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The Badger Common’TaterTHE VOICE OF THE WISCONSIN POTATO-VEGETABLE INDUSTRY

March 2015

Planting Issue

WPVGA Honors Helbach With Hall of Fame Induction

Interview with: Dr. Amy Charkowski

Volume 67 Number 3$18.00 per year$1.50 per copy

Ruth Faivre Takes Over As Common’Tater Editor

Wisconsin Potato Industry Presents Annual Awards

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4 March 2015

16

On the Cover: Potato planting is just around the corner.

FEATURES

WHAT’S COOKIN’ BY GERRI OKRAY ........................................... 31

AUXILIARY NEWS BY PAULA HOULIHAN ........................................32

POTATO BOARD NEWS .............................................................33

PEOPLE .......................................................................................34

SEED PIECE .................................................................................36

NEW PRODUCTS ...................................................................... 40

NPC NEWS .............................................................................. 41

WPIB FOCUS ...........................................................................42

MARKETPLACE .......................................................................... 44

. . . AND NOW FOR THE NEWS ............................................46

THE TATER BIN BY JUSTIN ISHERWOOD ..........................................48

MARK YOUR CALENDAR ...........................................................50

WPVGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PRESIDENT: ANDY WALLENDALVICE PRESIDENT: MARK FINNESSYSECRETARY: ERIC SCHROEDERTREASURER: JOSH MATTEKDIRECTORS: LARRY ALSUM, STEVE DIERCKS, RON KRUEGER, JEREMIE PAVELSKI, GARY WYSOCKI

WISCONSIN POTATO INDUSTRY BOARD:PRESIDENT: HEIDI ALSUM-RANDALLVICE PRESIDENT: CLIFF GAGASSECRETARY: BILL WYSOCKITREASURER: KEITH WOLTERDIRECTORS: JOHN BOBEK, DON ISHERWOOD, JOHN T. SCHROEDER, TOM WILD AND DENNIS ZELOSKI

WPVGA ASSOCIATE DIVISION BOARD OF DIRECTORS:PRESIDENT: CHRIS BROOKSVICE PRESIDENT: WAYNE SOLINSKYSECRETARY: STEVE BOHMTREASURER: ZACH MYKISENDIRECTORS: PAUL CIESLEWICZ, BUTCH FENCIL, CATHY SCHOMMER, SALLY SURPRISE, JOEL ZALEWSKI

WISCONSIN SEED POTATO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS:PRESIDENT: RON KRUEGER VICE PRESIDENT: ERIC SCHROEDERSECRETARY/TREASURER: DAN KAKESDIRECTORS: BILL GUENTHNER, CHARLIE MATTEK WISCONSIN POTATO GROWERSAUXILIARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS:PRESIDENT: JACQUIE WILLEVICE PRESIDENT: PAULA HOULIHAN

SECRETARY/TREASURER: SHEILA RINEDIRECTORS: ALI CARTER, GABRIELLE OKRAY ECK, PATTY HAFNER, LYNN ISHERWOOD

WPVGA STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: TAMAS HOULIHAN

MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: RUTH FAIVRE

DIRECTOR OF PROMOTIONS AND CONSUMER EDUCATION: DANA RADY

FINANCIAL OFFICER: KAREN RASMUSSEN

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: JULIE BRAUN

PROGRAM ASSISTANT: DANIELLE SORANO

SPUDMOBILE COORDINATOR: JIM ZDROIK

E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]: www.wisconsinpotatoes.com

Mission Statement of the WPVGA: “To assist WPVGA members to be successful through education, information, environmentally sound research,

promotion, governmental action, and involvement.” Mission Statement of the WPVGA Associate Division: “Our mission is to work

in partnership with the WPVGA as product and service providers to promote mutual industry viability by integrating technology and information resources.”

The Badger Common’Tater is published monthly at 700 Fifth Avenue, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409.Subscription rates: $1.50/copy, $18.00/year; $30/2 years. Foreign; $30/year; $50/2 years.

Telephone: (715) 623-7683. Mailing address: P.O. Box 327, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409.ADVERTISING: To advertise your service or product in this magazine, call (715) 623-7683, or write:

Advertising Manager, The Badger Common’Tater, P.O. Box 327, Antigo, Wisconsin 54409.The editor welcomes manuscripts and pictures but accepts

no responsibility for such material while in our hands.

6

36

Common’Tater Interview with: Dr. Amy Charkowski by Ruth Faivre, Managing Editor ........................................................................................................................6The Badger Beat: Pollinators at Risk – In Processing Vegetables? by Dr. Russell L. Groves, University of Wisconsin, Department of Entomology ...............................................1466th Annual WPVGA Industry Show ......................................................................................................16WPVGA Honors Robert Helbach with Hall of Fame Induction .....................................................19WPVGA/UW Extension Grower Education Conference ...................................................................20WPVGA Welcomes Ruth Faivre as New Badger Common’Tater Managing Editor ...................23WPVGA Presents Annual Industry Awards ...........................................................................................24WPVGA Annual Meeting ..............................................................................................................................28Tasteful Selections Offers Big Opportunities ........................................................................................30

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6 March 2015

Dr. Amy Charkowski

University of Wisconsin professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, Amy Charkowski directs the Wisconsin Seed Potato

tissue culture laboratory and an early generation seed farm that produces 30,000 cwt. of seed potatoes annually.

It also encompasses an inspection

by over 20 farms and investigates organically approved control methods for pests and pathogens important in organic seed potato production.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Amy holds a B.S. degree in biochemistry and plant pathology from UW-Madison (1993) and a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from Cornell University (1998). In 2011, Amy won the coveted 2011 American Phytopathological Society

(APS) Syngenta Award because of her countless accomplishments in plant pathology.

Amy serves on numerous grant panels and holds leadership positions in APS, the international seed potato research community and her UW-Madison department. Additionally, she piloted a successful international project furthering the development of quality potato seed production in North Africa and the Middle East.

