June 2025 Badger Common'Tater

$28/year | $2.50/copy | Volume 77 No. 06 | JUNE 2025

THE VOICE OF WISCONSIN'S POTATO & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

HARVEST AND SPECIALTY VEHICLES/TRACTORS ISSUE

INTERVIEW:

JUSTIN DAGEN

Dagen Heritage Farms

CREATE A CULTURE OF Data-Driven Excellence FUTURE-PROOFING FRENCH Fries Through Regenerative Ag DRAWN TO FARMING WHILE Growing Up in Langlade County ONLINE WEATHER & DISEASE Forecasting Tools Available to Growers Foundation certified red seed potatoes are lined up for harvest at Dagen Heritage Farms of Karlstad, Minnesota.

P A I D

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On the Cover: The tractor-eye view of potato harvest is from

Dagen Heritage Farms, a family owned and operated foundationclass certified seed potato operation in Karlstad, Minnesota. It was blue skies, red potatoes and a green tractor when this photo was taken, and what looks to be a beautiful day for harvesting potatoes.

8 BADGER COMMON’TATER INTERVIEW: The double rainbow really makes the red of the potato truck pop at Dagen Heritage Farms in Karlstad, Minnesota. The farm ships foundation-class certified seed potatoes to approximately 25 customers throughout North America each year, sometimes 15-18 loads a day to three or four customers stretching from Ontario, Canada, to Florida, Massachusetts, and Idaho.

DEPARTMENTS: DISHING IT UP WITH DANA....................... 60 BADGER BEAT.................... 48

19 DRAWN TO FARMING IN LANGLADE COUNTY

Author grew up at the time of this 1964 harvest picture

28

54

AUXILIARY NEWS

EYES ON ASSOCIATES

WPGA serves up baked potatoes and French fries at 2025 WPS Farm Show

WPVGA hosts 2nd Student Career Development Spring Field Day April 25, 2025

MARK YOUR CALENDAR...... 6 MARKETPLACE................... 40 NEW PRODUCTS................ 26 NOW NEWS....................... 44 NPC NEWS......................... 38

FEATURE ARTICLES:

PEOPLE.............................. 30

16 WISCONSIN ONLINE WEATHER and disease forecasting tools available to growers

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

34 MCCAIN FOODS TESTS & SCALES regenerative agricultural practices for farmers

POTATOES USA NEWS........ 58

50 TRANSFORM BUSINESS THROUGH data-driven excellence & artificial intelligence

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

4

BC�T June

Here for Positioning Your Business for Success

COMMERCIAL FINANCING SOLUTIONS FOR AGRIBUSINESS >> Operating Loans | Term Loans | Revolving Loans Leasing Services | Farm Cash Management Crop Insurance | Patronage Program | And More

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Scan the QR code to learn more >> Patronage remains at the discretion of the Board of Directors based on a combination of factors. No guaranty of annual allocations. Compeer Financial does not provide legal advice or certified financial planning. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. NMLS #619731. © 2025 All rights reserved.

WPVGA Board of Directors: President: John Bustamante Vice President: Wendy Dykstra Secretary: Josh Knights Treasurer: John Hopfensperger Directors: Mike Baginski, Randy Fleishauer, Brian Lee, J.D. Schroeder & Jeff Suchon Wisconsin Potato Industry Board: President: Heidi Alsum-Randall Vice President: Andy Diercks Secretary: Nicola Carey Treasurer: Keith Wolter Directors: John Fenske, Rod Gumz, Jim Okray, Eric Schroeder & Tom Wild WPVGA Associate Division Board of Directors: President: Matt Selenske Vice President: Ethan Olson

Secretary: Melissa Heise Treasurer: Paul Salm Directors: Brady Patoka, Scott Scheer, Morgan Smolarek, Sally Suprise & Brandon Taylor Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association Board of Directors: President: Charlie Husnick Vice President: Andy Schroeder Secretary/Treasurer: Markus Shafel Directors: Mitch Mattek & Clover Spacek Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors: President: Heidi Schleicher Vice President: Dakotah Smiley Secretary/Treasurer: Samantha Cypher Directors: Jody Baginski, Misti Kinnison, Jenna Suchon & Erin Meister

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 providing 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

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: $2.50/copy, $28/year; $45/2 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.

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5

MARK YOUR

Calendar

JUNE

17-18 UNITED POTATO GROWERS OF AMERICA CROP TRANSITION CONFERENCE Crowne Plaza MSP-Mall of America Minneapolis, MN 20 WSPIA SPUD SEED CLASSIC GOLF OUTING Bass Lake Golf Course Deerbrook, WI 24-27 NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL SUMMER MEETING Coeur d’Alene Resort Coeur d’Alene, ID WISC. POTATO GROWERS AUXILIARY 50TH 26 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Food + Farm Exploration Center Plover, WI

JULY

9 10 17 27-31 31

2025 PUTT-TATO OPEN GOLF OUTING Lake Arrowhead Golf Course Nekoosa, WI HARS FIELD DAY Hancock Agricultural Research Station Hancock, WI ANTIGO FIELD DAY Langlade Agricultural Research Station Antigo, WI 109th MEETING OF THE PAA —POTATO ASSOCIATON OF AMERICA Madison, WI LELAH STARKS ELITE FOUNDATION SEED POTATO FARM FIELD DAY County Road K Rhinelander, WI

AUGUST 5-7 6-9 9

WISCONSIN FARM TECHNOLOGY DAYS Clinton Farms Bear Creek, WI POTATOES USA SUMMER MEETING Boston, MA 45th ANNUAL ANTIGO TATER TROT Antigo City Park, 8:20 a.m., and Virtual Antigo, WI

SEPTEMBER 6

39TH ANNUAL SPUD BOWL Community Stadium at Goerke Park Stevens Point, WI

OCTOBER 16-18 27-28

IFPA GLOBAL PRODUCE & FLORAL SHOW Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA WPVGA RESEARCH MEETING Hancock Ag Research Station and virtual, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily Hancock, WI

NOVEMBER 9

MADISON MARATHON Capitol Square, 7 a.m.

Madison, WI 6

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Planting Ideas A phone conversation led to a nice, nostalgic trip

down memory lane and a feature article in this issue penned by Dennis Pecha, one-time Aulik Implement salesman in Antigo, Wisconsin, and current sales manager for NORTEC (Northern Technologies). Dennis has fond memories of growing up in Langlade County, working for a couple local farmers, and particularly, behind the counter at Aulik Implement.

While weaving his story, Dennis mentioned several Antigo potato growers, including the Matteks of J.W. Mattek & Sons. In chasing down some historic images for use in the article, the Matteks sent me an old newspaper clipping in which the above image was printed.

The newspaper caption for the image reads: “The Matteks cultivate four times before hilling and spray the entire farm every week for 10 or 11 weeks. Oat seedings rest the ground and alfalfa rebuilds it. They cut only one crop of hay, then till the second crop back into the soil to maintain organic matter, tilth and fertility.” While practices have changed, farming in a sustainable manner and adding organic matter back into the soil hasn’t. Read “Drawn to Farming While Growing Up in Langlade County” herein.

Few family operations can trace their roots further back than Dagen Heritage Farms of Karlstad, Minnesota. The Dagen family settled in the area, in 1882, before the city of Karlstad existed. A true heritage farm by its very definition, it has experienced consecutive ownership within the same family for 150 years or more and far exceeds the 40-acre minimum to qualify as such. Owner Justin Dagen has been a member of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) for many years, currently as secretary/treasurer of the Minnesota Certified Seed Potato Growers Association, and is a familiar face at the Industry Show, in Stevens Point, each year. Enjoy my interview with Justin in this issue.

An annual tradition continued with members of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary attending the 63rd Annual WPS Farm Show, April 1-3, in Oshkosh. There, they joined WPVGA grower members and other volunteers in setting up and running a baked potato and French fries booth to serve thousands of attendees with healthy, homegrown Wisconsin potatoes. Visitors enjoyed freshly made French fries and baked potatoes with all the toppings—butter, chili, cheese, sour cream and salsa. See “Auxiliary News” for more information and enjoy photos from the event.

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

Joe Kertzman

Managing Editor jkertzman@wisconsinpotatoes.com

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Foundation & Certified Seed Potatoes

Interview

JUSTIN DAGEN, owner, Dagen Heritage Farms

By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater

NAME: Justin Dagen TITLE: Owner COMPANY: Dagen Heritage Farms LOCATION: Karlstad, MN HOMETOWN: Karlstad. The Dagen family settled in the area before the city of Karlstad existed, with the land being prairie and wilderness many years ago.

YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: Fortyseven. Last year marked 50 years since Justin began working on the farm as a teenager, with, as he says, “no regrets, no retreat.”

SCHOOLING: University of Minnesota at Crookston, ag program, for three months during the winter quarter. With Justin taking over the farm at 17 years old when his father passed away, he half-jokingly says, “My college career was the best three months of my life! No, really, I met lifelong friends down there and even put together some potato deals.” Since then, he’s taken “a bunch of different courses in management.”

ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA); secretary/treasurer of the Minnesota Certified Seed Potato Growers Association; past chairman of the 8

BC�T June

A true heritage farm by its very definition, Dagen Heritage Farms of Karlstad, Minnesota, has experienced consecutive ownership within the same family for 150 years or more and far exceeds the 40-acre minimum to qualify it as such.

Albert Dagen immigrated from western Germany to central Minnesota in the 1840s before moving to (future) Karlstad, in 1882.

Finding the soil to be especially fertile, the next three generations stayed within 4 miles, raising livestock and growing potatoes and other crops.

When Justin Dagen’s father passed away, in 1977, Justin took over his family’s seed potato operation as a high school senior.

Red River Valley Potato Growers, 1997, and again in 2007; and past president of the National Potato Council, in 2011.

FAMILY: Wife, Donna; daughters, Kendra and Jerica; and sons, Brooks and Sander HOBBIES: “For many years, I ran, not marathons, but 10K races and 5K races,” Justin says. “There was a race somewhere nearly every weekend in Minnesota and North Dakota, and sometimes triathlons where we’d swim, bike and run.” Also, fishing and golf.

He continued growing foundation certified seed potatoes and building relationships in the industry while taking several regional and national leadership roles, including president of the National Potato Council, in 2011.

Justin’s sons, Brooks and Sander, have since joined the operation. Over 140 years later, they are 6th-generation farmers in the same township.

Justin, what are you most proud of regarding your family’s heritage of growing potatoes in Northwestern Minnesota? I’m most proud of my Dagen ancestors who immigrated from Germany in the 1840s and spent some time in Racine, Wisconsin, before coming to the northern Red River Valley of Minnesota in the early 1880s.

Above: Year 2024 marked a half-century since Justin Dagen, shown on a break from hilling a potato field, has been working on the family farm with “no regrets, no retreat.”

Great-grandfather David Dagen was one of the founders of the Minnesota Certified Seed Potato program, in 1917, and my father, Duane Dagen, was an excellent husband and father, and farmer and accountant, but had health issues and passed away when I was 17 years old, in 1977.

You took over your family’s seed potato operation, then, as a high school senior. Were there early struggles, and if so, how did you overcome them? Our farm was less than 1,000 acres at that time and the agricultural production business was much simpler than it is today.

I made a ton of rookie mistakes, but my mother and sisters supported me, and the Lord was with us every step of the way.

How did the family get into the certified early-generation seed potato business, and what does that mean exactly? In the mid1980s, in vitro propagation of limited generation seed potatoes was clearly the wave of the future, and I adopted early.

Our farm began purchasing prenuclear seed from a laboratory/ greenhouse operation and thus had better control of our production with everything done on our farm.

So, the seed starts in a test tube. We plant the resulting mini tubers with

care and grow them to sell primarily as Generation 3’s and 4’s, but if a grower prefers G2’s, we can also accommodate that.

Our seed is field-inspected three times and winter-tested to ensure we achieve the quality our customers need.

Who are your customers? We currently provide certified seed potatoes to producers in 15 states and Canadian provinces, from the East Coast to the West Coast, but primarily in Wisconsin, Minnesota,

Left: Sander (left) and Justin Dagen pose in potato paradise—a Hawaii test field where research is conducted on varieties, pests and diseases during the winter months.

Right: Windrowers are hard at work on Dagen Heritage Farms during potato harvest.

and North Dakota.

A good percentage of our production is early generation, ultimately going to other certified seed producers in North America. continued on pg. 10

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9

Interview. . .

continued from pg. 9

What type of soil are you farming and why is that conducive to seed potatoes? Our farm lies on the bed of ancient Lake Agassiz, with beautiful sandy loam topsoil and some clay in the subsoil. The soil offers good moisture holding capacity, with our annual precipitation being around 20 inches.

Our location offers significant isolation from other potato production, and we practice long rotations with five other cash crops grown on our farm.

Hard, red spring wheat was the crop that made the Red River Valley famous but now corn genetics have made us a significant producer. Our farm has also grown sugar beets, soybeans, dry edible beans, canola, and alfalfa.

One of the more exciting segments of our business is propagating experimental varieties.

What varieties of potatoes are you growing? Our current production includes Umatilla, Russet Burbank, Dakota Russet, Hamlin, Caribou, Lakeview, Fontane and Challenger, which are all russet types that offer specific characteristics and qualities for the processors.

Modoc and Red Norland/Dark Red

With Dagen Heritage Farms being a true family affair, Donna Dagen takes lunch to her son, Brooks, in the first image, and Sander Dagen is shown in the tractor with his wife Stefanie, and their daughter, Macie, when she was a baby.

Norland are delicious fresh varieties we produce. Waneta is growing in popularity as a dependable, highyielding, excellent processing chip variety featuring medium specific gravity and excellent stability and dormancy.

What are the most important things, in your mind, in growing quality seed potatoes? The most important thing involved in growing quality seed potatoes is probably love. You genuinely must love the details of the work involved. My sons and I often say, “Growing potatoes isn’t

glamorous, but it is wholesome!”

