The WPVGA Celebrates 75 years Association directs potato and vegetable education, research, promotion, and legislative work

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater

When Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers gathered in the mid-1940’s to discuss issues unique to their farming operations, and the need for promotion, marketing, research, education, and representation in Madison, they could have never envisioned what the future would hold.

Would they have foreseen the advancements in technology, the legislative issues that would touch them all, shifting of public opinion, future potato yields, price fluctuations, or modern

business applications?

How could they have known that small potato and vegetable farms would become nearly obsolete in the following 70-plus years, or that people would be talking about sustainability and organic growing?

Above Left: In the March 1961 issue of the Badger Common’Tater, Palmer Brettingen of Antigo, a sales manager for Lockwood Graders of Wisconsin, Inc., was shown pointing out a future change in the trademark of the former Oliver Iron Age planter.

Above Right: The 1987 Spud Bowl in Stevens Point featured a pre-game spuds and suds picnic, an under-the-lights night football game and a big fifth quarter party. Posing in the photo with University of WisconsinStevens Point (UWSP) football players are, from left to right, Paul Clasen (Rural Insurance), Don Amiot (UWSP athletic director), Jerry Bushman of Bushmans’ Inc., Louis Wysocki of then Wysocki Sales, and Mike Haberman of the Stevens Point-Plover Chamber of Commerce.

Self-driving tractors, variable-rate irrigation, remote sensing, drones, artificial intelligence, precision planting, global positioning systems, field mapping, and heat sensing would have seemed like weird science fiction to them.

In some ways, farmers alive in 1948 when The Potato Growers of Wisconsin was founded would be, and likely are, proud to know that future generations could produce more food on fewer acres and often with fewer inputs than they did back in the day.

To put the timeframe into perspective, the long-play vinyl record came to fruition in the United States in 1948, the World Health Organization was founded, Israel was declared an independent state, and Indian pacifist leader Mahatma Gandhi was murdered.

Wisconsin’s average potato yield was 96 cwt. (hundredweight) per acre in 1948, and state growers raised 78,000 acres for a total production of 7,488,000 cwt.

The WPVGA Celebrates 75 years. . . continued from pg. 53

Those numbers were a bit different in 2022, with Wisconsin ranking third in the nation in potato production, averaging 425 cwt. per acre and raising nearly 63,000 harvested acres and an estimated 26,775,000 cwt. of quality spuds for an overall assessment of $2,007,682.04.

High Yields

The state’s yield is nearly 4.5 times what it was 75 years ago, production is over 350 percent and acreage has declined by 19 percent.

Technology, including advances in machinery, irrigation, computers, fertilizer, pest and disease management, and all forms of digital and monitoring devices, has certainly helped increase production per acre, as has good old-fashioned ingenuity and the learning of better ways of growing crops.

Although the number of Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers has declined over the past 75 years, the size of farms has increased dramatically, most of which are now being run by third- and fourth- generation growers. One constant has been the contributions of a singular organization formed by potato growers for potato growers.

Founded on February 13, 1948,

The WPVGA is still located in the original Fidelity Savings Bank (now Chase) building at the corner of Fifth and Superior streets in Antigo. Upon forming The Potato Growers of Wisconsin, the Board’s first project was to exit Market Order #60, a four-state (Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota) marketing agreement issued by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

In 1999, WPVGA hosted the 18th Annual National Potato Council Seed Seminar in Madison, Wisconsin. Over 550 people registered for the event that brought growers, processors, certification officials, seed and chemical company representatives and others together for two days of meetings focused on the theme of “Potatoes in the New Millennium.” In the first photo, Dr. Walt Stevenson (left), UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology, accepts the Meritorious Service Award from Sid Schutter the consumer a good product at a fair and equitable price based on his ability to pay.”

An initial fee of 25 cents per acre was established for members of the Potato Growers of Wisconsin, Inc., and activation of the organization was met with enthusiasm throughout the state by large and small growing operations alike.

The Badger Common’Tater monthly publication was soon developed as an education and communication vehicle of the Association. The first issue was published, in Antigo, in July 1948.

Left: At the 53rd Annual WPVGA Industry Show in 2022, Dennis Zeloski (left), then of Muck Farms, Inc., presented an American flag throw blanket that he purchased through the silent auction to Dr. Jeff Wyman. Wyman was naturalized as a U.S. citizen the following day, February 14, 2002.

Right: In a June 2004 interview, Mark Bula said he had improved his bruise-free potato readings through the use of Spudnik harvesters. continued on pg. 58

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The WPVGA Celebrates 75 years. . . continued from

After 75 years, it’s clear that the founders of The Potato Growers of Wisconsin were an enlightened and driven group of forwardthinking businessmen who cared deeply about their livelihoods and providing quality produce to feed an ever-growing population.

The WPVGA continues to strive for the original goals of bringing a greater return to growers and giving consumers a quality product at a fair and equitable price.

Much as it was in 1948, and despite modern concerns such as sustainable farming, environmental and water issues, and often overwhelming legislation, the association continues to support its growers and ensure they are fairly rewarded for their efforts.

Left: Enjoying the mashed potato bar reception during the 2007 United States Potato Board (USPB) Annual Meeting are, from left to right, Alex LaSonde of the USPB, Mike Carter, who was the Executive Director of the WPVGA at the time, Dan Moss of Moss Farms, Idaho, Andy Diercks of Coloma Farms, and Tom Lundgren of Spud City Sales.

Right: Rich in Wisconsin potato history, the city of Antigo was home to Lucky Devil Farms where proprietor Ken Ourada and crew offered U.S. No. 1 potatoes in 5 lb. bags like that shown, as well as other packaging.

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