chair and professor, gave “Updates on Field Diseases and Management,” and Dr. Matt Ruark, professor, UW-Madison Department of Soil Science, presented “Slowly Advancing Improvements in Nitrogen Management.”

The day concluded with program

Left: As Central Wisconsin Agriculture Agent Ken Schroeder (left) stood by, John Bamberg (right) described research that he and his U.S. Potato Genebank team have been conducting at HARS. Right: Dr. Amanda Gevens, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology chair and professor, gave disease updates and introduced the Wisconsin Vegetable Disease and Insect Forecasting Network (VDIFN) website, https://agweather.cals. wisc.edu/vdifn.

updates by Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Executive Director Tamas Houlihan and WPVGA Associate Division President Chris Brooks.

The Associate Division provided beverages and snacks for a social hour that began at 4 p.m.

The next day, it was Langlade Agricultural Research Station (LARS) Manager Cole Lubinski’s turn to welcome visitors and thank local business and industries for their continued donations and support.

Matt Ruark, UW-Madison professor of soil science, animatedly discussed improving nutrient use efficiency in grains, vegetables and potatoes, as well as managing nitrogen rates.

60 BC�T September

Supporters of LARS include the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board, WPVGA Associate Division, Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association, Insight FS, Quinlan’s Equipment, Riesterer & Schnell and Langlade County.

POTATO VARIETY TRIALS The first field day presenter during the LARS wagon tour and field visits was A.J. Bussan, director of agronomy and quality at RPE, Inc. and Wysocki Family of Companies. continued on pg. 62

Left: WPVGA Associate Division President Chris Brooks (left) thanked growers attending the HARS Field Day for supporting businesses like his overhead door company, Central Door Solutions. The Associate Division sponsored snacks and refreshments at the HARS Field Day. WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan (center) and HARS Superintendent Troy Fishler (right) also took turns at the microphone.

Right: RPE, Inc. agronomist A.J. Bussan described fresh market potato variety trials he and Mike Copas have been conducing at the Langlade Agricultural Research Station (LARS). The Antigo Field Day took place at LARS on July 22, a day after the one in Hancock.

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BC�T September 61

Research Stations Hold Two Consecutive Field Days … continued from pg. 61

Bussan described the fresh market potato variety trials that he and Mike Copas of RPE, Inc. are conducting in Antigo, giving not only a research, but also a commercial crop update.

Another research trial was laid out in detail by Robert Jarek of Timac Agro,

who explained the bio-stimulants his company offers to help keep nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil and available to plants.

Dr. Colquhoun made the trip to LARS the day after HARS and gave field day attendees “News You Can Use” in the

Left: Representing three generations present at the Antigo Field Day are, from left to right, Milo Salvesen, and Jonas, John E. and Jon Bushman. Milo is John’s nephew.

Right: During the Antigo Field Day, Robert Jarek of Timac Agro explained the benefits of using the company’s bio-stimulants and the research trials his team is conducting at LARS

Before discussing oils and insecticides and their roles in preventing viruses, Dr. Russell Groves, UW-Madison Department of Entomology, touted the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association as being instrumental in getting a research program established at LARS. 62 BC�T September

Left: While Cole Lubinski, LARS manager, stood front and center, attendees listened to research presentations, July 22, during the Antigo Field Day.

form of herbicide damage, synthetic auxins, weed resistance, herbicide evaluation and plant growth regulators, among other topics.

Disease Other than COVID-19” (Gevens) and “Timing Oils and Insecticides—Lessening the Drag on Yields” (Groves).

Drs. Gevens and Groves also traveled to LARS after being in Hancock the previous day and presented timely subjects such as “Let’s Talk About

To end the second consecutive field day, Insight FS treated attendees to food and refreshments at East City Park, in Antigo.

Right: Two subject areas covered by Dr. Jed Colquhoun, professor and Extension specialist, UW-Madison Department of Horticulture, at the Antigo Field Day included herbicides and herbicide damage and plant growth regulators.

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BC�T September 63

Badger Beat Seeds of Change

By Paul Bethke, U.S. Department of Agriculture and University of WisconsinMadison Department of Horticulture

Potato Growers are accustomed to change. Adopting improved

methods, acquiring new equipment, acting on opportunities and adapting to changes in the marketplace are part of running a successful business.

Change is easy to see when looking backwards, even if it occurred gradually. Consider how the incremental incorporation of computers and information technology into nearly every business has changed how potato growers manage their crops and interact with customers and suppliers.