Of course, we diligently track, segregate, and clean between seed lots to prevent cross-contamination, use the best available research to manage disease-carrying pests, and manage storage conditions so the seed potatoes are physiologically ready when shipped. We make sure every load meets the highest standards.

Additionally, honest, open and transparent communication with receivers/customers is necessary to maintain long-term relationships.

The Dagen family sees potato production through to the end, from planting treated cut seed potatoes in the spring to the growing season when plants eventually flower, to harvest, storing and shipping.

10 BC�T June

What does it mean to track, segregate and clean between lots?

Imagine that, in a given year, our farm has 10-12 varieties of seed potatoes, but within every variety, we have G1’s and G2’s (first- and second-generation seed potatoes).

We plant G2’s, and they become G3's, which is what we primarily ship.

So, every variety has three groups that we need to keep separate from each other. We used to have four varieties of certified seed potatoes, then that turned into six, then eight and 10. So, we had to learn good ways to keep everything organized and segregated.

It’s one thing for us to know where everything is, but another to let the Minnesota State Potato Seed Department know when they come out to inspect three times a year.

Brooks himself is technologically astute and can produce detailed

“My sons and I often say, ‘Growing potatoes isn’t glamorous, but it is wholesome!’”

– Justin Dagen maps in a way that enables everyone to know what we’re looking at and where each variety and generations of varieties are planted.

Sander and I are good farmers, and so is Brooks, but he’s also an engineer and has the best math scores of anyone in the family.

Speaking of which, your sons, Brooks and Sander, represent the 6th generation on the farm. That must make you very proud! What roles do they play? Brooks has a mechanical engineering degree from North Dakota State University and a full-time job at the state-of-the-art

CHS canola processing plant near our farm.

In fact, it’s been difficult for him to give up his engineering salary at the plant, in Hallock, operated by CHS Inc., and come back to work on the farm. The Hallock canola plant is a big deal around here, and he’s built a nice engineering career for himself at the facility.

He owns valuable isolated land where we produce G1 and G2 material and helps us at night and on weekends, especially during busy planting and continued on pg. 12

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 11

harvest times and is an invaluable team member.

Sander has been full-time on the farm for 12 years and was recently promoted to senior vice president of operations. He recently took the gavel as Chairman of the Board at Northland Potatoes, serving Minnesota and North Dakota.

Brooks and Sander have beautiful families, each with two young daughters who love to come to the farm and ride in the tractors very often.

What are your biggest challenges?

Not every load of seed that leaves our farm is 100% disease free or 100% defect free, so open communication is key.

I have watched weather-related potato crop destruction from the state of Washington all the way to the state of Maine. Nobody is immune.

Potatoes are a perishable commodity, and I have seen them perish!

How many people are employed full-time and seasonally at Dagen

Heritage Farms? At harvest, we have 12 or 14 people helping us out, and at shipping, 10 or 12. Since most of our land is non-irrigated, we don’t have multiple pivots with 50 irrigators going at a time during the growing season.

There might be two or three people helping Sander and Brooks in the summertime, hauling grain, maintaining machinery and getting the truck fleet ready for harvest, or sometimes we go fishing or play golf.

Any new technology that you’re using these days? The land where we produce our G1 and G2 material is pattern tiled and has center pivot irrigation. We are constantly adopting new technology to produce consistently high yields of small/ medium-sized seed tubers, but ultimately the Lord is in control.

You play the long game regarding sustainability. In what ways are you a good steward of the land?

Sustainability has been a popular buzzword for the last 20 years, and for our farm, it relates directly to soil stewardship as our soils are very fragile. We incorporate various cover crop strategies in the spring and

A fixture in the potato industry, Justin Dagen has held state and national leadership roles through which he’s gotten to know other leaders such as Walt Stevenson (at left above) Louis Wysocki (top right), and Richard Pavelski (at right in third image).

12 BC�T June

This little harvest helper is Walter Johnson, who belongs to Justin and Donna’s daughter, Kendra Johnson, of Hibbing, Minnesota.

Walter visits the farm frequently and engages in a wide variety of agricultural activities.

in the fall to protect our soil from erosion.

No-till acres have increased significantly in the United States, but we have not perfected no-till potato production yet.

What can you do during harvest to ensure quality and storability? That starts a year or two before when planning seed, and when we have a crop and varietal rotation worked out. It also involves proper residue management of the soil, and proper tillage to ensure that we’re going into good seed beds in the spring and thus setting the stage for a successful harvest.

Ninety percent of our land is dry land; we don’t have a center pivot on everything, but we have high moisture-holding capacity. We don’t have 30 feet of pure sand, but instead a layer of fertile soil with a clay base that holds moisture where our crop roots spread down to. We can hold moisture.

With that being said, we don’t ever produce 500 bags-per-acre crops here, but rather 250-300-bag crops. As certified seed growers, my customers don’t want football-size potatoes, but mother tubers that will cut efficiently for replanting.

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We’re reducing our yield by sizing stuff small, yet also increasing planting rates, stems and tuber count for certified seed.

How many hundredweight (cwt.) of potatoes can you store and for how long? That’s a good question because continued on pg. 14

Top Left: Justin Dagen’s maternal greatgrandfather breaks land in 1889.

Top Right: Red Pontiacs are shown during harvest at Dagen Heritage Farms.

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Interview. . .

continued from pg. 13

right regarding the physiological age of seed when it goes into ground, and that it’s in good condition and ready to go. We want each seed potato to produce a good stem and canopy right away.

we don’t have one storage facility, but four or five buildings spread out over 40 miles, just like our farm is scattered over 40 miles.

I suppose we can store maybe 200,000 hundredweight, and we have renovated the storage buildings to make them successful. We need to store potatoes until May each year, with shipping starting in March and continuing through April and May. How large is your shipping operation? We ship to approximately 25 customers throughout North America each year. We don’t do the delivering, but instead each customer arranges to have trucks sent to our place. We may ship 15-18 loads a day to three or four customers stretching from Ontario, Canada, to Florida, Massachusetts and Idaho.

What can you do now to ensure a good growing season and harvest?

It would probably be just the way we handle and prepare our own seed for planting to make sure

What do you hope for the future of Dagen Heritage Farms? We don’t have to be potato farmers, or farmers at all for that matter, but we think the Lord has gifted us with whatever character traits are necessary to be good potato growers, and we enjoy it, not every day, but most.

Tile drainage is working hard on Dagen Heritage Farms. The land where the Dagens produce G1 and G2 certified seed potatoes is pattern tiled and has center pivot irrigation.

it’s in excellent condition.

With a lot of planting in the month of May, we make sure the timing is

Brooks Dagen is shown in a field of russet potatoes, left, and Sander with red potatoes (right).

14 BC�T June

It’s not glamorous, but we think it’s a wholesome calling. We believe we’re doing it to serve the Lord, and we’re helping to feed children so they can go to bed with full bellies. Potatoes are wholesome, economical and delicious, and I try to ingrain that mentality into all our employees.

Is there anything I’ve missed that you’d like to add? I’ve been blessed to have the staunch support of my precious wife, Donna. We joke that

we’ve been happily married for 35 years; the wedding was 38 years ago! LOL. Sons Brooks and Sander Dagen have grown to love the potato industry also.

My wife and I, in coordination with our four children, put a trust together—a succession plan that includes a structure of what the future will look like. Now we’re starting with the distribution aspect of the plan, because why wait until I’m no longer here or it’s too late?

Brooks and Sander are very capable men of integrity, so we’re starting the distribution now, together.

Above: The North Central Irrigation team installs two pivots at the Food + Farm Exploration Center.

RIght: Justin Dagen (standing second from right) says, “Happy potato farmers have dusty faces,” as he poses with a Canadian seed potato importer (second from left) and his sons, Brooks (left) and Sander (right).

BC�T June 15

Vegetable Pathology – Weather and Potato Disease Models – https://vegpath.plantpath.wisc.edu/weather-models/

Vegetable Pathology

Weather Tools Available to Growers

There is convenient access to curated weather and disease risk charts here on this website. Pages are available for Spring Green, Arlington, Grand Marsh, Hancock, Plover, Antigo, and Rhinelander.

Data is sourced from https://AgWeather.cals.wisc.edu. In addition, the website hosts more than a dozen fact sheets that cover common vegetable diseases, including favorable conditions, life cycle, symptoms, management options, and links to risk models where available.

Here’s a roundup of Wisconsin’s easily accessible online weather vegetable support tools Crop Protection& Network (CPN) Crop Riskdisease Tool – https://connect.doit.wisc.edu/cpn-risk-tool/ (New for

By 2025) Ben Bradford, researcher, University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Department of Entomology; Russell Groves, chair and professor, UW-Madison Department of Entomology; and Amanda Gevens, chair and professor, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology There are many online tools available to Wisconsin’s potato and vegetable growers to aid in decision-making when it comes to weather-based risks.

Below are a few that we have

developed or recommend: Vegetable Pathology – Weather and Potato Disease Models – https:// vegpath.plantpath.wisc.edu/weathermodels/

There is convenient access to curated weather and disease risk charts here on this website. Pages are available for Spring Green, Arlington, Grand Marsh, Hancock, Plover, Antigo, and Rhinelander.

Crop Protection Network (CPN) Crop Risk Tool

16 BC�T June

Use this tool to easily download hourly weather data for any point in the United States and Canada (below 60°N latitude) from 2015-present.

Data is sourced from https:// AgWeather.cals.wisc.edu. In addition, the website hosts more than a dozen fact sheets that cover common vegetable diseases, including favorable conditions, life cycle, symptoms, management options, and links to risk models where available.

Alfalfa Weather and Cutting Tool

Crop Protection Network (CPN) Crop Risk Tool – https://connect.doit.wisc. edu/cpn-risk-tool/ (New for 2025) Use this tool to easily download hourly weather data for any point in the United States and Canada (below 60°N latitude) from 2015-present.

Weather data is provided by a subscription to IBM’s Environmental Intelligence Suite API, and 7-day forecasts are sourced freely from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (where available).

Up to 10 locations can be pinned on the map and will be remembered in the browser when returning to the app.

Crop risk models are currently available for corn (gray leaf spot, tar spot), bean (white mold, frogeye leaf spot), and vegetable crops (early blight, late blight, Alternaria, Cercospora, Botrytis).

Alfalfa Weather and Cutting Tool – https://connect.doit.wisc.edu/ alfalfa-tool/ This tool was developed to help alfalfa growers in the upper Midwest plan and schedule their cuttings using location-specific weatherbased recommendations, rather than calendar-based estimates.

The tool also provides a map overlay with weather data, climate averages, and weather comparison to recent climate, in addition to locationspecific weather and climate charts.

Probabilities of last/first frost by date can also be explored based on 5- and 10-year climate averages.

Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet – https://wisconet.wisc.edu The Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet (https://WiscoNet.wisc. edu) is a growing network of weather and soil monitoring stations across

Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet This tool was developed to help alfalfa growers in the upper Midwest plan and schedule their cuttings using location-specific weather-based recommendations, rather than calendar-based estimates.

The Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet (https://WiscoNet.wisc.edu) is a growing network of weather The tool also provides a mapacross overlay with weather data,toclimate and data weather comparison to and soil monitoring stations Wisconsin designed provideaverages, high-quality at high spatial and recent climate, in addition to location-specific weather and climate charts. Probabilities of last/first frost temporal resolutions. by date can also be explored based on 5- and 10-year climate averages.

There are currently over 50 stations with plans to expand to around 90 by 2026. Each station provides more than a dozen measurements every 5 minutes. The web services associated with these stations Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet – https://wisconet.wisc.edu were recently upgraded with many improvements over the prior version of the site.

The screenshot shows an “Agricultural Dashboard” that can be created for any location in the state, showing a curated collection of important data feeds.

The Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet (https://WiscoNet.wisc.edu) is a growing network of weather and soil monitoring stations across Wisconsin designed to provide high-quality data at high spatial and temporal resolutions.

Vegetable Disease Insect Forecasting Network (VDIFN) Vegetable Disease and Insectand Forecasting Network (VDIFN) – https://agweather.cals.wisc.edu/vdifn There are currently over 50 stations with plans to expand to around 90 by 2026. Each station provides more than a dozen measurements every 5 minutes. The web services associated with these stations were recently upgraded with many improvements over the prior version of the site.

The screenshot shows an “Agricultural Dashboard” that can be created for any location in the state, showing a curated collection of important data feeds.

Vegetable Disease and Insect Forecasting Network (VDIFN) – https://agweather.cals.wisc.edu/vdifn

VDIFN uses daily gridded weather data fed into various disease risk and insect developmental models and converted into daily disease severity values (or equivalents) or degree-days.

Wisconsin designed to provide high-quality data at high spatial and temporal resolutions.

The screenshot shows an “Agricultural Dashboard” that can be created for any location in the state, showing a curated collection of important data feeds.

There are currently over 50 stations with plans to expand to around 90 by 2026. Each station provides more Vegetable Disease and Insect than a dozen measurements every 5 Network (VDIFN) – VDIFN uses daily gridded weather data fed into various Forecasting and insect developmental models minutes.

The web services associated disease risk and converted into daily disease severity values (or equivalents) or degree-days. https://agweather.cals.wisc.edu/ with these stations were recently vdifn upgraded with many improvements continued on pg. 18 over the prior version of the site.

BC�T June 17

those who may be colorblind or prefer a different aesthetic.

Weather Tools Available to Growers. . .

Irrigation Scheduling Program – https://wisp.cals.wisc.edu

continued from pg. 17

VDIFN uses daily gridded weather data fed into various disease risk and insect developmental models and converted into daily disease severity values (or equivalents) or degreedays.

These disease severity value and degree-day accumulations are then displayed on the map as color-coded risk scores based on the estimated risk to susceptible crops.

Clicking on an individual grid cell brings up the daily history of weather data and disease severity values or degree-days for that location.