Amy enhances plant pathology’s future as well as its present. She has trained

dozens of undergraduate and high school students and a steady stream of international scientists seeking the latest techniques and ideas.

According to Amy, “I have been

plants as long as I can remember. When

Common’Tater Interview with:

Name: Amy CharkowskiTitle: Professor, Department of Plant Pathology; Administrative Director,

Program; Also associated with the Microbial Doctoral Training Program, Middle East Studies Program, and the Agroecology Program.Organization: University of Wisconsin-MadisonLocation: Madison, WI Hometown: Madison, WICurrent Residence: Madison, WIYears in present position: 13Previous Employment: Research Scientist in Food Safety for the USDA, ARSSchooling: B.S. in Biochemistry and Plant Pathology at UW-Madison, Ph.D. in Plant Pathology at Cornell UniversityActivities/Organizations: American Phytopathological Society, Potato Association of America, American Society of Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAwards/Honors: 2005 -WPVGA Researcher of the Year, 2011- American Phytopathological Society Syngenta AwardFamily: Husband, Ron; Daughter – Kasia (age 10)Hobbies: Outdoor activities including biking, kayaking, and hiking; reading; spending time with kids.

A

by Ruth Faivre, Managing Editor

Seed potato prices are interesting because they are usually less than the loss a farmer

will face if he or she does not plant

7THE BADGER COMMON’TATER

I was an undergrad, I worked in a plant virology lab, for Dr. Doug Maxwell while taking classes in microbiology.”

associated microbes are among the most fascinating and easiest to study,” Amy continues. “The microbes can be very sophisticated in how they manipulate plants and we can also experimentally manipulate both plants and microbes to an extent that cannot be done with animal-associated microbes.”

An avid reader and outdoor enthusiast, Amy hikes, bikes and kayaks throughout Wisconsin and the world. “While most of my hiking and all of my biking and kayaking is in North America, some of it has been a little crazy,” says Amy. “Once, my husband and I biked from Madison to Ithaca, NY on a tandem. What were we thinking?”

What led you into the world of plant pathology and plant-microbes, particularly in regard to specializing in areas of potato production?

When I was quite young, I visited Epcot with my family and saw hydroponic

At the time, I wanted to be an astronaut and thought that working with plants might help me get to Mars. Sadly, this plan has been on hold for quite a while.

Then, in high school, I had an excellent high school science teacher, Marilyn

volunteer positions at UW-Madison labs. She found a spot for me with Dr. Steve Slack, who was one of my predecessors

I stayed interested in plant pathology and studied bean and pepper diseases as an undergraduate at Madison and as a graduate student at Cornell.

with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in food safety research at a research station. However, I really missed being on a land grant campus, so I applied for this position. Fortunately, I was hired and have enjoyed working with the seed potato program ever since.

UW-Madison labs run a lot like small independent businesses, with our product being knowledge. We only do

grant-supported research, mainly driven by available federal, state and private funding sources that are appropriate for potato research.

how microbes manipulate plants to cause symptoms and obtain nutrients. My practical research goal is to try to provide farmers with better disease management strategies.

It is very clear to me that several talented teachers and professors changed my life for the better. For this reason, I am a strong believer in the positive role that public schools and land grant universities can play in improving peoples’ lives and I have tried to “pay it forward” since joining UW-Madison.

Why do you believe that the seed

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8 March 2015

the potato grower's overall success?

is that seed potato health and variety cannot be accurately judged by just looking at the potato tuber. The multiple inspections that each seed lot receives result in a seed crop that is healthier than it would be otherwise and, as a

Seed potato prices are interesting because they are usually less than the loss a farmer will face if he or she does

For example, if a Wisconsin farmer

Norkotah seed that has a 5% Potato Virus Y (PVY) incidence and grows the plants through early fall in order to get high yields, we would expect aphids to spread the virus throughout the crop in late August and throughout September. This late season spread of virus is not a problem for yield or quality, as long as the potatoes are not replanted the following year.

Based on decades of research, if the farmer saved seed from this crop and

replanted it, we would expect it to have at least a 50% virus incidence, which would result in at least a 50 cwt/acre loss of yield to the farmer plus reduced quality in the potatoes harvested. The cost of this yield loss from virus is

seed potatoes.

If the farmer had chosen instead to buy

obtain a higher yield and better quality potatoes. This scenario does not take into account the many other risks, such as storage losses, variety mixture, bacterial ring rot or late blight that the farmer will

is why we say, cost, it pays.”

an interesting and under-appreciated

community. These programs cost around $30 per acre, which is far less expensive than any spray program.

Unlike spray programs, the funds that

entirely in the community growing the seed potatoes. Therefore, not only

improved disease management, it also supports the local rural economy.

Can you describe some of the new and exciting potato-growing programs you have worked on or are working on currently?

This is an amazing time to be a biologist because of conceptual and technical advances that are changing

Common’Tater Interview . . .

Dr. Amy Charkowski poses in front of the Wisconsin Certified Seed Potatoes booth at the 2015 Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association Annual Meeting in Antigo.

Amy Charkowski and two UW-Madison students visit Ron Krueger (left) of Felix Zeloski Farms in Eagle River. Krueger is the President of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association.


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UW-Madison students Ana Cristina Fulladolsa (left, PhD student) and Rajita Kota (BS student) are in the midst of plant pathology experiments.

how we look at the world around us. To me, the three most exciting advances are improvements in the ability of researchers to understand soil microbiology, advancements in potato

how potatoes respond to diseases and to their environment, and that we

aerial vehicles (UAVs) to help monitor agricultural experiments.

My lab is closely tied to the seed potato program. Therefore, one of our goals is to search out the most advanced information and methods and apply them at the farm level as quickly and economically, as possible.

My current PhD students are working mainly on disease resistance genes for important diseases such as PVY and common scab. They are also trying to understand more fully, the mechanisms bacteria use to cause soft rot in potato.