Anticipating change is much more difficult than recognizing it after the fact. Will the latest buzz lead to a long-term trend or will it be a fad?

Will potential market opportunities lead to increased sales? Will the latest trendy research topic lead to improvements in commercial practice?

No one knows, but these are questions that many of us are thinking about as we consider how diploid, hybrid potatoes may impact the global potato industry.

Companies and public breeding programs working on diploid,

hybrid potatoes envision new varieties coming to market that have improvements to agronomic performance or consumer acceptance that will encourage adoption by industry.

For that to happen, however, a lot of pieces must be put in place. For example, what will be done with true potato seeds? How do they slot into the production system?

Several possibilities are being discussed. Some have proposed that true potato seed will be used to produce seedlings that will be transplanted to production fields.

This is the approach used to plant 230,000 acres of processing tomatoes every year in California. Tomato seedlings are grown in commercial greenhouses and planted by growers using mechanical transplanters.

Our research group decided to see how well mechanical transplanting of potatoes works in the sandy soil

found in Central Wisconsin. As a first step, we needed to find a suitable transplanter.

OLD FINGER PLANTER Paul Sytsma at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station (HARS) discovered a finger planter in the shed, but it hadn’t been used in a long time. My first impression—not a high-priced item at a barn sale.

However, with input from Andy Hamernik, the crew at HARS did a great job refurbishing the unit.

Andy and Paul conducted test runs to determine appropriate seedling size and soil plug size.

Then, on a sunny morning at the end of May, we planted our first rows. We

The finger transplanter is shown before (A) and after (B) refurbishment. Mechanically transplanted seedlings are pictured on the day of transplanting (C) and one month later (D).

64 BC�T September

also transplanted seedlings into the adjacent rows by hand.

The plants grew well with both transplant methods.

Bottom line, mechanical transplanting of potato seedlings works just fine.

There are caveats related to mechanical transplanting that are worth noting, even at this early stage.

First, seedling production in the greenhouse needs to target a specific planting date, since seedlings that are too small or too large are likely to produce suboptimal results.

we explored options for directly sowing potato seeds at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station.

For this preliminary trial, some seeds were planted by hand at various spacings, others were planted along with rye to function as an early season windbreak, more were pelleted and still others were mechanically planted with a vacuum

seeder using a custom seed plate that Jeff fabricated.

Much to my surprise, the seedlings in several of the trial plots survived the hot weather we had early in the season and became established.

Not surprisingly, growth of plants sown from true seed is well behind continued on pg. 66

Second, the time required to plant an acre may be a concern. We moved down the row at a leisurely pace to give the operators enough time to load seedlings into the fingers of the transplanter.

Clearly there is a need to critically evaluate tradeoffs between acreage planted, planting date window and speed of transplanting.

Finally, the labor needed for mechanical transplanting is a significant consideration. We had one equipment operator and two people riding the planter. Multi-row planters reduce the number of people involved per row planted, and automated transplanters exist.

Very quickly the questions we need to address shift from “How well will it work?” to “What can we afford to do?”

OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES We concluded that there are few technical limitations to mechanical transplanting, but many operational challenges.

What about direct seeding with true potato seeds? This approach is seen by some as a long-term goal for diploid, hybrid potatoes.

With the generous assistance of Jeff Hanson (Hanson & Associates), BC�T September 65

Badger Beat . . .

continued from pg. 65

that of plants transplanted as seedlings, and even further behind what we would expect for hills grown from tuber seed.

It is worth noting that young potato seedlings are small and initial growth is less vigorous than that of many weeds. Our direct seeding trials were weeded by hand until the plants were large enough to tolerate an herbicide application.

Hand weeding seems impractical for large commercial applications and alternative methods of weed control would need to be implemented.

We will let these plants grow as long as temperatures remain above freezing. Then we’ll see how many tubers they produced and how many tubers are present.

RIght: True potato seed (insert) is shown with directly seeded potato plants.

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NPC News Tai Advocates for Fresh U.S. Potato Access in Mexico Access issue stressed during USTR roundtable with Washington growers Ambassador Katherine Tai from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative participated in a roundtable, August 5, with agriculture stakeholders from Washington State, including the Washington State Potato Commission.

During the roundtable, Ambassador Tai reiterated her top priority to ensure U.S. products reach new markets while holding our trading partners accountable for their commitments.

In a readout from that meeting, Ambassador Tai highlighted the Administration’s actions to advocate for the agriculture industry, including

visiting with her counterpart in Mexico to emphasize “the importance of Mexico taking the final steps to expand access for fresh U.S. potatoes throughout Mexico.”