Recent updates include an added option to switch the color palette from green/red to purple/yellow for those who may be colorblind or prefer a different aesthetic.

Irrigation Scheduling Program – https://wisp.cals.wisc.edu A complete irrigation scheduling program for your farm uses a few simple initial and periodically updated conditions (soil moisture, crop, canopy cover) as well as weather and potential evapotranspiration values (automatically imported but can be manually adjusted).

A complete irrigation scheduling program for your farm uses a few simple initial and periodically updated conditions (soil moisture, crop, canopy cover) as well as weather and potential evapotranspiration valuespivot(s) (automatically can be manually adjusted).

Midwest.

Create a farm, add thatimported can butupper

each serve on one or more fields, and or more fields, and choose one crop for each Create a farm, add pivot(s) that can each serve on oneFeatures: choose crop for each field.

Once field. Onceone set up, it tracks the water balance in the field and predicts soil water levels.

• Weather: Minimum/maximum daily set up, it tracks the water balance It warns when a field crosses below the allowable depletion or experiences deep drainage due to excess air temperature, precipitation, dew in the field and predicts soil water water. levels. point, vapor pressure, hours of high UW Extension AgWeather – https://agweather.cals.wisc.edu humidity, and mean temperature It warns when a field crosses during periods of high humidity. below the allowable depletion or experiences deep drainage due to excess water.

UW Extension AgWeather – https://agweather.cals.wisc.edu This site provides easy access to several different types of weather data from our database.

Data coverage extends across the

• Solar insolation: A measure of the amount of solar radiation striking the surface of the earth, this data is sourced from the UW Space Science and Engineering Center and is used to compute potential evapotranspiration.

• Evapotranspiration: Useful in irrigation scheduling, these daily values are calculated from air temperature, solar insolation, latitude, and day of year.

• Thermal models: View/calculate degree day models and some disease risk models. Also available is an oak wilt risk model, essential if pruning oaks.

• Email subscriptions: Add sites of your choosing (home, field, etc.) and get optional daily weather updates, forecasts, and degree day models.

This site provides easy access to several different types of weather data from our database. Data coverage extends across the upper Midwest.

18 BC�T June

Features: • Weather: Minimum/maximum daily air temperature, precipitation, dew point, vapor pressure,

• Free API (Application Programming Interface): Retrieve weather data via API for integration with custom software.

Drawn to Farming while Growing Up in Langlade County Young Aulik Implement salesman and farmhand embraced the area’s agricultural community

By Dennis Pecha, sales manager, NORTEC (Northern Technologies) Growing up in Langlade County, Wisconsin, has been a rewarding experience. From an early age, I was drawn to farming. At age 10, I vividly recall visiting the Langlade County Fair with my mother and being mesmerized by the massive farm machinery displays, especially the Allis Chalmers booth.

Above: The author, Dennis Pecha (left), poses with Bill Gresh of Gresh Implement, the son of his childhood hero, George Gresh, who, along with Al Schroeder (shown in the second photo), showcased and sold impressive Allis Chalmers 190XT model tractors out of the implement dealership.

Dennis holds his 1963 Allis Chalmers 190XT toy tractor that he used to play with in the sandbox. Bill took over the family implement dealership from his father and did a lot of business with area potato farmers.

George Gresh and Al Schroeder from Gresh Implement were my heroes, showcasing the impressive Allis Chalmers 190XT tractor. While my siblings enjoyed the fair rides and treats, I spent hours sitting on tractors.

Gresh and Schroeder were more than just implement dealers; they were icons in our community. Their passion for farming and machinery was infectious. continued on pg. 20

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Drawn to Farming while Growing Up in Langlade County. . . continued from pg. 19

They took the time to explain how each piece of equipment worked, sparking my curiosity and deepening my appreciation for the technology behind farming.

The Allis Chalmers 190XT tractor, with its powerful engine and sleek design, epitomized the strength and resilience of the farming spirit I admired so much.

My fascination with farming began in these early years. Langlade County, with its vast fields and rich agricultural heritage, provided the perfect backdrop for a young boy’s dreams.

At 12 years old, with my parents’ permission, I began working for Rudy Raven, a local dairy farmer. Getting up at 4 a.m. to herd milk cows for morning milking became a routine.

I was charged with all the feeding and can vividly remember climbing up the silo to fork down the morning’s feeding silage.

The fair wasn’t just an annual event; it was a gateway into the world of farming, where I could touch, feel, and experience machinery that was the backbone of our community’s livelihood.

My supervisor, Jerry Lucht, who was 14 years old, showed me the ropes.

He taught me how to pile hay on the

Left: Aulik Implement, where the author spent some of his best working years, is shown in the 1940s.

Right: When Dennis Pecha was 17 years old, he met James J. Mattek (Jim Sr.), shown here in a potato field, and though, being of large stature, Jim scared Dennis, he soon put him at ease. Jim went into detail about his farming operation, explained the intricacies of their techniques, the history of their farm, and the dedication required to maintain such an enterprise.

wagon as it came off the hay baler, then unhook the wagon, re-hook it to another tractor, and take the hay back to the barn to stack it in the hay mow.

Herb Wolter (right) of Hy-Land Lakes Inc., along with his son, John (left), shows Alice in Dairyland how to bag potatoes in this old photo. Herb is also shown in the second photo by the Hy-Land Lakes Inc. Potatoes/Wolter Farms sign.

20 BC�T June

“Langlade County, with its vast fields and rich agricultural heritage, provided the perfect backdrop for a young boy’s dreams.”

– Dennis Pecha

Dennis Pecha says Dale Belott (pictured) could wheel and deal relentlessly, had a deep passion for farming and a genuine love for the land. Dale was always looking for ways to improve his operation and maximize yield.

HOMEMADE DINNER Around 5 p.m., we’d head back to the barn for evening milking, finishing up around 8 o’clock before being invited in for a homemade dinner of excellent food that was customary for the workers.

These formative experiences were not just about labor; they were about learning values and skills that have stayed with me. The early mornings and long days instilled a sense of discipline and a deep appreciation for the land and livestock.

Langlade County is rich in traditions that revolve around farming. The county fair was just one of many events that brought our community together. Harvest festivals, 4H events, interaction with the FFA and farmers’ markets were occasions to celebrate our shared heritage and the fruits of our labor.

While the essence of farming in Langlade County remains rooted in tradition, modern challenges have necessitated adaptations. Climate change, market fluctuations, and technological advancements have continued on pg. 22 BC�T June 21

Drawn to Farming while Growing Up in Langlade County. . . continued from pg. 21

impacted the way we farm.

Embracing new technologies, such as precision farming and sustainable practices, has become essential. The lessons I learned from Gresh and Schroeder about the importance of innovation continue to resonate as we navigate these changes.

Today, I strive to pass on the knowledge and passion for farming to the next generation. Whether through local 4-H clubs, school programs, or simply sharing stories at the dinner table, it’s crucial to instill an appreciation for agriculture in young minds.

The author says Tom and John Schroeder (shown from left to right in the first photo) and their dad, Henry (second image), were positive influences on him in his youth and made lasting impressions.

When I was young, I knew most of the local growers, including Tom Schroeder and his dad, Henry. In the spring, Schroeder Brothers Farms had a maple syrup processing and cookdown facility. They not only collected raw sap from their property but also purchased raw sap from people like me.

the times, as most transactions were in cash. When I asked Henry once why he used checks, he said, “None of your business,” and then sat back in his chair, smiled, and said he didn't want to carry cash.

Henry was quite a fella and had a personality of his own. He always paid by check, which was unusual for

Henry asked me what I was going to do after sap season. “Go back to farming with Rudy Raven,” I replied.

He suggested, “Why not grow potatoes? It’s the up-and-coming crop in the Antigo area. Most dairy farmers are now planting potatoes.”

FIRST POTATO CROP Taking his advice, I planted an area of potatoes on my mom and dad’s property the next spring. Then came harvesttime, and I knew I needed potato bags. Henry told me to go see Gerald Volm and gave me directions to his place. I went and saw Mr. Volm and told him I wanted to start out with 20 potato bags.

He asked me what size I needed—5-, 10-, 20-, or 50-lb. paper bags, or 100-lb. burlap? I thought to myself, all these bag questions—this potato business is getting way too complicated!

Then it happened. I got a job offer from Donald Schroeder Potato Farms.

At the time, it seemed like if your last name didn’t end with Schroeder, you couldn’t be a potato farmer.

In this historic photo, the Matteks are resting on a spray rig while they agree on the next job to tackle. They are, from left to right, Gene, Jim III (age 4 at the time), John (age 7), James Sr. and Jim jr.

22 BC�T June

Don is a cousin of Tom and John Schroeder. I accepted Don’s employment offer, and life on a potato farm was great.

Then my dream came true. I found out Don had all Allis Chalmers

tractors. During the interview, I was told one of my jobs would be doing field work driving a tractor.

I wondered to myself, “How much am I going to have to pay Don for this job?”

After the first week, I asked my supervisor, Terry Kolpack, if I could see the tractors. Terry said, “Sure.”

We went to the machine shed and he slid open the doors. A ray of light came down from the heavens, beaming down on the Allis Chalmers 190XT, and sitting next to it was a huge Model D21.

Planting season was my favorite time of the year. Fresh air coming off a long winter, sun shining … being out on the Antigo Flats planting potatoes that time of the year was like staying at a five-star resort.

The rhythmic hum of the tractors, the feeling of the cool earth beneath my boots, and the sight of newly planted rows stretching out to the horizon brought a profound sense of satisfaction and peace.

I worked for Don for several years.

One day, a new Lockwood potato harvester showed up on the farm, a weird-looking contraption. The Lockwood salesman, along with Don and Terry, hooked it to the 190XT and fired it up.

WHAT A RACKET! What a noise it made! It sounded like a jet. Come to find out, it was the air separator.

As I walked into the John Deere dealership, a mix of excitement and apprehension washed over me. The gleaming green tractors were a stark contrast to the familiar orange Allis Chalmers machines that had become an integral part of my life.

Al greeted me with a warm smile and

Above: In another old photo, Herbert Wolter (left) and Ken Ourada Sr. look like they could be posing for the famous “You Been Farming Long?” poster.

led me to his office. The interview began, and Al’s passion for John Deere was palpable. He spoke about continued on pg. 24

NUMBERS. PEOPLE.

It takes balance.™

At 17, I had a life-changing experience. One night, my old friend, Al, called and wanted me to come into Aulik Implement, or “John Deere” as we called the dealer, for an interview.

All I could think about was jumping ship, and going from orange implements to green. This made me sick to my stomach. I declined the offer. For the next four nights at 7 o’clock sharp, I got a call from Al. I finally agreed, and a few days later, went to Aulik’s for my interview.

Jim Halvorsen 715-221-3037, Cassie Kurek 715-295-5441, Mark Juedes 608-662-8618, CLAconnect.com ©2025 CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) is an independent network member of CLA Global. See CLAglobal.com/disclaimer. Investment advisory services are offered through CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.

BC�T June 23

Drawn to Farming while Growing Up in Langlade County. . . continued from pg. 23

the advancements in technology and superior performance of their equipment. I couldn’t help but be intrigued.

After much deliberation, I decided to accept the offer at Aulik Implement.

Working with John Deere equipment gave me a new perspective on farming and allowed me to develop skills that would serve me well in the

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years to come.

I started out as a general laborer in the front office and parts department, initially as a stock boy helping customers by carrying parts out to their cars. Eventually, I transitioned to working at the parts counter, where I interacted directly with customers, assisting them in finding the right parts for their equipment.

I’ll always remember the day I encountered Jim Mattek Sr. of J.W. Mattek & Sons. Being of large stature, Jim was intimidating in the first place, and with my being only 17 years old, he scared the crap out of me. His brother, Gene, was the complete opposite.

This is when I found out that not all potato farmers had the last name Schroeder. One day, Jim corrected me in a quick hurry. He went into detail about his farming operation, explained the intricacies of their techniques, the history of their farm, and the dedication required to maintain such an enterprise.

LESSON IN HUMILITY It was a lesson in humility and respect, and it opened my eyes to the vast network of farmers and their unique contributions to our community.

Keith Aulik and Herb Wolter of Hyland Lakes potato farm were best of friends. I always liked Herb. It fascinated me how he and his crew could take their tractor and mount it on a potato harvester, making it a self-propelled harvester. The crew members at Hyland Lakes were way ahead of their time.

Herb’s commitment to advancing agricultural practices and his willingness to embrace new technologies made the operation a beacon of modern farming in our community.

On the farm, I had the opportunity

to witness firsthand the remarkable efficiency and productivity of their self-propelled harvesters.

Jim Spychalla was an interesting man.

Never one to purchase a lot of new equipment, Jim was an innovator and fabricator, always looking for ways to improve and modify existing machinery to suit his needs. He had a knack for seeing potential in used parts and often preferred them over new ones.

I remember selling Jim countless parts over the years, and his preference for used components fascinated me. His resourcefulness and ingenuity were truly remarkable, and he became a regular and memorable presence at Aulik Implement.

My story would not be complete without talking about Dale Belott.

According to Dale, he was the biggest potato farmer in Langlade County and possibly the world. That man could wheel and deal relentlessly. Enter the dealing process with Dale, and it was like the last man standing.

I remember one instance when Dale was negotiating the price with Al on a piece of equipment. He was relentless, employing every tactic in the book to get the best possible deal. He had a unique ability to turn every situation to his advantage, and it was both exhausting and exhilarating.

Despite his tough exterior, Dale had a deep passion for farming and a genuine love for the land. He was always looking for ways to improve his operations and maximize yield.

ROOTS IN ANTIGO Bob Diercks of Coloma Farms would make his weekly visit to Aulik Implement, and I always enjoyed seeing him. He and Keith were also good friends. Despite farming several hundred miles away, Bob had roots and ties to the Antigo area.

He always seemed to have time to talk to you, even if it was a quick “Good morning.” His friendly demeanor and willingness to connect with others made him a beloved figure in our community.