I also mentor an MS student, who is

looking at traits that these bacteria share with pathogens. Finally, Ruth Genger and I run an organic potato production and variety trialing program that collaborates with at least 30 organic

farms in the Midwest. One of the main

seed potatoes on organic farms.

10 March 2015Common’Tater Interview . . .

What recommendations do you have for growers to produce healthy seed potatoes?

The Wisconsin seed potato growers are experienced farmers and already do an excellent job of producing healthy seed potatoes. The most common problems we see now in seed potato

unable to isolate their early generation

virus incidence .This can only be solved if farmers coordinate where they plant with their neighbors or be sure not to cause this problem on their own farms.

There are, of course other seed potato diseases that cause problems. I am concerned that we will see future increases in soil-borne viruses in our state. We also have constant problems with common scab.

Because of changes in plant breeding technologies, such as the availability of potato genome sequences, I think we will start seeing swifter progress in potato breeding that will help with some of these challenges.

For example, I recently saw promising results with new russet lines, such

as Teton Russet and Fortress Russet, which seem effectively to resist PVY, the most common virus problem in potato. Similarly, Shelley Jansky’s lab

of common scab resistance from wild potatoes that may prove valuable to potato breeders.

developing in the future?

the next decades in at least three ways.

similar to those currently being trialed by Simplot become widespread, most of the disease problems we are concerned

be reduced or eliminated.

Second, I think technology will simplify inspections and allow farmers to conduct most of the inspections themselves. For example, farmers could collect spectral data, which is useful for monitoring disease, variety and quality, from detectors on their spray booms and harvesters. The farmers could provide or sell this data, to help estimate seed crop health along with the seed potatoes.

crop health, this sort of data collection could replace many of the activities of

Finally, our trading partners keep increasing laboratory testing requirements. Just like agriculture,

scale. Unfortunately, few seed potato-producing states are large enough to

In addition, there are no private testing laboratories, such as Agdia, approved by the USDA for seed potato testing. If laboratory-testing requirements continue to increase, potato farmers

costs by cooperating across state lines to develop regional laboratories rather than relying on state-based programs.

What challenges and obstacles do you encounter within your programs currently?

The biggest challenge is always acquiring accurate information that we can use to make the best possible decisions. We put a lot of effort into obtaining production and disease-related information before making changes in our program while

Amy Charkowski on an ice cream break with UW-Madison lab group students (L-R): Grace Christensen (BS), Jose Caram de Souza (a visiting scientist from Brazil), Ruth Genger (lab manager), Ross Hackbarth (BS), Jeffry Dorgan (BS-France), Samantha Sparrow (BS), Kate McAbee (BS), Ana Cristina Palma (PhD), and Chakradhar Mattupalli (PhD).


Over the past decade, we have seen new diseases and insect problems

emerge in North America at a faster rate than ever before.

also collecting data to evaluate and

Another challenge we have with the

ability to communicate and understand each person’s responsibilities and job challenges.

my research lab and a tissue culture lab, which are located in two different

and an early generation seed farm in Rhinelander. The jobs at each of these locations are specialized, but also interdependent and it is important for all of the people involved to communicate effectively and to be able to accept useful ideas from any other person in the program. We all try for this ideal, but

Finally, over the past decade, we have seen new diseases and insect problems emerge in North America at a faster rate than ever before. Each seed potato producing state in the US has responded to these challenges in a different way

ever-changing rules for seed potato production.

Overall, what recommendations do you have that will help growers further their success?

This is an easy question! Growers

grown in Wisconsin. By planting locally grown seed, farmers greatly reduce the risk of bringing in new strains of seed- or soil-borne pathogens into Wisconsin. Many of our new pest and disease challenges are tied directly to imports of seed potatoes or other plants.

It is also a hard question since each year brings new challenges and each farm is dealing with a different set of strengths and weaknesses. The most important general recommendation I have is to continue to collaborate with the potato research group at UW-Madison. We develop our research programs based

on ideas and observations shared by many farmers. Wisconsin farmers have

recommendations made by the UW potato researchers.

Do you expect the recent budget cuts proposed for the UW to affect the seed

research team?

Yes, these budget cuts will directly and

program and potato research in general.

A few years ago, the Wisconsin potato and vegetable farmers had a long-

range planning meeting and one of the outcomes was a re-stating of the importance of the relationship between the growers and UW researchers. I was very pleased with the outcome of this meeting and the renewed energy we all felt toward building on this long-term partnership. That is why I cannot stress enough how vitally important it is that Wisconsin’s potato and vegetable growers and WPVGA realize the impact of the proposed UW budget cuts and what they can do to call attention to the seriousness of the funding cuts we face.

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12 March 2015Common’Tater Interview . . .

Public statements that substantiate

in supporting potato and vegetable production or the state’s investment in the Wisconsin Idea, in regard to

are extremely crucial if we all want to protect the synergistic partnership we enjoy.

It took a lot of effort to build these partnering efforts and if ended, even for a short while, it will take a very long time to rebuild them.

The state budget cuts affect only the UW teaching and extension budgets and we cannot shift funds from research grants or fee-based programs, such as

this shortfall, which means researcher responsibilities will change drastically. I have seen news articles and editorials claiming that this budget cut is only 2.5% and not 13%, but these claims are based on a limited understanding of the UW budget and how impossible it is to shift funds between missions.

Our departmental budget includes the fee-based seed potato program and several large research grants, so the percent cut for our total departmental budget looks small on the surface.

However, the state funding cut is entirely from our teaching and extension budgets, which are much smaller than our research and seed program budgets. We cannot legally or ethically meet our teaching and extension goals by simply shifting funds from the seed program or research grants to cover teaching costs. If we teach more to cover these cuts, then we must to cut back on extension, which, unlike research, does not generate funds.

I am afraid that crop science research at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is particularly vulnerable to these cuts based on three observations.