“The potato industry greatly appreciates Ambassador Tai’s continued focus on opening this vital market to U.S. fresh exports. The history of this dispute clearly shows that this type of determination will be necessary in maintaining market access into the future,” says Jared Balcom, National Potato Council (NPC) vice president of trade affairs. continued on pg. 68

Above: During a roundtable with agriculture stakeholders from Washington State, Ambassador Katherine Tai (center) from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative reiterated her top priority of ensuring U.S. products reach new markets while holding trading partners accountable for their commitments.

BC�T September 67

NPC News . . .

continued from pg. 67

Potato Priorities Advance in Senate Funding Bill Following July’s passage of the fiscal year 2022 Agriculture Appropriations Bill by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate Appropriations Committee favorably reported out their version of the bill.

It includes an increase in NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) Potato Breeding Special Research Grants to $3 million from the House’s $2.75 million.

Noting that the NIFA program was initially zeroed out in President Joe Biden’s proposed budget, NPC Vice President of Legislative Affairs R.J. Andrus said, “The National Potato Council and the entire U.S. potato industry appreciates Committee Members Senators Murray (D-Wash.), Collins (R-Maine) and Hoeven (R-N.D.) for their support of our priority issues and for pushing for more resources for our industry.”

“Given the solid return on investment

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from NIFA’s potato breeding research program and the demands placed upon it due to phytosanitary challenges facing the potato industry, we welcome this additional funding and will work to ensure the increase remains intact when the bill makes it to a Conference Committee,” Andrus added.

The Committee-passed measure also contains language present in the House bill that would block restrictions on potatoes’ participation in the school breakfast program and other funding measures supported by the industry.

The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

Ali's Kitchen Baked Eggs Pool over Hash Browns

Making for a fabulous breakfast or brunch, the recipe can be doubled or tripled Column and photos by Ali Carter, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary The golden runny yolks of baked eggs pooling over crispy hash brown potatoes and salty bacon makes for a fabulous breakfast or brunch, and one pan and no mixing bowls mean easy clean up.

The recipe below will feed two to three people and I chose to use an oven safe skillet. However, this recipe can easily be doubled

(or tripled!) and made in a full sheet pan to feed more people.

Though the recipe is perfectly satisfying as is, for a more formal brunch, consider including toasted bagels smeared with creamy goat cheese, dashes of freshly cracked black pepper and a simple arugula salad dressed with a bit of vinegar continued on pg. 70

INGREDIENTS: One Pan of Baked Eggs and Hash Browns Serves 4

• 3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed • 2 Tbs. olive oil • 1 Tbs. butter • 3 large eggs • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled • 1 Tbs. fresh chives, chopped • 1 Tbs. fresh basil • salt and pepper to taste BC�T September 69

Advertisers Index

Ali's Kitchen. . .

continued from pg. 69

and oil ... delicious!

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly coat a baking sheet, or an oven-safe skillet, with the olive oil.

Place hash browns in a single layer on the prepared pan.

Place the pan into the oven and bake the hash browns until the edges begin to brown, about 18-22 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip the hash browns, then use a spoon to create three pockets, or wells, within the hash browns where your eggs can be nestled into.

Place a small dollop of butter in each pocket to keep your egg from sticking to the pan and then crack an egg into each pocket, being careful to not break the yokes.

Sprinkle the hash browns and eggs 70 BC�T September

with the shredded cheese and crumbled bacon and place back into the oven to bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the egg whites have fully set.

Season with salt and pepper, garnishing with fresh chives and basil, if desired.

Enjoy!

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The 11th World Potato Congress

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30 May - 2 June 2022, Dublin, Ireland

The Changing World of the Potato The WPC2022 registration and abstract submission is open! » Don’t delay, register today to participate in this prestigious event in 2022. » Visit the Congress website www.wpc2022ireland.com for further details.

WPC Inc. and the Irish Potato Federation are pleased to invite you to the 11th World Potato Congress (WPC 2022) in Dublin, Ireland.

This is the world’s leading event for potato professionals, and offers an opportunity for delegates to gain a unique insight into the future of the rapidly changing world of the potato. The WPC 2022 Congress will be held in conjunction with the Europatat Congress 2022.

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» Tara McCarthy - Chief Executive, Bord Bia (Irish Food Board), Ireland

Key Market Trends Opportunities for Growth Latest Technology Developments Agronomy Sustainability The Green Consumer Development and Food Security

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