Working with Bob, I saw firsthand the dedication and hard work that went into running a successful farm. A passion for agriculture and commitment to his land were evident in everything he did.

I was always proud to work for Aulik Implement. At the time, it was a powerhouse of a dealership.

Agricultural implements and machinery such as John Deere, Meyers Forage Boxes, and Dahlman Potato Equipment were our specialty.

Keith took me under his wing and gave me an education no college could ever provide. His approach to leadership was empowering and inspiring. He believed in giving his team the autonomy to make decisions and learn from their

experiences, always encouraging innovation and problem-solving.

Al, on the other hand, was a master negotiator and strategist. His ability to navigate complex deals and build lasting relationships with clients was truly remarkable. From him, I learned the importance of persistence, attention to detail, and the art of closing a deal.

Together, Keith and Al taught me the value of hard work, integrity, and continuous improvement.

Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to have had such exceptional mentors. Their legacy lives on not only in the success of Aulik Implement, but also in the countless individuals like me they guided and inspired along the way.

As I continue my journey, I strive to uphold the principles they instilled in me, always remembering the profound impact they had on my professional and personal growth.

After leaving Aulik Implement, Dennis Pecha purchased and operated two John Deere dealerships for 10 years before selling them and joining John Deere company. In 2000, he acquired Gallenberg Equipment and renamed it Nortec.

Despite some challenges, Nortec thrived and now manufactures subterranean rock pickers at a different location with a strong market presence.

Designed for tractors from 50- to over 300-horsepower, Nortec’s product line includes options from two-bed to fourbed, with either hoppers or conveyors.

Recently, Dennis set up a distribution center for Flip Screen Australia (https:// www.flipscreen.net) in his hometown of Antigo, Wisconsin, serving Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with Karls Warehousing handling logistics and stocking.

FlipScreen Australia is in 49 countries around the world, and FlipScreen Antigo is one of the company’s shining stars in its portfolio.

SNOWDEN • ATLANTIC • LAMOKA MANISTEE • LADY LIBERTY MACKINAW • PETOSKEY • BLISS

Contact: Jim or John

BC�T June 25

New Products Little Potato Kits Offer Ease and Convenience

Company expands Microwave & Oven or Grill Ready Lines with trending and beloved flavors The Little Potato Company introduces two extensions to its popular Microwave Ready and Oven or Grill Ready product lines: A Little Hot Honey Microwave Ready Kit and A Little Garlic & Parmesan Oven or Grill Ready Kit. “With two new, fresh products based on trending and beloved flavors, we’re continuing to transform mealtime for busy families and provide even more options the whole family will love,” says Angela Santiago, chief executive officer and co-founder of The Little Potato Company.

“Our Little Potato kits offer flavor, convenience, and ease,” she adds, “meaning less time in the kitchen and more time around the table with family enjoying a delicious meal.”

Hot honey continues to soar in flavor popularity, outperforming 56% of all foods and beverages in terms of consumer affinity, and is projected to outperform 100% of all other food, beverages, and ingredients over the next four years1.

This trending flavor is the latest addition to the brand’s Microwave Ready Kit line. A Little Hot Honey

combines the sweetness of honey with the heat of chili for a pop of flavor that’s ready in five minutes.

Simply heat the potatoes in the microwavable tray for five minutes, sprinkle on the included hot honey seasoning pack, and enjoy perfectly steamed Little Potatoes.

FAMILY-FAVORITE FLAVOR For easy and delicious oven-roasted or grilled potatoes in only 30 minutes, A Little Garlic & Parmesan Oven or Grill Ready Little Potatoes deliver garlic and cheese flavor the whole family will love.

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.

A classic and kid-friendly option, Garlic & Parmesan is a top trending flavor for potatoes, appealing to families and potato lovers alike.

Plus, it’s the only Garlic & plantbased Parmesan value-added potato product on the market.

Each kit comes with 1 lb. of Little Potatoes in a tray with a seasoning pack and can be prepared in minutes.

The new Microwave Ready and Oven or Grill Ready Kit flavors have a suggested retail price of $3.99 to $4.99 per tray and will be available in the produce departments at all major retailers.

The Little Potato Company offers a variety of convenient and delicious products that come pre-washed and ready-to-use with no peeling or cutting required.

For more information about The Little Potato Company and the new products, or to find a store near you, visit www.littlepotatoes.com.

[1]

26 BC�T June

Data Essential, April 2024

Albaugh Lands Registration of Chlorantraniliprole Products

Three new crop protection formulations for 2025 include Exceliprole™, Eventex™ and Diamid™ Albaugh, LLC is pleased to announce that the company has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency end-use registration for chlorantraniliprole products in both the crop protection and turf and ornamental markets.

Chlorantraniliprole has quickly become an important tool for the management of Lepidopteran pests, with no known adverse effects on beneficials.

Albaugh plans to launch three new products in 2025: • Exceliprole™ 400SC (EPA Reg. No. 83100-77) offers long-lasting residual control of a range of Lepidopteran pests, such as armyworms and cutworms, in a variety of crops, including potatoes,

soybeans, vegetables, cotton, corn, strawberries, peanuts, cereals, sweet corn, onions and more.

• E ventex™ 400SC (EPA Reg. No. 83100-77) provides specialty crop growers with an alternative for key Lepidopteran pests in tree nut, fruits (pome, stone and tropical), olives, grapes, citrus, and other labeled crops for strong yield protection.

•D iamid™ T&O (EPA Reg. No. 8944270) delivers season-long control of destructive turf pests, including all white grub and many turf- and leaf-feeding caterpillar species, as well as annual bluegrass weevils and billbugs, with outstanding application flexibility.

“Exceliprole 400SC, Eventex

400SC, and Diamid T&O represent outstanding value for Albaugh customers across row crop, specialty crop, and turf and ornamental markets,” says Douglas Kaye, president–North American region.

“These alternatives deliver the same level of long-lasting, high-performing insect control with minimal impact on beneficial insects that customers have come to expect from their namebrand counterparts,” Kaye continues.

“These offerings are supported by Albaugh’s investment in developing an independent source of the active ingredient,” he says, “further demonstrating the company’s continued commitment to bringing high-quality, competitively priced alternatives for our customers across the U.S.” To learn more, visit www.albaugh.com.

Effective, Targeted Colorado Potato Beetle Control  Proven through years of trials in Wisconsin and backed by a successful 2024 launch  Yield and defoliation protection on par with leading alternatives  Novel Mode of Action supports your resistance management strategy  Excellent beneficial and environmental profile  Minimal handling restrictions for applicators  No detectable residues on potatoes

Learn more about how Calantha™ can help you improve CPB control and protect yield.

Contact us at: calantha@greenlightbio.com Calantha™ is a trademark of GreenLight Biosciences, Inc. Calantha™ is registered with US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Always read and follow pesticide label instructions. © 2024 GreenLight Biosciences, Inc.

BC�T June 27

Auxiliary News

By Dakotah Smiley, Vice President, WPGA

Auxiliary Serves Spuds at WPS Farm Show Baked potatoes and French fries are a huge hit at annual event

Hello All.

An annual tradition continued with members of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA) attending the 63rd Annual WPS Farm Show, April 1-3, at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) grounds, in Oshkosh.

There, they joined WPVGA grower members and other volunteers in setting up and running a baked potato and French fries booth to serve thousands of attendees with healthy, homegrown Wisconsin potatoes.

Visitors enjoyed freshly made French fries and baked potatoes with all the toppings—butter, chili, cheese, sour cream and salsa.

Volunteers at the WPS Farm Show baked potato and French fries booth include, from left to right, Carole Gagas, Sheila Rine, Patty Hafner, Erin Meister, Marilyn Wierzba, and Gary and Liz Wysocki.

J&J Potatoes of Galloway donated the spuds, and McCain Foods generously contributed 23 cases of French fries for the fundraising event.

In all, the Auxiliary and volunteers netted more than $4,000 dollars, which goes back to WPGA programming and the industry

Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary member Carole Gagas of Gagas Farms, Stevens Point, serves French fries to a WPS Farm Show attendee.

28 BC�T June

for marketing, education, student scholarships, and continuing a tradition of promoting Wisconsin potatoes.

Gary Wysocki (left) and Cliff Gagas fully intend to prepare baked potatoes and French fries for WPS Farm Show attendees.

The centrally located food tent was a hub of activity, offering a variety of dishes prepared by state nonprofit groups.

Other offerings included bison burgers from the Wisconsin Bison Producers Association and ribeye steaks from the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association.

The EAA Grounds in Oshkosh once again proved to be a cornerstone event for Wisconsin’s agricultural community. With over 400 exhibitors from across the United States, Canada, and Denmark, and an estimated 20,000 attendees, the show offered a comprehensive look at the latest in farm equipment, services, and technology.

INNOVATIONS & EXHIBITS Attendees explored a wide array of

advancements, including precision planting tools, robotic milking systems, and energy-efficient farm solutions. WPS agricultural consultants were on-site to discuss energy management strategies, highlighting the show’s commitment to supporting farms of all sizes.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT The event featured several attractions aimed at fostering community spirit: three-day silent auction in Hangar •A B benefited the Wisconsin FFA Foundation.

• F ree health screenings were provided by University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh nursing students in Hangar C. • T he popular kiddie tractor pull, sponsored by Farm First Dairy Cooperative, took place on April 2.

Left: The messaging is clear—“Wisconsin Potatoes and Fries sold here!”—at the WPS Farm Show, with Carole Gagas and Liz Wysocki working behind the booth.

Right: This volunteer shift at the WPS Farm Show baked potato and French fries booth includes, from left to right, Julie Braun, Josie Spurgeon, Janelle West, Carole and Cliff Gagas, Karen Rasmussen, and Marilyn Wierzba.

As the WPS Farm Show concluded, it left attendees inspired and equipped with new knowledge and connections. The Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary looks forward to participating in future events, continuing to support and celebrate the state’s vibrant agricultural community.

Until next time,

Dakotah

BC�T June 29

PEOPLE WPVGA Hall of Famer Jerry Bushman Passes Away He had a lifelong passion for the potato industry in which he made his livelihood Jerome J. Bushman, Bonita Springs, FL, died unexpectedly on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort Myers, FL.

and encouraging his children, grandchildren, and others in their academic pursuits; endowing scholarships at Notre Dame, Marquette, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; and eventually earning his own Ph.D.

Jerry was born on June 29, 1942, in Wausau, the son of John and Sadie (Grzywacz) Bushman.

He loved his family above all else.

He reveled in the opportunity to be with his children and grandchildren as they grew up, supporting them by being their biggest cheerleader in school, sports, work and life.

Jerry was united in marriage to Barbara Kostka on July 7, 1963, at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church in Bevent, WI. He was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Joseph Parish, Galloway; St. Ladislaus, Bevent; and St. John the Evangelist, Naples, FL. Jerry’s spirituality was strengthened during his high school years at Saint Bonaventure Seminary and Pacelli High School. He was a fourth-degree member of the Catholic Knights of Columbus and a member of the parish’s men’s society.

Jerry had a great sense of humor and was always laughing with friends.

He and Barb loved to travel, golf, socialize with friends and play cards.

He had a lifelong passion for the potato industry in which he made his livelihood. He started in the family potato business, in 1961, and formed the produce marketing firms of Bushmans’ Inc. and J-B Marketing Inc., in 1974.

Jerry was passionate about higher education, supporting

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Jerome J. Bushman June 29, 1942 – April 12, 2025

Growing Bushmans’ Inc. into one of the premier fresh potato shippers in the United States was one of his proudest achievements. As he grew the marketing businesses, he started A&W Farms and Potato World Packaging in the late 1970’s with industry friends.

WPVGA HALL OF FAME He served on many potato industry boards at both state and national levels, including the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Board and the United States Potato Board (now Potatoes USA). Jerry was inducted into the WPVGA Hall of Fame in 2005.

Jerry also used his entrepreneurial skills and keen financial knowledge to expand into the banking industry.

He ultimately became involved with several community banks, particularly First Southeast Bank, located in rural Minnesota and serving the agricultural industry in that area, once again bringing Jerry's love for the farmer into full view.

Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Barbara; his children, Derrick (Tammy) Bushman, Bevent, Mitchell (Dawne) Bushman, Bevent, and Tia (Paul) Go, Plymouth, MN; and grandchildren, Nicolas (Stephanie) Bushman, Taylor Bushman, Madison Bushman, Maverick Bushman (fiancé Nina Galang), Lauren Bushman, and Raphaela Go. He was joyfully awaiting the birth of his first great-grandchild.

Jerry is further survived by his

brothers and sisters, Robert Bushman (Janet Harder), Elaine (Gene) Damato, Margaret (Dale) Hegewald, Cynthia (Donald) Aanonsen and Jonathon (Sandra) Bushman, as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Entombment is in the parish cemetery. An Elks ritual took place prior to the Mass at 11 a.m.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, John and Sadie Bushman.

Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home, Wittenberg, assisted the family with funeral arrangements. Memories and messages of support may be shared at https://www.schmidtschulta.com.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on April 29, 2025, at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church, Bevent, with Fr. Augustine Bentil officiating.

To honor Jerry, the Bushman family suggests memorials to St. Ladislaus Catholic Church, Bevent, and/or St. Joseph Catholic Church, Galloway.

Food + Farm Exploration Center Welcomes Kasey Cromer Culinary & Events Director brings wealth of experience and leadership to the team The Food + Farm Exploration Center, Plover, is proud to announce the appointment of Kasey Cromer as its new Culinary & Events Director. With a rich background in culinary arts and a deep-rooted passion for hospitality, Cromer brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the team during an exciting time of growth and innovation.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kasey to the team,” says Food + Farm Exploration Center Executive Director Alexandria Behrend. “His talent, leadership, and passion for culinary excellence will be invaluable as we continue to expand our food and beverage options to offer full-service catering for everyone’s meeting and event needs.”