First, crop science research is costly compared to other types of research because of the wide range of equipment and research stations we maintain for research. The state budget is the primary funding unit for these resources and cutting this funding will reduce our

and other vegetable crops. Because there is not a corresponding increase in grower or federal funds, this will result in

students trained in applied agricultural research at UW-Madison.

Currently, only a handful of universities,

all of which are land grant colleges, conduct extensive crop science research. Some of these universities, such as Cornell and Berkeley, cut back dramatically on crop science research due to state budget cuts. Private universities, even very wealthy ones, do not have crop science programs, because they are expensive to run, only attract a small number of students and do not generate self-sustaining funds. I expect that the UW budget cuts will result in the same eventual outcome in Wisconsin that already occurred at UC-Berkeley and Cornell University. If we are unable to offer education and training in agricultural sciences to the next generation of students and farmers, this will greatly affect Wisconsin agriculture.

A second reason why proposed budget cuts will impact potato and vegetable research, ironically, involves the popularity of biology majors among students. Now the most popular major at UW-Madison, most of the advanced biology courses are taught in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. This large increase in the number of students greatly affects our college, already

faculty member cuts. Meeting these

especially since our teaching loads

past decade. The proposed cuts would require researchers who currently assist

conduct potato and vegetable research and extension, to teach courses instead. Obviously, classroom teaching is a worthwhile endeavor. However, we

why seed did not emerge or discussing late blight with master gardeners and be in a classroom at the same time. Therefore, I expect that the amount of time the potato research team spends on extension and outreach will drop noticeably.

Finally, many other states are investing in education, which means that it will

universities for high quality faculty.

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However, I suspect we will not need to worry about competing for crop sciences faculty. The unfortunate reality is that to survive these budget cuts, the college will hire fewer faculty members. For the few faculty members who are hired, the college will likely focus on acquiring those who can bring in large grants (usually tied to biomedical research) and who will teach large classes. Unfortunately, hiring researchers to focus on potato and vegetable production and outreach will probably drop to a much lower priority

within the college simply because we will not be able to afford to make this choice.

In closing, what do like most about the career path you have chosen?

I have one of the best jobs available and I feel very fortunate to be blessed with this opportunity. Every year, I meet interesting people from around the world, I learn fascinating things about biology, I travel to places that most people never get to visit and I have the opportunity to mentor and teach smart and motivated students.

More important than these experiences, though, is helping people meet their own goals. For example, it is a wonderful feeling when a student accepts an offer for a job and you know that you helped them gain the experience and knowledge they needed to qualify for their chosen career.

results from Wisconsin, which are often among the best in North America, and I am grateful to be able to participate in a program that helps maintain crop health.

14 March 2015

Production and processing of specialty crops in Wisconsin are very important to both state and national agricultural industries. Wisconsin ranks 2nd among US states for both harvested acreage and total production of processing vegetables (Keene and Mitchell 2010). And key among these processing crops in Wisconsin include sweet corn,

potatoes.

In addition, the vast majority of these commercial, contract acres receive an at-plant seed treatment of a Group 4A insecticide (neonicotinoid). Increasingly, producers rely heavily on this single class of insecticides for control of early season pests including seed maggots, potato leafhopper, and bean leaf beetles (NASS 2006). Reported at-plant applications of these neonicotinoid seed treatments have occurred on nearly 90% of all acres

many other grain crops. Concomitantly, both native and domestic pollinators

are experiencing declines and even disappearance in localized regions of the US on an unprecedented level. Despite a remarkably intensive level of research effort towards understanding causes of pollinator declines and managed honeybee colony losses in the US, overall losses continue to be high and pose a serious threat to meeting the pollination service demands for several commercial crops. In turn, the extent to which our current seed treatment uses in processing vegetable crops may be contributing risk to pollinator risk is unknown.

Pollinators are essential to our environment and to agriculture. This is especially true for the production of specialty crops which rely almost exclusively upon pollinators for fruit and seed production. The ecological services provided by pollinators are critical for the establishment, reproduction, and persistence of nearly 75 percent of

crop and non-crop species. An

estimated 30% of the food composing the American diet depends on insect pollination. Nevertheless, the current major reliance on a single pollinator – the domesticated European honey bee ( ) – exposes U.S. crop production to potentially serious risks. Some of the 4,000 species of wild bees native to North America can provide, at a minimum, a complementary source of pollination services and an insurance

supply. In addition, native pollinators are keystone species in many terrestrial ecosystems.

In 2006, the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences released the report, “Status of

”, which called attention to the decline of pollinators resulting from habitat loss, alteration, and fragmentation, as well as pesticide use. The report urged non-

landowners and agencies to publicize activities that promote and sustain these important insects. The NRC report

pollinators and reciprocal increases in applications of pesticides, as candidate explanations for these losses. It is now accepted, however, that the abundance of pollinators in the environment

factors, including biotic factors such as pathogens, parasites, availability of resources due to habitat fragmentation and loss; and abiotic ones like climate change and pollutants. In the most recent USDA, Report on the National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health (http://www.usda.gov/

The Badger Beat

Pollinators at Risk – In Processing Vegetables?

Table 1. Schedule for Review of Neonicotinoid Pesticides

Chemical Name Initiation Data Generation Completion

Imidacloprid Dec. 2008 2010-2015 2016-2017

Clothianidin Dec. 2011 2013-2016 2017-2018

Thiamethoxam Dec. 2011 2013-2016 2017-2018

Dinotefuran Dec. 2011 2013-2016 2017-2018

Acetamiprid Dec. 2012 2014-2017 2018-2019

Thiacloprid Dec. 2012 2014-2017 2018-2019


documents/ReportHoneyBeeHealth.pdf), participants continued to recognize multiple sources of potential causes of bee declines. Although the putative causes are still currently being analyzed, there was broad consensus among all stakeholders on the panel that legal pesticide uses should not affect honey bees in such a way that: (1) honey production would be reduced, or (2) pollination services provided by bees are threatened (Pesticide Risk Assessment for Pollinators Executive Summary, SETAC, 2011). It remains unclear, based on current research, whether pesticide exposure is a major factor associated with US honey bee health declines in general.