Cromer’s appointment signals Food + Farm Exploration Center’s ongoing commitment to excellence in both cuisine and event experiences. continued on pg. 32

A Rome, Georgia, native, Cromer is a Le Cordon Bleu Atlanta graduate, holding an Associate of Occupational Science Degree. His culinary journey has taken him from fine dining establishments in South Carolina to the classrooms of Georgia Northwestern Technical College, where he has shared his knowledge as a culinary instructor since 2016.

Cromer is a ServSafe Certified Instructor and Proctor whose expertise spans nearly every corner of the food and beverage industry.

From fast food to fine dining, bar service to baking and pastry, and food safety to front-of-house operations, his diverse experience positions him uniquely to elevate both culinary offerings and guest experiences.

BC�T June 31

People. . .

continued from pg. 31

Gene Bula Passes Away Peacefully at Home Passion for farming and trucking led to Bula Land Company Farm and Trucking Co. Eugene Stanley “Gene” Bula, age 72, of Bancroft, passed away peacefully at his home on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, surrounded by his family and friends.

Gene was born on September 18, 1952, at the Antigo Hospital to Edna Abrams, mother, and Stanley Casmere Bula, father. Gene graduated from Antigo High School in 1970.

From 1969 to 1976, he farmed in Spring Green, WI. In 1971, he moved to Plainfield, WI, and started farming there. In 1972, Gene began driving semitruck, and his passion for that job led him to start his own trucking company, Nationwide Distributors,

Inc., in 1976. In 2003, he started Bula Land Company Farm and Trucking Company.

Gene absolutely loved to travel and tell all his traveling stories to anyone who would listen. His favorite travel destination was South Dakota. So many family trips were taken out west and many memories made there.

He was also an avid Green Bay Packers fan and a season ticket holder. Spending time with his family was always high on Gene's priority list, and he greatly enjoyed all the time together.

Gen is survived by his loving wife

Eugene S. “Gene” Bula September 18, 1952 – April 20, 2025

of 32 years, Sandra; sons, Bryan (Jennifer) Bula and Corey (Amanda) Bula; daughters, Brittany (Raymond) Bula and Deniell (Tyler) Calmes; seven grandchildren; brother, Mark (Patricia) Bula; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Edna and Stanley; brothers, James and Victor; and his four-legged companions, Smokey and Sweetie.

Liturgy of the Word was held on April 28, 2025, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Plainfield.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staffs of Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids, Gunderson Swing Bed in Adams, Heartland Hospice, and Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee for the amazing care and compassion they provided Gene.

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Future-Proofing French Fries McCain Foods tests and scales regenerative agriculture practices to support farmers worldwide

By Heather Smith Thomas Article reprinted with permission from Spudman Almost everyone eats potatoes, and French fries are one of the most popular forms of potato consumption. One of the largest suppliers of fries is McCain Foods, a family-owned business founded, in 1957, in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada.

Today, the company is the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products and a global leader in prepared appetizers and snacks.

McCain products are sold in restaurants and retail stores in more than 160 countries. The company employs approximately 22,000 people, operates 49 production facilities on six continents and partners with 3,900 farmers.

To call attention to its commitment to regenerative agriculture, McCain unveiled the company’s new “Regen 34 BC�T June

Fries,” in February, as part of its “Taste Good. Feel Good” campaign that encourages customers to learn more about regenerative agriculture and its role in the future of fries and other food products.

American actress Rachel Brosnahan has partnered with McCain to promote consumer awareness about its regenerative farming mission and progress toward the company’s goal: implementing regenerative practices across the entire potato acreage utilized to grow its potatoes by 2030.

“Agriculture is at the heart of our business, and our commitment to regenerative agriculture is at the core of our sustainability journey,” Max Koeune, McCain Foods president and chief executive officer, said in a news release.

“In the face of challenges like

extreme weather, geopolitical unrest and inflation,” Koeune added, “McCain remains dedicated to working with partners and communities to drive meaningful progress toward its targets and achieve a resilient supply chain and a more sustainable future.”

REGENERATIVE AG Conducted February 11-19 by online polling firm YouGov, a survey cited in a McCain press release showed that fewer than 1 in 10 Americans understand the concept of regenerative agriculture, and 35% of Americans have never heard of it.

Yet, more than half (57%) of the Americans surveyed want to learn more about farming or regenerative agriculture.

Nearly half of the survey respondents in the United Kingdom and United

States want to make more sustainable choices but feel they don’t know how their individual food choices make a difference.

McCain Foods, a maker of one in four fries worldwide, reports that 71% of its farmers are at the onboarding level of the McCain Regenerative Agriculture Framework, a roadmap to support farmers’ progression toward a regenerative model of farming.

Through its Farms of the Future project and commercial-scale research and innovation hubs, McCain is testing and scaling regenerative agriculture practices to support farmers worldwide.

“We are dedicated to ensuring the future of the French fry through our commitment to regenerative agriculture.”

– Christine Kalvenes, McCain Foods chief innovation and marketing officer

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To help consumers understand why regenerative farming matters and how a simple swap in their product choice can support the journey to a more resilient food system over time, McCain launched its “Fries of the Future” campaign in the United States.

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The campaign features Regen Fries that are available in extra-crispy crinkle and straight-cut varieties.

The company is asking fry lovers to participate in innovative ways to learn more and show their support for regenerative farming.

FARMS OF THE FUTURE AR A new augmented reality game called “Farms of the Future AR” is helping bring McCain’s North American Farm of the Future to life.

Players are transported into a futuristic farming experience where they earn prizes and rewards, including items made from upcycled and recycled materials, free fries or a farm-themed getaway.

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continued on pg. 36 BC�T June 35

Future-Proofing French Fries . . . continued from pg. 35

McCain’s “Farms of the Future”inspired experience debuted at Chelsea Market in New York City, on February 27, to bring the farm-to-fry journey to life.

New Yorkers were invited to explore the difference that regenerative practices can make over time through interactive experiences.

A Fries of the Future Cafe served free fries with recipes inspired by Brosnahan, a sustainability advocate and fry lover, as well as online influencer Poppy O’Toole and Texas chef Kolby Kash.

O’Toole is the self-proclaimed Potato Queen of the internet, where she’s amassed more than 5.5 million followers and more than 400 million views with her approach to cooking.

A Michelin-trained chef with more than 10 years of professional experience, O’Toole is the author of several Poppy Cooks books, including “The Potato Book.”

Brosnahan, known for her roles in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maizel” and 2025’s “Superman,” said she was inspired by McCain’s commitment

An online YouGov survey, conducted February 11-19 and cited in a McCain Foods press release, showed that fewer than 1 in 10 Americans understand the concept of regenerative agriculture, but more than half (57%) want to learn more about farming or regenerative agriculture.

to implement regenerative farming practices.

VIEWPOINT OF FARMING “McCain is not just changing the way potatoes are farmed; they’re also

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The fries offered at McCain’s “Farms of the Future” event in February were from potatoes grown using regenerative agriculture practices on a McCain’s Farm of the Future in North America, with a principal location in New Brunswick.

The company has another Farm of the Future located in South Africa. The focus is on regenerative agriculture practices to improve soil health, promote biodiversity and reduce environmental impact.

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changing the way people think about farming,” Brosnahan said in a news release. “I’m excited to be partnering with them to help raise awareness about regenerative agriculture.”

As part of its commitment to sustainability, McCain has expanded its global agricultural financial support partnerships. Nearly half of McCain farming partners are eligible for regenerative agriculture loans or incentives, the company said.

McCain has also delivered more than 25,600 hours of training to help farming partners transition to regenerative farming methods, with 22% of participants using water stress-tolerant potato varieties.

“We are dedicated to ensuring the future of the French fry through our commitment to regenerative agriculture,” Kalvenes said. “Our goal is not just to change the way potatoes are farmed, but to change the way people think about farming.”

Heather Smith Thomas has written more than 15,000 stories and articles for ag, livestock and equine publications, and 24 books. She and her husband, Lynn Thomas, have been raising beef cattle and horses on their ranch near Salmon, Idaho, since 1967.

American actress Rachel Brosnahan has partnered with McCain Foods to promote consumer awareness about its regenerative farming mission. Photo courtesy of McCain Foods

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NPC News State Managers Take Potato Priorities to Capitol Hill Leaders join NPC in meeting with key committee staff to discuss policy Managers from state potato organizations joined the National Potato Council (NPC) in the first full week of May to meet with key committee staff on Capitol Hill and advance the industry’s policy priorities.

“Thanks to the leaders of the Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin state organizations who joined us in advancing priorities for the industry! Strong teamwork is essential to seeing our growers’ goals achieved,” states NPC Chief Executive Officer Kam Quarles.

Tax reform, tariffs, agricultural research resources, MAHA (Make America Healthy Again), and the Farm Bill were all on the briefing agenda with the Russell Group, Food Directions, Western Growers, and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

Following those meetings, NPC and the state leaders took to the Hill to meet with the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and

Managers from state potato organizations, including Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Executive Director Tamas Houlihan (far right), joined the National Potato Council to meet with key committee members on Capitol Hill and advance the industry’s policy priorities.

Forestry Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and the

House Ways and Means Committee.

USDA Releases $1.3 Billion in Relief Payments for Specialty Crop Producers U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced on Tuesday, April 29, a second round of payments for specialty crop producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, providing up to $1.3 billion in additional program assistance.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 38 BC�T June

(USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) already delivered just under $900 million in first round payments to eligible producers.

“The National Potato Council applauds Secretary Rollins for recognizing the challenging conditions facing America’s specialty crop producers and unfreezing these

valuable resources intended to assist them,” says Dean Gibson, NPC vice president of legislative affairs.

First announced in December 2024, MASC originally authorized $2 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to assist specialty crop growers with rising input costs and aid in the expansion of domestic markets.

In January 2025, in response to stakeholder feedback and program demand, funding for MASC was increased to $2.65 billion. The MASC application period closed on Jan. 10, 2025.

MASC is designed to help specialty crop producers meet higher marketing costs related to: • perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursery crops and herbs • specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control • packaging to prevent damage • moving perishables to market quickly • higher labor costs Who Is Eligible: MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops grown in the U.S.: • Fruits (fresh, dried) • Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed) • Tree nuts • Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture • Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices • Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass, and grass seed Eligible producers or legal entities must:

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• Have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023, unless the producer or legal entity’s average adjusted gross farm income is at least 75 percent of their average AGI • Be in the business of producing a specialty crop at the time of application and be entitled to an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop

F O C U S E D O N AG . F O C U S E D O N YO U. BC�T June 39

Marketplace

by Dana Rady, WPVGA Director of Promotions & Consumer Education

Potato Export Contacts Made at Expo ANTAD

Mexico becomes more familiar with third largest potato producer in the U.S. I’ve always been fascinated with the Spanish language and any country where it’s spoken. Spanish came easily to me in school, so I added it as a second major in college. I had a hard time moving to northern Wisconsin, in 2009, knowing it would

be more difficult to practice my Spanish regularly.

While that has proven true to a degree, I’ve managed to retain enough to hold my own in a conversation. And I’m grateful for

the opportunity to have used it in representing the Wisconsin potato industry at 2025 Expo ANTAD in Mexico, for the second year.

ANTAD, which is “the most important retail expo in Latin America,” was held March 25-27 at the Expo Center in Guadalajara.

For another year, I experienced a show unlike any other I’ve attended in the states. Most companies go all out with their booth designs, to the point where security won’t allow anyone to enter the construction Above: A visit to Centro de Abastos in Guadalajara allowed for a stop at Dubacano’s store and the opportunity to visit with their team. Pictured, left to right, are WPVGA Director of Promotions Dana Rady, Dubacano Chairman Juan Jose Gallardo Contreras, consultant, Saul Mercado, and Dubacano Sales Manager Javier Solis.

Left: WPVGA Director of Promotions Dana Rady and consultant, Saul Mercado, sport hard hats needed to enter the exhibition hall during setup for the 2025 Expo ANTAD, March 25-27, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

40 BC�T June

zone until they purchase a hard hat.

Calling it a construction zone is accurate. As I walked to set up our booth, I was dodging nails and screws on the floor, stepping over 2x4’s, and walking around sheets of drywall. It’s quite the commitment for companies exhibiting there for three days of a tradeshow.

But it was a successful three days for Wisconsin potatoes.

I connected with individuals during my first Expo ANTAD, in March 2024, some of whom later attended the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Reverse Trade Mission, hosted in October.

Consultant Saul Mercado and I were also able to meet new contacts for Wisconsin potato exports and talk about the value the Badger Top Left: A delicious meal at Karne Garibaldi, a restaurant that holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest food service at 13.5 seconds, includes a beef-inbroth soup, food typical of Mexico’s Jalisco region.

Top Right: Consultant Saul Mercado and WPVGA Director of Promotions Dana Rady showcase Wisconsin potatoes at 2025 Expo ANTAD, March 25-27, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

State brings to the potato industry, especially when it comes to sustainability.

WISCONSIN HEALTHY GROWN Mexico is becoming more familiar with the third largest potato producer in the United States and number

one supplier east of the Mississippi River. They like what they hear when it comes to the sustainable growing practices our farms implement daily, as well as their participation in the Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Program. continued on pg. 42

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Marketplace . . .

continued from pg. 41

Social, economic, and environmental sustainability priorities are important in Mexico, as is establishing and nurturing relationships.

Some new contacts made it clear that they were looking to work with a partner, not just another company.

There is interest in potatoes for the fresh market and for chips. In fact, there’s a huge market opportunity for chips in the country.

Saul and I made a trip to the market center in Guadalajara, a visit the Wisconsin team also made in March 2024 while at Expo ANTAD.

It’s in this wholesale market center, called the “Centro de Abastos,” where many of the products imported are received and sold to those who own small businesses in Mexico, like restaurants and street vendors in neighboring communities.

Left: White and purple potatoes are on display at the Centro de Abastos in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Many of the new contacts made at this year’s show own bodegas, or storefronts in the market centers of Guadalajara, Mexico City, and/or Monterrey.

contacts have ensued, with more in the works.

Since returning from ANTAD, two successful conversations between Wisconsin growers and Mexican

Right: An Expo ANTAD booth features talented musicians playing the marimba, a wooden xylophone-type instrument that originates from regions in southern Mexico.

Expo ANTAD 2025 may be over for the year, but the successes are just beginning!

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This French fry generated some excitement for attendees at the 2025 Expo ANTAD.

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Now News Nutrien Ag Solutions Opens Innovation Farm Champaign-based facility accelerates adoption of modern technology Nutrien Ag Solutions® is ushering in a new chapter at its Innovation Farm location in Champaign, Illinois, with a new facility that showcases the Nutrien Agronomy team’s commitment to farming-scale research.

The facility will host a 16-person

onsite team representing different agronomic capabilities from Nutrien Ag Solutions. The building will serve as a hub to host training, team meetings, and customer engagement events.

The team moved into the facility in November and started hosting events

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this January, already holding 18 such activities in the new space.

While the building is an excellent venue for hosting events and training, its main purpose is to accelerate the adoption of new technology for growers and retail locations, focusing on whole-acre solutions.

The Innovation Farm trials demonstrate the integration of products, practices, and technology to create confidence in recommendations that can be shared with the company’s team of agronomists and crop consultants across the United States and Canada, as well as with the broader Above: Nutrien Ag Solutions leadership and employees, suppliers, state legislators, community members, and agricultural media gathered on May 20, 2025, to celebrate the grand opening of the company’s Innovation Farm in Champaign, Illinois. Pictured from left to right are Rob Clayton, senior vice president of North American retail; Kent McDaniel, Corn Belt regional manager; Jeff Tarsi, president, global retail; Thaddeus Bates, senior manager, applied agronomy; and Paul Bonnett, senior director, Nutrien Agronomy.

agriculture industry.

“Our Innovation Farm Network runs off five essential components: equipment, technology, products, practices, and people. In my opinion, people are the most important component out of the list,” says Thaddeus Bates, senior manager, applied agronomy.

“Many people have supported and put in a lot of work to get our Champaign Innovation Farm to where it is today,” Bates adds. “There have been many hands involved in this project, and we’re grateful for everyone’s support in bringing this vision to life.”

LAND TRANSFORMATION Nutrien purchased 282 acres of farmland, in 2019, with the vision of transforming it into the center it is today. For the past six years, the Champaign team has been cultivating the soil, conducting research at the speed of farming, and even hosting a national award-winning FFA project

for Nutrien Ag Solutions’ first-ever student ambassador, Avery Watson.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held March 20 to celebrate the beginning of this new era for the Champaign Innovation Farm. Nutrien Ag Solutions employees, local growers, supplier representatives, state legislators, community members, and agriculture media were in attendance.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were hosted at the farm for lunch.

They also visited stations that demonstrated the various focuses of the farm, such as the drones and RTK precision-enabled machinery being deployed in on-farm trials, as well as highlights from Nutrien Ag Solutions’ proprietary products shelves, weather services, and precision agronomy programs.

In addition to the Champaign farm, Nutrien Ag Solutions also has three other farms in its Innovation Farm

Network. The other locations are Selma, California; Winterville, Mississippi; and Owensboro, Kentucky.

The goal of this network is to collect field insights at a scale that is transferable to the average grower’s operation. This allows for a realistic and relatable look at how full-acre solutions perform, allowing growers to easily see how these practices could be integrated on their farms.

“Our goal with our Innovation Farm Network is to grow agriculture by sharing the knowledge that we gather on these farms, not by promoting specific products, but by sharing the practices, products, and technology that have been demonstrated to successfully work together as a full-acre approach that is efficient, attainable, and repeatable by farmers across North America,” states Paul Bonnett, senior director, Nutrien Agronomy. continued on pg. 46

Out there in the field, there is no board of directors to consult, no panel of experts to poll. But that doesn’t mean you’re left to navigate the sometimes-rocky terrain solo. You are always backed by the unwavering support and knowledge of your Valley® Dealer to help resolve problems quickly and efficiently, day in and day out.

There for you every step of the way. This is Valley.

As we count we are thank make us who and your fam happiness, g

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Proud Valley® Irrigation Dealer Address | Phone Number | Website Providing the Highest Quality of Sales, Service and Support

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BC�T June 45

Now News . . .

continued from pg. 45

Wyma Joins Potato Organizations

Company strengthens its support of North American industry Wyma Solutions believes that strong industry associations are vital to the continued success and innovation of the agricultural sector. That's why the company is proud to announce its recent support for and membership with several leading potato industry organizations across North America.

These connections allow Wyma to better understand the unique challenges facing growers and packhouses, while providing expertise in post-harvest solutions.

United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) United Potato Growers of Canada serves as a national organization promoting cooperation among potato-growing regions across Canada.

The organization provides valuable market intelligence and data analysis to help Canadian potato growers make informed planting and marketing decisions. Its focus is

A NOLAN SALES AUCTION On the Potato Equipment of

MATT ARROWOOD N5112 HILL ROAD, BRYANT, WI 54418 FRIDAY, JUNE 20th

STARTING AT 11:00 AM

LUNCH AVAILABLE ON GROUNDS

LOCATED: Northeast of Antigo 9.8 miles on WI-52 to Hill Road, then north on Hill Road to the site, Watch for auction signs.

TRACTORS: John Deere 8420 tractor, full front weights, inner wheel weights, quick hitch, 540/1000 lg & sm pto, 4 remotes, std 18spd powershift trans, new tires all around, 380/90R50 rears, 8511 hrs, sn: RW8420P031344; John Deere 8320 tractor, MFWD, 14.9R50 duals, 540/1000 lg & sm pto, 4 rear remotes, std 18-spd power-shift trans, inner wheel weights, 11971 hrs. Both tractors are in excellent condition.

POTATO EQUIPMENT: Lockwood 2-row high-capacity air head harvester, 45 & 42 mm belted web, VFD drives, 1000rpm pto, Cummins power unit for air head & hyd; Lockwood 2-row Mark Air harvester, all belted web, needs air head bearings, and a power unit to run fan; Lockwood 36” self-propelled bin piler, 240V single-phase, 45’ boom, new wired remote, all rubber belt; Spudnik 30” self-propelled utility piler, 240V single-phase, 24’ boom, all-rubber belt; Milestone 72” allhydraulic seed cutter w/hyd adjust sizers, variable speed elevator, hyd wheel drive, on-board knife sharpeners, leveling jacks, 230/480V 3-phase; 2001 Harriston 6-row disc-hiller w/34” or 36” spacing, sn: 20645; Spudnik 910 60” dirt eliminator/sizer, 230/480V 3-phase, self-propelled; Ever Rain 4”x1250’ hard hose w/Nelson 200 Big Gun; 36”x10’ roller inspection table; Hiniker 15’ stalk chopper, 1000 pto; John Deere V-ripper sprayer track remover; 20’ in general chain-bottom potato box; Double L 30”x25’ conveyor, 240V single-phase, leveling jacks, on caster wheels; Kerian 50” potato sizer, 4-lane exit, on caster wheels, 120V single-phase; 2022 Tong potato de-stoner/clod remover, needs 480V 3-phase, all VFD controlled; Tong de-stoner rock bucket stand; Case 78” produce bucket for skidsteer; Bauman 90” skidsteer produce bucket; 26”x7’ potato scrub brush washer, 120V single-phase; Lockwood 30”x11’ stinger conveyor w/6-roller star table dirt eliminator, 240V single-phase; 20”x8’ roller inspection table, 120V single-phase; Lockwood 24”x14’ conveyor, 240V single-phase; Ag Engineering Dammer Diker, 6-row 34” rows, w/2 rows of shanks, gauge wheels; Double L 851 4-row windrower, 45mm & 42mm, belted web has gauge wheels, RH discharge; Kvernland UN3300 Underhog 6-row 34” row potato planter, new cup belts, new 20” notched covering disc, row markers, 110 gallon in-furrow application system; Double L 853 4-row harvester, Galaxy table, high flotation tires, 45mm & 42mm, belted web; Milestone 30” seed treater/duster, 120V single-phase; 2000 gallon nurse tank on semi pup trailer w/2” gas motor & hose, new pump & hose; Lockwood 36” screen sizer roller inspection table w/belted web incline conveyor and chain discharge conveyor for “B” potatoes; (34) 18”x20’ smooth wall ventilation culverts; (8) Funnels fans.

(8) TRUCKS W/POTATO BOXES FARM EQUIPMENT: Gallenberg 750XT AireGlide sprayer, 4wd, 120’ booms, high output foam marker, new Raven system; Brillion 9-shank Soil Commander chisel plow, new 22” front blades & bearings last fall, sn: 179458; Wilmar Loadrunner 16-ton dry fertilizer tender/grain cart on tandem axle semi-trailer chassis; Hiniker 15’ stalk chopper, 1000pto, sn: 4003-0081-100; Clark GCX25E forklift, 4500 lb. lift, LP engine, new brakes & lights, sn: GX230E-0475-9372FB, 8030 hrs; Case 16’ offset disc, new 28” blades and bearings last fall; Kuhn Krause 8200 disc, rock-flex, 36’, hyd level/ depth control, walking tandem, sn: 8200-36X-2094.

SPECIAL ITEMS: 500 gallon diesel tank w/new 110V pump w/ outrigger and in-line filter; (2) 200 gallon oil tanks on stand for 15-40 motor oil & hydraulic oil; 110 gallon antifreeze tank on stand; 2016 Yamaha Wolverine UTV, 4x4 750 cc, blown motor.

ONLINE BIDDING will be available at https://www.equipmentfacts.com and https://www.proxibid.com. There will be a 2.5% BUYER’S PREMIUM with a cap of $750.00.

Sale clerked by Nolan Auction, Inc. Regular auction terms - cash or personal check. Everything sold as is, where is. No Warranties. If you have property to trade or sell, contact our office.

SALE CONDUCTED BY

NOLAN SALES LLC

PO Box 486, Marion, WI 54950 * (715) 754-5221 or toll-free 1-800-472-0290 Tim Nolan & Gerald “Sonny” Nolan, Reg. WI Auctioneers, Lic. #165 & #142 Visit our website at www.nolansales.com for more photos.

46 BC�T June

on sustainable growth and market stability contributes significantly to the strength of Canada’s potato industry.

Potatoes in Canada Potatoes in Canada is a premier industry publication dedicated to connecting potato producers with vital information, technology updates, and market insights.

As a leading voice in the Canadian potato sector, the publication delivers essential content on production techniques, equipment innovations, and industry developments. A commitment to knowledge sharing makes Potatoes in Canada an invaluable resource for everyone involved in potato production.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) Potato Board The PEI Potato Board represents potato-growing operations on Canada’s eastern shores. PEI’s rich, red soil provides ideal growing conditions for premium potatoes, and the Board supports its members through targeted research, marketing, and advocacy efforts. A commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with Wyma's values.

Northland Potato Associates Northland Potato Associates supports potato producers across Minnesota and North Dakota, a region known for its agricultural excellence. The organization provides essential research, education, and advocacy services to its members.

Potato varieties in this region require specialized post-harvest handling to maintain their quality, making Northland’s work in advancing industry standards particularly valuable.

Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association represents growers and affiliates across one of America’s top potato-producing states. WPVGA advances the interests of Wisconsin producers through targeted research, education, and advocacy programs.

The association’s commitment to sustainable farming practices and innovation has established the region as a leader in agricultural excellence.

INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE Wyma Solutions is honored to support these prestigious organizations and become more deeply involved with the North American potato industry. These associations represent the backbone of potato production across diverse growing regions, each with its own unique challenges and needs.

By supporting these organizations, Wyma gains valuable insights into regional growing conditions, handling requirements, and processing challenges.

This knowledge directly informs the company’s equipment design and development process, ensuring that its solutions address the realworld needs of potato producers

and packhouses.

Wyma Solutions is not just an equipment manufacturer, but a committed partner in the success of the potato industry.

As Wyma strengthens its connections with these vital industry associations, the company looks forward to contributing global expertise while learning from the regional knowledge of members. Together, they can advance post-harvest excellence and support the continued success of North America’s potato industry.

For more information about Wyma’s post-harvest solutions for potato operations, please contact our team by visiting https://wymasolutions. com/contact/contact-us, or explore potato processing lines at https:// wymasolutions.com/line-solutions/ small-potato-line.

BC�T June 47

Badger Beat Make Sure You’re Complying with the Endangered Species Act when Using Potato Herbicides This article simplifies the steps required to comply with the Endangered Species Act based on the risk of each herbicide

By Jed Colquhoun, professor and extension specialist, University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Department of Horticulture

In August 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

finalized its Herbicide Strategy to ensure that all newly registered and re-registered herbicides are in compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

This strategy ensures that herbicides can be used without adversely affecting threatened and endangered species or the habitat that they rely on for survival. While the science and process to develop the strategy was rather complex, the goal of this article is to simplify the outcome into a few required steps before using herbicides.

Where can I find the Endangered Species Act herbicide use requirements?

The details of what’s required to reduce the risk of herbicide drift or runoff/erosion around threatened and endangered species are found in two locations, both of which need to be visited prior to herbicide

use: the herbicide label itself and the “Bulletins Live! Two” website (https://www.epa.gov/endangeredspecies/bulletins-live-two-viewbulletins).

The herbicide label will include requirements for reducing spray drift and runoff/erosion risks. For spray drift, first a maximum buffer distance is established based on application characteristics such as droplet size and aerial versus ground boom delivery.

That buffer distance can then be reduced by adopting mitigation measures from options listed on the product label or by getting credit for those already implemented (like wind

breaks). The list of drift mitigation strategies is specific, including aspects such as droplet size, wind speed, hooded sprayers and relative humidity.