Historically, US EPA’s pesticide risk assessment process for bees had been qualitative, and this process relied primarily on developing an understanding of the types of effects that might be caused by pesticide, based on toxicity studies only. In 2011, EPA began expanding the risk assessment process for bees to now quantify or measure exposures and relate them to effects at the individual and colony level. Since this time, EPA continues to employ its new risk assessment framework for bees as part of its regulatory decision-making process for all pesticide chemistries. As a result of the recent scrutiny of the

neonicotinoid class of insecticides, the EPA has opened the dockets for all the neonicotinoid pesticides. The goal of this harmonized effort is to review the pesticides in this class in the same timeframe so we can ensure consistency across the class (Table 1).

Many who are familiar with pesticide risk assessment recognize that the methodology and testing scheme employed for foliar application products (where exposure may be primarily through surface contact) is not adapted to assess potential hazard and risk from systemic pesticides. Bees are not expected to be subject to direct pesticide contact exposure during the use of many types of systemic treatments, such as those applied to the soil or as seed coats. However, the ability of these chemicals to be present

presents the potential for oral as well as contact exposure and therefore needs to be considered.

Conservationists and policy makers now have concerns about the impacts of the neonicotinoid insecticides and their interaction with diverse communities of native pollinators. Since the introduction of this important class, the use of these insecticides has grown considerably. As noted previously, they are used extensively for the control of important

agricultural crop pests by spraying and also as seed treatments and direct soil amendments. In the particular case of processing vegetables in Wisconsin, these systemic insecticides are almost exclusively used as at-plant seed treatments. And such uses typically provide 14-21 days of post-emergence control, after which time concentrations of insecticides in the vascular system are presumed to decline well below effective doses to result in acute toxicity. So potentially, foraging pollinator species would unlikely be exposed, at a large scale, to insecticide residues

present on snap beans, sweet corn, or peas which develop considerable later in plant development. At the current time, however, we do not know the residual concentrations of these insecticides in processing crops relative to plant development. Nor do we have

to inform us of the identity, or seasonal sequence of pollinator species that frequent processing crops, especially

of crop development. Therefore, it will be imperative for our industry to characterize the temporal patterns of insecticide residues in plants treated with seed treatments, and further to determine the pollinator species present in selected processing crops.

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16 March 2015

WPVGA staff members (L-R) Julie Braun, Danielle Sorano and Karen Rasmussen are shown working the annual Grower Education Conference and Industry Show registration desk. The 2015 event received excellent reviews from attendees and exhibitors alike.

Chad Rhinehart (left) greets visitors to the booth for Bayer CropScience.

66th Annual WPVGA Industry Show

Bill Zelinski of Big Iron Equipment, Plover, talks with Joe Seis of Sterling Farms, Grand Marsh.

Gene Gagas of Gagas Farms, Custer, putts a potato toward the cup at

the booth for Bushmans’, Inc. of Rosholt. At right is Mick Kolpack, Field

Manager for Bushmans.


Pat Bula and Ron Bula of Badgerland Financial visit with Rick Hafner, Senior Inspector with the

Amy Charkowski, Director of the WSPCP.

Pictured in front of a potato display are Hancock Research Station staff members (L-R) Felix Navarro, Superintendent; Troy Fishler, Storage Research Manager; and Amber Gotch. The display includes several of the new varieties of potatoes and chips that are part of the Wisconsin Potato Variety Advanced Selection Evaluation trials at Hancock, Antigo and Rhinelander.

Butch Fencil and Nick Laudenbach of Fencil Urethane Systems, Wisconsin Rapids, are pictured with Mike Rupiper and Norman Tachik of Nicolet Farms, Suring.

Sharing a laugh at the booth for Jay-Mar, Inc. of Plover are (L-R) Gary Patoka of Patoka Farms, Plover, Wayne Solinsky and Dave Warner of Jay-Mar, and Bruce Soik of Myron Soik & Sons, Stevens Point.

Gary Woyak of Taterland Farms, Plainfield, talks taters with Paul Cieslewicz of Sand County Equipment, Bancroft.

18 March 2015

Steve Tatro (left) of T.I.P., Inc., Custer, talks spuds with Ron and Ken Mach of Mach’s Sunny Acres, Antigo.

Mike Barker of Okray Family Farms, Plover, visits Bob Ebben of Edward Jones, Wisconsin Rapids.

66th Annual WPVGA Industry Show . . .continued from pg. 17

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Long-time processed potato and vegetable grower Robert Helbach of Helbach Farms, Amherst, was inducted into the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Hall of Fame at a banquet held February 4, 2015 in Stevens Point.

The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Hall of Fame honors lifetime achievement in the development of the state’s potato industry. It is the intention of the WPVGA to continue to honor individuals who have made

industry in Wisconsin by making annual Hall of Fame inductions.

The following is a brief biographical sketch of this year’s WPVGA Hall of Fame inductee.

Robert “Bob” Helbach was born on November 3, 1942 in Amherst, Wisconsin, the son of George and Merle Helbach. He married Helen Dernbach on April 4, 1964 in Almond, Wisconsin. They have

great-grandchild.

Helbach Farms has a long history in the

Amherst area. Bob Helbach’s father, George, started farming in the area in the early 1930s. The farm was primarily a dairy operation, although they grew 8-10 acres of potatoes every year and peddled them throughout central Wisconsin.

Bob and his wife, Helen, took over the farm operation in 1974, moving away from dairy and concentrating on vegetables. He began growing potatoes in 1980 and later became one of the top growers of processed potatoes for Ore-Ida Foods, winning Top Grower and Bruise Free awards.

Bob’s sons, Mike and Kirk joined the farm in the 1990s, and now have taken over running the family business, along with their brother, George, who became an owner of the farm in 2002. They have done an outstanding job raising potatoes for processing, as they have won Champion Grower awards from McCain Foods six times since 2002. They now raise approximately 450 acres of chipping potatoes for Heartland Farms in addition to 350 acres of Russet Burbanks for McCain.

Bob has been a long-time leader of growers in the processed vegetable industry, helping organize growers and conduct meetings with processors to improve communications as well as grower viability. Helbach set up meetings with growers, processors and the banking community to discuss contracts and stress the need for returns to growers that were above the cost of production. His efforts opened lines of communication between growers and processors, and fostered cooperation rather than confrontation between these business partners.

Bob worked hard over the years to promote grower unity. His spirit of cooperation enabled the growers of processed vegetables to balance their

has truly been an ambassador for the Wisconsin potato and vegetable industry.

Now retired, Bob enjoys spending time

watching high school sports.

Congratulations, Bob!

WPVGA Honors Robert Helbach with Hall of Fame Induction

Robert Helbach

Members of the Helbach family are pictured with Robert Helbach after his induction into the WPVGA Hall of Fame on Feb. 4. Pictured are: Front row (L-R) Travis and Susie Firkus; Back Row - Kirk, Shelley, George, Rachel, Zachary, Helen, Bob, Jenny, Rob, Debra and Michael Helbach.

20 March 2015

WPVGA/UW Extension Grower

Dr. Russ Groves of the UW Department of Entomology gave several presentations at the 2015 WPVGA/UW Extension Grower Education Conference. Groves spoke on Insecticide Resistance Management Fundamentals; Landscape Management of Potato Pests and Pathogens; and Influence of Viral Stresses on Potato Storage Quality. Regarding resistance management, Groves stressed product rotation using different modes of action. He recommends the use of full, recommended label rates; and when possible, consider adopting all non-chemical techniques to suppress pest populations, including crop rotation. He also said it is very important to target the right life stage of the insect when using crop protection products.

Professor Emeritus Dr. Jeff Wyman (left) facilitated a panel discussion on Water Conservation and Potential Solutions. Representing potato growers is WPVGA Hall of Fame grower Louis Wysocki (right). Also speaking were Dan Mahoney of the Village of Plover and Bob Smail of the Wisconsin DNR. Through the WPVGA Water Task Force, growers are working closely with research scientists and state agency personnel to get a better understanding of the Central Sands hydrology. Growers are using this information to further develop and implement responsible water use practices. Potato and vegetable growers are also developing more efficient ways to irrigate using less water.

High capacity well application review and cumulative impacts are discussed by Eric Ebersberger, Section Chief, Division of Water, Water Use Section, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison. Ebersberger said increased well permit applications and increased reviews by the DNR have led to a significant backlog in processing the permits. The 25-year average number of well permit applications in Wisconsin is 170; in the last three years, that number has doubled to 340. There is currently a wait of approximately six months from time of application; Ebersberger said the DNR is trying to move ahead with those permits that do not require a cumulative impact review.

WPVGA lobbyist Ron Kuehn of DeWitt, Ross & Stevens, Madison, provides an update on issues critical to the potato and vegetable industry. Kuehn said there are currently two versions of high capacity well legislation being considered by the Wisconsin legislature; one focuses on the areas of transfers, replacement and reconstruction of existing high capacity wells; the other is more comprehensive, and would be even more beneficial in streamlining the permit application process. Kuehn also emphasized the importance of the WPVGA’s ongoing political fundraising efforts. He encouraged all growers to participate.


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Dr. Amanda Gevens, Assistant Professor & Extension Plant Pathologist at UW-Madison, offered an update on the early blight complex of potato in Wisconsin. This complex includes early blight and brown spot - two similar but unique diseases of potato which are typically managed together with cultural approaches and crop protectants. Dr. Gevens and her student have identified Alternaria solani and A. alternata in commercial fields throughout the production season. They discovered complete azoxystrobin resistance in many isolates of A. alternata (brown spot) and partial resistance in most of the isolates of A. solani (early blight). Results suggest that a change in fungicides may be necessary to enhance disease control. Gevens also shared results of her 2014 Hancock fungicide efficacy trial for early blight control. Grower standard programs with strobilurins and with triazoles effectively limited disease and maintained significant yields. Additionally, two Phostrol-containing programs provided some of the highest yields.

Dr. Jeff Endelman presented information about recent releases from the UW potato breeding program, such as Red Endeavor and Oneida Gold, as well as new strategies for variety development. Both pedigrees and DNA markers are being used to facilitate selection in early generations for traits such as PVY resistance and chip color. Data from the 2014 fresh market variety trial, which was replicated across several locations, confirmed that the Hancock and Langlade Research Stations are good selection environments because agronomic performance at the stations was correlated with the results from commercial farms.

Christelle Guedot, UW-Entomology, addresses the audience on the topic of pollinator health. Guedot says insects pollinate two-thirds of the world’s crops and the economic impacts of insect pollination are close to $15 billion annually to the US economy. She added that the most important pollinators are bees, and pesticide exposure is one of the many causes of colony collapse disorder. She said there are several federal programs available to assist in pollinator conservation.

continued on pg. 22

February 3-5, 2015

Stevens Point, WI

22 March 2015WPVGA/UW Extension Grower Education Conference . . .continued from pg. 21

Dr. A.J. Bussan of Wysocki Produce Farm, Bancroft, speaks about approaches to more efficient irrigation. Bussan said the goal is to maximize irrigation to meet crop demand. In studies on soybeans, yields were not affected by the use of deferred irrigation. The use of deficit irrigation (irrigating at less than ET) on sweet corn produced no yield differences. He added that snap bean yields have doubled in recent years (up to 12 tons/acre), yet the irrigation use has remained the same, resulting in double the efficiency.