For runoff and erosion, first a point level for the amount of mitigation needed is established based on the risk for each herbicide. The risk level for each herbicide ranges from 0 (low risk) to 9 (high risk).

Applicators and farmers can then select from a menu of mitigation strategies to meet that necessary point level. For example, if the label indicates that the herbicide requires 6 mitigation points, then the total points for the adopted mitigation strategies must total 6 or greater.

Strategies range from being worth 1 point (lower likelihood of success) up to 3 points (high likelihood for success).

Examples of mitigation strategies include cover crops, terrace farming, vegetated ditches, and grass waterways. The mitigation menu is quite extensive, and details can be found at https://www.epa.gov/ pesticides/mitigation-menu.

Additionally, the geographic location itself may be assigned mitigation points based on topography, soil type and precipitation, among other factors.

Left: On the runoff vulnerability map, counties with low runoff vulnerability receive 3 mitigation points and those with medium vulnerability receive 2 mitigation points. Source: https://www.epa.gov.

48 BC�T June

In Wisconsin, most counties are assigned 2 or 3 runoff/erosion mitigation points. The listings by county can be found at https:// www.epa.gov/system/files/ documents/2024-10/countymitigation-relief-points-runoffvulnerability.pdf.

Some pesticides may also include Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs) where there will be additional mitigation requirements for specific field locations listed in the “Bulletins Live! Two” online resource (https://www.epa.gov/endangeredspecies/bulletins-live-two-viewbulletins).

The “Bulletins Live! Two” system allows the user to select the field location on a map, select the month in which they anticipate applying the pesticide and enter the pesticide EPA registration number.

Alternatively, if the field location and application months are selected, but the EPA registration number entry left blank, all pesticide use limitations for that field and application month will be shown. The full details of the use limitations are then available in a printable bulletin specific to the field location.

If that understandably still seems quite complex, try this simple recipe to learn how to comply:

Figure: This is an example of the “Bulletins Live! Two” user interface. Source: https://www. epa.gov.

3) Check the “Bulletins Live! Two” system for any Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs) specific to the field location, application month and pesticide product.

All new herbicide labels will include Endangered Species Act language.

The recent Liberty® Ultra herbicide label was the first to include new Endangered Species Act requirements. Others will follow as new products are registered, and existing products go through the regular re-evaluation process that

occurs at least every 15 years.

Additionally, the Draft Insecticide Strategy is expected to be finalized any day now, followed by consideration of a Draft Fungicide Strategy.

It’s expected that there will be much commonality among these three strategies. And, this continues to be an evolving situation, so be sure to check the pesticide labels and the “Bulletins Live! Two” system frequently.

1) Check the pesticide label for Endangered Species Act language: • What is the spray drift buffer distance requirement, and what strategies are listed that can be used to reduce the buffer size?

• How many runoff/erosion mitigation points are required to be able to use the pesticide?

2) Visit the online EPA runoff/erosion mitigation menu to see what the options are to get enough cumulative points to equal or exceed the mitigation point requirement listed on the pesticide label. Be sure to check the county mitigation map also for points associated with the field location.

BC�T June 49

Create a Culture

of Data-Driven Excellence Unlock business transformation through data strategy and artificial intelligence

By Spencer Lourens, chief data officer, CliftonLarsonAllen As technology continues to evolve, the accounting and agriculture industries must embrace a proactive and strategic approach to data. Artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and advanced analytics offer incredible opportunities, but they depend on a solid foundation of well-managed, high-quality data.

Collaboration and innovation can create a culture of data-driven excellence that propels farms, agribusinesses and organizations toward sustained success. This means: • Data strategy should map directly to business strategy.

• A short-term forecast may need to be used within a longer-term vision.

50 BC�T June

•P otential debts must be understood and payable over the long term.

•R elationships need to be built to truly transform an organization from a digital and data perspective.

The intersection of business and data strategy has become a critical focal point in modern accounting. To enhance data potential, it’s essential to align it with your organization’s overarching business goals.

Data strategy should serve as a catalyst for farm and organizational transformation and value creation, driving initiatives that support longterm objectives.

Success lies in deeply understanding business problems and crafting data-driven solutions that prioritize

impactful results. When initiating any data project, focus on stakeholder pain points and strategic aspirations.

Conversations should not only address current frustrations but Above: Data strategy should serve as a catalyst for farm and organizational transformation and value creation, driving initiatives that support long-term objectives.

also identify opportunities for innovation aligning with your farming organization’s broader vision.

A robust data strategy begins with posing the right questions, identifying the most pressing business challenges, and harmonizing data initiatives with the overall strategic framework.

This approach helps every data effort contribute meaningfully to your organization’s sustained growth and success.

Every organization faces pressure to deliver immediate results. Short-term wins can demonstrate value quickly, but they must be carefully integrated into a broader long-term strategy to avoid creating inefficiencies.

The concept of “data debt”— accumulated inefficiencies in data systems—poses a significant challenge. When left unchecked, data debt can hinder future innovation and limit scalability.

PROOFS OF CONCEPT A practical approach to this balancing act involves using proofs of concept (POCs) to validate ideas on a smaller scale. These POCs allow teams to learn quickly, iterate, and adjust without committing excessive resources.

However, POCs must always be designed with long-term architecture in mind while building toward sustainable and scalable solutions.

Prioritization is key. Efforts should focus on initiatives delivering the greatest impact relative to the effort required. By overlaying metrics such as business value, stakeholder impact, and resource investment, teams can make informed decisions about where to direct their focus.

Generative AI is ushering in a new era of innovation, with its potential to revolutionize the accounting industry by streamlining processes and uncovering insights previously hidden

in data, historically requiring many hours of highly skilled data workers and AI technologists to uncover.

However, successfully adopting AI requires a robust foundation.

Data governance, integration, and quality are critical prerequisites for unlocking AI’s potential. You cannot have an AI-empowered agribusiness or organization at scale without governance.

The process of building AI solutions should be tightly integrated with efforts to address data debt. This involves creating centralized, governed repositories where data is organized and accessible for both immediate and long-term use.

By embedding AI into these systems, your organization can align its efforts and reinforce broader strategic goals.

Transparency in data strategy is essential for fostering trust and collaboration. Every data initiative continued on pg. 52

Learn More!

BC�T June 51

Create a Culture of Data-Driven Excellence . . . continued from pg. 51

involves competing priorities, and not every request can be fulfilled immediately.

COMMUNICATE OPENLY To manage this effectively, teams must communicate openly about how decisions are made, the factors influencing those decisions, and the expected outcomes.

Centralized visibility into data projects can help stakeholders understand the bigger picture. For example, maintaining a shared roadmap of initiatives allows agribusiness leaders to see how their priorities fit within the broader organizational strategy.

solving with the discipline to pursue long-term goals. This often means making tough decisions about where to allocate resources and delivering clear, honest communication about the reasoning behind those decisions.

One of the biggest hurdles in this journey is addressing data debt.

Farming organizations may possess vast quantities of data locked in disparate systems, created over years of operational changes.

To move forward, there must be a strategy for harmonizing this data, making it accessible, leveraging it for decision-making, and maintaining it so your asset stays in good working order.

WISCONSIN Transparency also provides opportunities to gather CERTIFIED valuable feedback, enabling teamsPOTATOES to adapt SEED The growing complexity of data and align more effectively.

environments has made managing data debt a top priority for organizations.

Unlike technical debt, which often involves system upgrades, data debt deals with fragmentation, redundancy, and inefficiencies in how data is stored and accessed.

Addressing data debt requires a multifaceted approach balancing immediate needs with long-term transformation.

INCREMENTAL PROGRESS The key to success is incremental progress. Focus on high-value areas first, those delivering the greatest impact relative to the resources required.

For instance, integrating data from key operational systems into centralized platforms can provide immediate benefits while laying the groundwork for future AI-driven initiatives.

WISCONSIN Data debt is not insurmountable, CERTIFIED What SEED do you expect from the seed potatoes that you buy?

POTATOES

Leadership in this space requires balancing short-term problem-

WISCONSIN CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES

The varieties that yo

u need.

The early generation that you want.

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

Wisconsin has it!

Dr. Walt Stevenson is a member of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Hall of Fame. He was named an Honorary Life Member of the Potato Association of America and has received numerous national and state Researcher of the Year Awards.

“It’s fun working with an industry where the growers are constantly working to improve their practices and the already high quality of the potatoes they produce.”

For a directory of Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato Growers or a free video, contact:

Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association, Inc. WISCONSIN Wisconsin Seed Potato P.O. Box 173, Antigo, WI 54409 Potatoes:CERTIFIED Improvement Association, 715-623-4039 Inc. “The stringent standards used by the Wisconsin Seed Potato SEED POTATOES www.potatoseed.org WISCONSIN P.O. Box 173, Antigo, WI 54409 used throughout most of the industry. And the seed potatoes CERTIFIED 715-623-4039 produced by Wisconsin growers are consistently among the SEED POTATOES www.potatoseed.org best seed tubers produced in North America.”

52 BC�T June

S GER TA AD

TE

B

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

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

but it requires strategic planning.

View each project as an opportunity to build toward a unified, governed data environment consistently stored and explainable to all data consumers.

Over time, these incremental improvements can compound, creating a system that is not only efficient but also positioned to support advanced capabilities like AI.

“Artificial intelligence, automation, and advanced analytics offer incredible opportunities, but they depend on a solid foundation of well-managed, high-quality data.”

– Spencer Lourens,

chief data officer, CliftonLarsonAllen

For more information on this topic, contact Jim Halverson at jim. halvorsen@claconnect.com or (715) 221-3037.

reader. For more information, visit https://www.CLAconnect.com.

The information contained herein is general in nature and is not intended, and should not be construed, as legal, accounting, investment, or tax advice or opinion provided by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) to the

CLA exists to create opportunities for our clients, our people, and our communities through our industry-focused wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, consulting, and outsourcing services.

Join us for

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) is an independent network member of CLA Global.

Investment advisory services are offered through CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC, an SECregistered investment advisor.

SEI APPLICATION WEEK JULY 22-24, 2025 GET BEHIND THE WHEEL with in-field demos PLUS sprayer maintenance from SEI and Massey Ferguson experts!!

See the BRAND NEW Massey Ferguson Sprayer in action!!

SCAN HERE FOR EVENT DETAILS

SWIDERSKIEQUIPMENT.COM BC�T June 53

Eyes on Associates

By WPVGA Associate Div. President Matt Selenske, Allied Coop’s Pest Pros Division

Hello, everyone. It’s June

again, and I hope everyone’s crop is off to the races! After all the hard work in April and May, it’s satisfying to see bare dirt become lush green vegetation.

I just wanted to remind everyone about the 2025 Putt-Tato Open golf outing coming up, July 9, at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course, in Nekoosa.

The event promises to be a great day of fun and fellowship. As always, lunch is provided, and a nice awards dinner follows the golf tournament, with many door prizes awarded during the evening meal.

The Associate Division sponsors a raffle, with proceeds going to the student scholarship fund. Some past raffle items included a Blackstone

griddle, kayak, and a custom “Powered by Potatoes Bag Toss” set, always a hit!

Please join us for a day of fun. Details for registration can be found in the full-page ad within this issue. Hope to see you there.

On April 25, the WPVGA Associate Division, University of Wisconsin Division of Extension, and volunteers from the potato and vegetable industry hosted the 2nd Annual Student Career Development Spring Field Day. Ten Central Wisconsin high school and technical college students met WPVGA staff members, educators and industry reps at the Food + Farm Exploration Center, in Plover, before loading into a bus for a tour of the

Okray Family Farms grading and packing shed.

From there, the group visited a Seneca pea field at James Burns & Sons Farms, in Almond, where Seneca Field Supervisor Dylan Moore gave a rundown on the operation, and let visitors sit in the cab of a John Deere smart tractor with Auto Steer that’s set up to pull a massive 72-row planter.

Back at the Food + Farm Exploration Center, students enjoyed lunch and a roundtable of industry professionals discussing agricultural career opportunities in Central Wisconsin.

Participating in the panel were Julie Cartwright, sales agronomist, and Brady Patoka, agronomist, Jay-Mar, Inc.; Melissa Heise, marketing and human resources director, and Ray Murphy, precision solutions specialist for Swiderski Equipment; Amanda Gevens, chair, professor and extension specialist, University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Department of Plant Pathology; and Ericka Rossani Ortega, human resources business partner, McCain Foods.

An upcoming Fall Planting Day is in the planning stages as part of the Student Career Development Program.

Until next time.

Okray Family Farms Plant Manager Javier Cipriano (center) gives high school and technical college students a tour of the operation’s grading and packing facility as part of the Student Career Development Spring Field Day, April 25.

54 BC�T June

Matt Selenske WPVGA Associate Division President

Above: University of Wisconsin-Madison Plant Pathologist Dr. Amanda Gevens (standing) speaks to students during a roundtable discussion about agricultural careers in the potato and vegetable industry.

The new Career Development Program is funded by the WPVGA Associate Division to bolster the industry’s workforce.

Left & Bottom: As part of the Student Career Development Spring Field Day, high school and technical college students visited a Seneca pea field at James Burns & Sons Farms, in Almond, where Seneca Field Supervisor Dylan Moore (second from left in the first image, and top right in the second photo) invited students to sit in the cab of a John Deere smart tractor with Auto Steer set up to pull a massive 72-row planter.

BC�T June 55

WPIB Focus

Wisconsin Potato Industry Board Elections Open Candidates were nominated during a period that ended March 28, 2025 The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has certified three nominees eligible to be elected to the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board.

Candidates were nominated during the period that ended March 28, 2025. Potato growers have through June 16 to vote on the following candidates: District 1 Nominee: Keith Wolter, Antigo Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Iron, Kewaunee, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn counties District 2 Nominee: Andy Diercks, Coloma Marathon, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca, and Waushara counties At-Large Nominee: Joseph E. Seis, Grand Marsh Representing all producers across the state.

Elected producers will serve three-

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has certified three nominees eligible to be elected to the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board.