The value of the neonicotinoid insecticide class is the topic addressed by Dr. Paul Mitchell of the UW Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Mitchell says “neonics” are the most used insecticide class in the US with over 135 million acres treated, including 61% of all corn acres and 22% of soybean acres. In Wisconsin, of the 63,000 acres of potatoes grown, 94% are treated with neonics. A study on the economic impacts of neonics on US potato production showed a value of $86-110 billion.

Paul Bethke, Assistant Professor of UW Horticulture and USDA-ARS Plant Physiologist, gave two presentations at the Grower Education Conference. One was on genetic and cultural management solutions to improve potato storage quality; and another was on potato development and skin set in fresh market red varieties as part of the Wisconsin Muck Growers meeting.

Dr. Neil Gudmestad, University Distinguished Professor, North Dakota State University, gave presentations on fumigation delivery and fumigation alternatives; and biorational technologies for the control of early dying.

Neonics are the most used

insecticide class in the US…


WPVGA Executive Director, Tamas Houlihan, announced on February 2, 2015 that Ruth Faivre, Custer, was hired by the

Editor. Faivre replaces Houlihan who had served in that position for 27 years prior to being named WPVGA Executive Director on December 4, 2014.

Houlihan said he is thrilled to welcome Faivre aboard during this year of growth and opportunity for WPVGA.

“Ruth brings over thirty years of experience and advanced skill sets in writing, publishing, advertising, marketing, sales and public relations,” he said. “She was able to assist immediately with the coverage of the 2015 WPVGA Grower Education Conference and Industry Show as well as the production of the March issue of The Badger Common’Tater. She will be handling all the future issues of the magazine going forward. The WPVGA is very pleased to have found someone with Ruth’s background and knowledge of the agricultural industry.”

Faivre has created and edited a number of print/online magazines over the years, handling circulation, advertising sales and ad creation, story selection, writing and photography, while also coordinating freelancers and other contributors. She has experience and expertise with Photoshop, editing, proofreading, layout, publicity,

website and social media management as well as event coordination.

Her most recent launch, “Journey through Wisconsin,” a spin-off from “Neighbors” magazine, a Faivre Implement publication she created while serving as their Marketing Director, enjoyed 15,000 readers across Central Wisconsin and appealed to both residential and agricultural markets.

“Understanding how to balance these two audiences is vitally important when covering agricultural interests today because there is a concerted effort to downplay the importance of our nation’s farmers,” asserts Faivre, a strong supporter of the American farmer. “Media coverage is often negative and frequently uses the term ‘corporate farms’ to portray farming as an uncaring, money-hungry industry.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” states Faivre. “Farmers are foremost, stewards of the land, revering and treasuring the ground they work. Today, greater focus on crop rotation, minimum tillage, precision farming, specialized irrigation and sprayer equipment and other technologies, allow producers to use less fertilizer, chemicals and water while

global needs.”

Faivre works diligently to help the public understand that farmers are not big corporate entities but real people,

neighbors and friends, who have stakes in the communities in which they farm. “One of my goals in the coming year is to submit Badger Common’Tater articles to consumer and agriculture publications to pick up as free articles. That will help provide a voice of reason in an interesting manner that gives non-farming folks a new perspective.”

WPVGA and many of its grower members participate in government and university sponsored committees working toward developing sustainability programs, particularly those that address reduced pesticide use and water inputs, soil and water quality, climate, energy, waste management and other environmental, social responsibility and economic considerations.

Throughout 2015, while maintaining the current excellent editorial focus on growers, associate members, industry news and new product introductions, Faivre plans to introduce regular articles on emerging markets for producers, alternative crops to consider and the Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers’ next generation of farmers.

WPVGA Welcomes Ruth Faivre as New Badger Common’Tater Managing Editor

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24 March 2015

WPVGA Presents Annual Industry AwardsIn addition to its annual Hall of Fame induction, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) presented several other annual industry awards at a banquet held February 4, 2015 in Stevens Point.

Kathy Bartsch of Bartsch Farms, Coloma, was named the WPVGA Volunteer of the Year. Bartsch has done a tremendous amount of volunteer work in the Wisconsin potato industry over the past several years. A long-time member of the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary Board of Directors, Bartsch continues to serve the Auxiliary by chairing and coordinating the Kids Dig Wisconsin Potatoes program, which teaches grade school children all about potatoes while growing them in the classroom.

“Kathy does a great job leading the Kids Dig Harvest Parties that are held at selected schools,” noted Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary President Jacquie Wille. “She also volunteers at numerous industry events, including the School Nutrition Association Conference, the WPS Farm Show, the Wisconsin State Fair, the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Packing event, and others.”

Bartsch also serves on the WPVGA Promotions Committee. She was the WPVGA Potato Industry Woman of the Year in 2006. She and her husband, Steve, own and operate Bartsch Farms in Coloma, Wisconsin.

Eric Schroeder of Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc., Antigo, was named WPVGA Young Grower of the Year. WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan recognized Schroeder for his leadership and active involvement in the potato industry.

“Eric has been extremely active in the potato industry, serving on both the WPVGA and the Wisconsin Seed

Potato Improvement Association board of directors, while also serving as a Wisconsin representative on the United States Potato Board,” said Houlihan. “He Chairs the Regulatory Committee for the Seed Association, and Chairs the Chip Committee for the WPVGA. He served as the 2014 Potato Industry Leadership Institute’s Grower-Leader, after being elected to the position by the 2013 Leadership Institute class.”

The son of Pete and Gina Schroeder, Eric works as the Assistant Farm Manager at Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. where they

oats, soybeans and sweet corn.

The WPVGA Researcher of the Year Award went to Dr. Paul Mitchell, Associate Professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Dr. Mitchell’s 2014 research included a project funded by the Wisconsin potato industry titled: “Increasing the Economic Value of Sustainability in Wisconsin Potato Production Using a Multi-Tiered Approach to Assessment.”