Candidates were nominated during the period that ended March 28, 2025. Potato growers have until June 16 to vote on the candidates.

year terms beginning July 1, 2025.

DATCP mailed ballots to eligible potato growers the week of May 12.

Growers who have not received a ballot can request one by contacting DATCP Market Orders staff at DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov.

Eligible growers can vote for the candidate in their respective district or write in the name of another eligible producer.

Completed ballots must be emailed to DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin. gov or postmarked to DATCP Market Orders Program, PO Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708 on or before June 16, 2025.

About the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board The Wisconsin Potato Industry Board is composed of nine producers in three districts across the state, including one at-large member elected every third year.

The Board administers the collection and use of approximately $2 million in assessment fees paid by Wisconsin potato growers. This funding is used to support the potato industry through research, education, and promotion of Wisconsin-grown potatoes.

DATCP administers elections for Wisconsin commodity marketing boards.

To learn more about the market order boards, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/ About_Us/MarketingBoards.aspx.

Wisconsin Potato Assessment Collections: Two-Year Comparison Month

Jul-23

Aug-23

Sep-23

Oct-23

Nov-23

Dec-23

Jan-24

Feb-24

Mar-24

Apr-24

CWT

1,313,762.07

1,528,723.01

977,118.59

2,045,401.98

2,686,018.96

2,077,816.49

2,083,671.00

2,011,188.99

2,168,247.92

3,200,286.89

20,092,235.90

Assessment

$105,353.00

$122,297.83

$78,169.48

$163,634.01

$214,877.01

$165,983.07

$166,830.95

$160,961.88

$173,459.55

$256,024.32

$1,607,591.10

Month

Jul-24

Aug-24

Sep-24

Oct-24

Nov-24

Dec-24

Jan-25

Feb-25

Mar-25

Apr-25

CWT

2,082,664.08

1,837,453.47

642,921.10

2,193,868.28

2,558,234.61

2,533,917.93

2,160,286.12

1,795,454.22

1,467,937.58

2,343,812.59

19,616,549.98

Assessment

$167,100.87

$146,986.28

$51,433.66

$175,474.49

$204,693.85

$202,713.44

$172,787.78

$143,636.38

$117,470.22

$187,505.21

$1,569,802.18

56 BC�T June

May-24

May-25

Jun-24

Jun-25

Year-to-Date

Year-to-Date

WPVGA Associate Division 25th Annual Golf Outing & Barbeque

WPVGA Associate Division

Lake Arrowhead Golf Course Nekoosa, Wednesday, July 9, 2025 We will golf rain or shine!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: July 1, 2025

The WPVGA Associate Division will host the 25th Annual Golf Outing at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa. The golf outing is followed by a splendid dinner barbeque and raffle prize drawings.

The golf format is a four-person scramble with a shotgun start limited to the first 42 foursomes and sign up is on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up soon! Don’t miss out! Registration will start at 9:00 a.m. and the scramble will begin with a shotgun start at 10:00 a.m. Cost is $90/person which includes 18 holes of golf with cart. Proper golf etiquette is expected.

Lunch is available for all golfers that day courtesy of an associate sponsor. The dinner barbeque is held immediately following golf and is open to everyone in the industry whether you choose to golf or not.

Tickets are required. ‘Barbeque only’ ticket price is $30/person.

Make checks payable to WPVGA. Please contact Julie Braun, 715-623-7683, if you have any questions.

GRAB ATTENTION!

SIGN UP TO BE A SPONSOR

For more details call Julie Braun at 715-623-7683 or email

jbraun@wisconsinpotatoes.com

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

July 1, 2025

! o Yes! I will golf. I am registering ______ golfers.

Group Leader Name: _____________________________

o I wish to order _______ Barbeque Tickets at $30.00 per ticket.

Address: ________________________________________

o I would like to sponsor a hole at the golf outing.

My donation of $_________ is enclosed.

Phone: __________________________________________

(Fee for golf only is $90 per person. This does not include barbeque.)

Company Name: _________________________________ City, State, Zip: __________________________________ These are the people in my group: 1. ______________________________________________

Golf Fee: Number of Golfers x $90

$_________

Barbeque Tickets: Number of Tickets x $30

$_________

+ Hole Sponsor/Donation

$_________

Total Amount Enclosed:

2. ______________________________________________

$_________

Please return completed form and payment to: WPVGA • P.O. Box 327 • Antigo, WI 54409-0327

3. ______________________________________________

Potatoes USA News

Easter Potatoes Go Viral!

The fun tradition’s third year sees thousands of media hits What started as a fresh, playful, budget-friendly idea two years ago has sprouted into a full-fledged viral sensation, catching the attention of everyone from major retailers to The New York Times and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Now in its third year, Potatoes USA began promoting the use of America’s favorite vegetable for Easter decorations in 2023 when rising food prices began sending consumers searching for ways to save money.

The trend has garnered significant national media attention in previous years, and 2025 again saw the idea of painting potatoes go viral, with the practice appearing in major

publications like The New York Times, Good Housekeeping and Parents Magazine, and notching over 2,000 traditional media hits through National Public Radio, Good Morning America, HGTV, The Pioneer Woman, U.S. Farm Report, and more.

Major retailers like Albertsons, Safeway, and Redner’s Markets even promoted the trend on their social media channels, as well as through in-store promotions.

Social media users also joined the fun. For example, on Instagram, food, fitness, and parenting influencer Tara Woodcox shared a video of herself dyeing potatoes with her son saying, “We had a blast!” Her post received nearly 163,000 likes.

Did you or your family paint potatoes this Easter? If so, we’d love to see your photos. Please send them to media@potatoesusa.com, and we’ll randomly select a few submitters to win Potatoes USA swag!

Dewulf Enduro Generation 2

High-performance, self-propelled 4-row potato harvester

Request your demo today!  The West - Call Kristof: +1 (403) 634-5980  The Midwest - Call Jan: +1 (306) 227-1048  The East - Call Doug: +1 (506) 536-7390

www.dewulfgroup.com 58 BC�T June

Meet the Next Speedy Spud

Ainsley Chapman fuels her brain and body with potatoes After our first Speedy Spud took the Dallas Half Marathon by storm in December 2024, we’re excited to announce our next tuber-loving runner racing in a custom-made potato suit!

Ainsley Chapman is a full-time engineer studying for her master’s degree, and she’s no stranger to fueling her brain and body with potatoes.

She recently competed in the Salt Lake City Half Marathon on Saturday, April 26, decked out in the Speedy Spud costume to demonstrate the performance power of potatoes.

Ainsley caught the running bug in college and loves that it challenges her to improve every day. To fuel her training, she is all about efficiency (and flavor), so she uses a makeahead roasted potato recipe passed

“We’re very eager and excited about the future of this farm.

We know Ruder Ware will help position us for success.”

down from her mom (https:// potatogoodness.com/recipes/ roasted-potatoes-2/).

Fun fact! Ainsley found the Speedy Spud contest through the Team Potato Strava challenges. Become a Speedy Spud yourself by joining Team Potato—our community of athletes dedicated to achieving their best athletically and in everyday life by nourishing their bodies with potatoes.

When you join Team Potato (https:// potatogoodness.com/teampotato/), you’ll find inspiration and encouragement to fuel with potatoes, accelerate your performance potential, and achieve your goals. You can also compete in fun challenges and win fantastic potato prizes.

Follow along with Ainsley’s training journal on social media

Ainsley Chapman wears the Speedy Spud costume while running.

at https://www.instagram.com/ potatogoodness/#.

Cranberry farming is often a generational endeavor, and the team at Ruder Ware understands the delicate nature of family businesses. Clients like Jenna and Heidi at Gaynor Cranberry Company trust Ruder Ware to guide them through challenging discussions about succession, the future of the farm, and strategies for better positioning their business.

Jenna Dempze

Ag Operations Manager, Gaynor Cranberry

BC�T June 59

DISHING IT UP WITH DANA Bowls Include Sautéed, Seasoned, Spiralized Potatoes Potato Protein Mousse makes for a velvety chocolate dessert packed with flavor and protein Column and photos by Dana Rady, Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association It’s crazy that summer is right around the corner. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. Winter seemed long again this year, didn’t it? I always look forward to boating, swimming, and watching the boys play summer sports. But I also feel like I took down our Christmas decorations last week.

For most people, the thrill of summer goes hand in hand with grilling. If you like to grill and want a twist on your next hamburger and French fries, I’ve got the perfect idea for you. Put it in a bowl. Does that sound boring and anti-American? I promise, it’s not.

It’s quite fun to take a classic and twist it up a bit. It keeps things interesting!

Bowls are popular right now, but what I love most about “Hamburger Bowls” is the sautéed, seasoned, spiralized potatoes. The flavor and texture they add is second to none.

Plus, if you need to be gluten-free or simply don’t feel like eating a bun, then this dish is your new best friend.

SIMPLY DELICIOUS Healthy, colorful, simple, and delicious, it doesn’t get much better.

What kind of hamburger dish would 60 BC�T June

it be without dessert? Now that would be boring and anti-American.

But don’t worry, I’ve got a potato suggestion for that, too.

“Potato Protein Mousse” is where it’s at, a velvety chocolate mousse that is packed with flavor and, best of all, protein! Wait, I lied, the best part is that you can have dessert ready in 20 minutes or less.

Simply blend agave, cocoa powder, milk, espresso powder, cottage cheese, and dehydrated potato flakes, pour the mixture into small bowls or cups and you’re done. You could even make it fun by laying

Hamburger Bowls INGREDIENTS: 1

russet potato, spiraled (alternatively, potato can be chopped)

3/4 tsp.

paprika, divided

1/4 tsp.

garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

1

yellow onion, diced

1

Clove minced garlic

1 lb. lean ground turkey, chicken, bison or beef 1 Tbsp.

Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 C

shredded romaine lettuce

1C

cherry tomates, quartered

4 Thinly sliced dill or butter pickles

Dressing for Hamburger Bowls INGREDIENTS: 2 Tbsp.

2 Tbsp.

2 Tbsp.

1 Tbsp.

1 tsp.

1/8 tsp.

onfat plain Greek yogurt n mayonnaise ketchup olive oil apple cider vinegar garlic salt and pepper

out different toppings and letting everyone choose their own, kind of like a charcuterie dessert board.

Two of my taste testers had a hard time sharing theirs, but my third taste tester got hers later that evening, and my fourth taste tester (Eric) isn’t a fan of chocolate. That just means there’s more for the rest of us.

DIRECTIONS Spray a large skillet with cooking spray (or add olive oil to the skillet) and heat over medium-high heat.

Add the spiraled potato and season with 1/4 teaspoon each of paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until soft and browned (about 10 minutes). Set aside.

Into the same large skillet, add more cooking spray or olive oil, and cook garlic and onion for about 3 minutes or until tender.

with 1/2 teaspoon each of paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir frequently and cook until it’s browned and no pink remains (about 5-10 minutes).

Add the ground meat, break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula and add Worcestershire sauce. Season 06-25 Badger Common'Tater (7.25x2.25).v1.pdf

1

2025-05-09

10:29 am

For the dressing, add all ingredients to a bowl or jar and whisk to combine. Taste the dressing and add salt if needed. continued on pg.62

BC�T June 61

Dishing It Up with Dana…

Advertisers Index

continued from pg. 61

Potato Protein Mousse INGREDIENTS: 1/2 C

almond milk

1/2 C

dehydrated potato flakes cocoa powder

6 Tbsp.

agave

1/3 C

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2C

cottage cheese

1/2 tsp.

coffee powder

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Toppings

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1/4 C raspberries

Sliced almonds (optional)

Mini chocolate chips (optional)

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Prepare the bowls by dividing the potato noodles, hamburger meat, and lettuce into four bowls. Top with tomatoes, pickles, and dressing.

DIRECTIONS: Potato Protein Mousse In a blender or food processor, combine the almond milk, potato flakes, cocoa powder, agave, cottage cheese, and coffee powder.

Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides, ensuring to fold in anything unblended. Blend once more.

Modern AG Alliance....................... 2

Pour into small jars and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Serve with fresh berries.

Noffsinger Mfg.............................. 32

Visit https://eatwisconsinpotatoes. com/recipes/potato-proteinmousse/.

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62 BC�T June

Friday, June 20, 2025 Bass Lake Country Club W10650 Bass Lake Road Deerbrook, WI 54424

Deadline for sponsorship commitments to be included in June Badger Common'Tater: May 1, 2025* DINNER SPONSOR $2,500

SILVERTON SPONSOR $1,000 BUSHMAN’S RIVERSIDE RANCH

• Company name/logo on two banners placed in prominent areas • Company name/logo on dinner ticket & one beverage cart • Company name and logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for four golfers

LUNCH SPONSOR $2,000 • Company name/logo on one banner and lunch ticket • Company name/logo on one beverage cart • Company name/logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for four golfers

GOLDRUSH SPONSOR $1,500

• Company name/logo on one banner • Company name/logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for one golfer

SUPERIOR SPONSOR $500 Hyland Lakes Spuds Inc.

• Company name/logo on one banner • Company name/logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event

OCCUPIED HOLE SPONSOR $300

• Company name on hole sign • Rights to occupy a hole on the course and provide giveaways*

*If alcohol is being served, it must be purchased through the golf course

• Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Company name/logo on one banner • Company name/logo in Badger Common'Tater • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event • Registration and dinner for two golfers

CONTACT KAREN RASMUSSEN for more details (715) 623-7683 Make checks payable to WSPIA *

We WILL accept sponsors after this date.

MAIL PAYMENT TO: WSPIA, P.O. Box 173 Antigo, WI 54409

BASIC HOLE SPONSOR $200

• Company name on hole sign • Verbal recognition and name on sign at event

Since 1998, this tournament raised over $214,000, which was donated to Wisconsin potato research.

P.O. Box 327 Antigo, WI 54409 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Stevens Point, WI 54481 Permit No. 480