“Paul has been the leader of a very

large Specialty Crop Research Initiative

are collaborating to create a system for reporting the sustainability of agricultural practices that will be credible to consumers and workable for producers, and will document improvements over time,” Houlihan remarked. “He has documented Wisconsin’s contributions to sustainability solutions, and his efforts are helping to make our state, our nation

Kathy Bartsch

Eric Schroeder

Dr. Paul Mitchell


Eugene Mancl Dianne Somers Chris Brooks

and our entire world more sustainable.”

Mitchell has a PhD in Economics from Iowa State University, a Master’s Degree in Classics from UW-Madison, and a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Iowa State University.

The WPVGA Associate Division presented the Associate Division Business Person of the Year Award to Eugene Mancl of Ron’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc., Wisconsin Rapids.

According to Houlihan, Mancl has dedicated a great deal of time and effort to more fully engage the Associate Division with the Wisconsin potato and vegetable industry.

“Through Eugene’s efforts as Associate Division President the past two years, the Associate Division’s annual golf outing greatly increased its income and then donated the additional funds raised to worthy causes throughout the industry,” said Houlihan. “Some of those projects include: increased funding of research and other industry grants; additional scholarships to industry members’

the WPVGA Spudmobile project; generous donation toward the Feed My Starving Children mobile packing event; and individual donations to industry

members and their families in times of need.”

Houlihan went on to say that Mancl’s hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence have enabled the Associate Division to become a true partner in the potato and vegetable industry.

The Agri-Communicator Award for excellence in communication and dedicated service in presenting a positive message about the agricultural industry was presented to Dianne

Somers of Plover River Farms, Stevens Point.

“Dianne has been actively involved in the Wisconsin potato industry for many years, and 2014 was no exception,” Houlihan stated. “She has been active with the WPVGA Water Task Force and did an outstanding job communicating with the WPVGA and the rest of the industry on water issues. She spoke up on behalf of agriculture at several

continued on pg. 26

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26 March 2015WPVGA Presents Annual Industry Awards. . .continued from pg. 25

Tamas Houlihan

Wendy Alsum-Dykstra and Heidi Alsum-Randall

area water listening sessions and was instrumental in getting agriculture represented on the state’s Groundwater Coordinating Council.”

Somers was also active on the WPVGA Promotions Committee as well as the Spud Bowl Committee, and led several political fundraising efforts, including hosting a highly successful event at her home for Governor Walker.

“Dianne always has the industry’s best interests at heart,” Houlihan added. “She works hard to make sure the shrinking voice of agriculture is heard loud and clear.”

2014 WPVGA President Larry Alsum of Alsum Farms & Produce, Friesland, presented President’s Awards to his daughters, Wendy Alsum-Dykstra and Heidi Alsum-Randall, as well as one to WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan.

Alsum commended his daughters for their active involvement in the industry and said it was through their efforts in keeping the family business running smoothly that allowed him the time to serve the industry as President. In presenting the award to Houlihan, Alsum said he showed great commitment to the industry, working as the Interim Executive Director for over four months

while also continuing to serve as the Managing Editor/Communications Director.

Alsum thanked his daughters and Houlihan for “your commitment, leadership and service in business, family and our community.”

Special Industry Appreciation Awards were presented to Chris Brooks of Central Door Solutions, Plover; Glenn Carlson, former Agricultural Supervisor at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station; and Nick Somers of Plover River Farms, Stevens Point.

Brooks was elected as the President of the WPVGA Associate Division at the Associate Division Annual Meeting on Feb. 4, 2015. In 2014, he served as the Vice President and was very active in the industry, working at numerous Associate Division events as well as

serving on the WPVGA Promotions Committee.

“Chris gave tremendous contributions toward the Spudmobile project, and was instrumental in helping to launch this exciting, new promotional and educational vehicle for the Wisconsin potato industry,” stated Houlihan.

Brooks drove the RV back to Wisconsin from where it was purchased in Michigan; and later drove the newly-created Spudmobile from Milwaukee to its debut event at the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days in Stevens Point in August. He also drove it to several industry events when the WPVGA was relying on volunteers to drive the massive spud vehicle.

“Chris has really gone above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to supporting the Wisconsin potato


industry,” said Houlihan. “We are fortunate to have his contributions and he is a credit to the industry.”

Glenn Carlson recently retired after serving as the Agricultural Supervisor at the UW-Hancock Agricultural Research Station. He worked in various positions at the station for over 37 years.

Born and raised in Hancock, he is a 1975 graduate of Tri-County High

the Hancock Research Station in 1976 as a Farm Laborer. He also held positions as a Facilities Repair Worker, Equipment Operator, Maintenance Mechanic and three levels of Automotive Technician. As the Agricultural Supervisor, Carlson worked closely with the researchers at the station, helping to create plans for

Carlson currently resides in Rome, Wisconsin, where he is an avid sportsman. He coached Little League baseball for many years and is an

Club. He is a two-time Wisconsin state champion at trap shooting and enjoys duck hunting. He has two children and two grandchildren.

Nick Somers of Plover River Farms, Stevens Point, has a long history of leadership in the Wisconsin potato industry. Active at the local, state and national levels, Somers has served as President of the WPVGA, President of the WPIB, and President of the National Potato Council. He Co-Chairs the WPVGA Water Task Force and has been the industry’s leader in working to preserve irrigation rights while practicing water conservation. He participates in the WPVGA Governmental Affairs Committee, the Research Committee and the Spud Bowl committee.

“Nick has also made great contributions to the WPVGA Promotions Committee, including coming up with the idea of the Spudmobile,” said Houlihan. “He

has been a tremendous help throughout the Spudmobile project, and was instrumental in taking that vehicle from a concept to a reality.”

“Nick has endless energy and is always thinking and working for the betterment of the entire industry,” Houlihan said.

Glenn Carlson Nick Somers

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