The Wisconsin potato crop looks good overall, though heavy rains in May reduced yields in some low-lying areas, industry leaders say.
Wisconsin’s acreage is about the same as last year at roughly 66,000 acres, said Dana Rady, director of promotion, communication and consumer education for the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association.
She said last year’s growing season featured hot and dry weather, while this year’s growing season featured significant rain.
The month of May saw over 14 inches of rainfall in Wisconsin, Rady said, resulting in some drown-out conditions in low-lying areas of fields.
“Statewide, crop damage is in the range of 5% to 10%,” Rady said. “But despite the wet conditions, the potato crop looks very good overall.”
In 2023, the USDA reported that Wisconsin truck shipments of potatoes totaled 700.7 million pounds of potatoes. The state shipped fresh potatoes every month of the year, with the lowest volume in July and the peak volume reported in November.
Wisconsin accounted for 9% of total U.S. truck shipments of potatoes in 2023, the USDA shows, trailing only Idaho (39%) and Colorado (20%).
The USDA reports the average annual shipping point price for Wisconsin potatoes (all pack sizes) was $18.81 per carton in 2023, up slightly from $18.48 per carton in 2022.
Promoting Wisconsin spuds
The association provides POP materials to growers-shippers for use with their customers, Rady said.
“These materials have featured growers, field-to-fork stories, and the importance of buying local,” she said. “Posters and brochures, as two examples, can go a long way in communicating with consumers that Wisconsin is a significant national player when it comes to potato production and that supporting your local economy provides a fresher product at a lower carbon footprint.”
In addition, the association encourages restaurants to directly list the local ingredients they use on their menus as more and more consumers are showing an interest in where their food comes from, and the sustainable practices used to feed their families.
The WPVGA has taken advantage of two separate state-sponsored agricultural export expansion grants to increase Wisconsin potato exports to Canada and Mexico, said Tamas Houlihan, executive director of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association.
“We hosted a Reverse Trade Mission for Canadians in April and will host another RTM for Mexican importers in September,” Houlihan said. “These grants have allowed several growers-shippers to expand their markets to include our foreign neighbors to the north and south.”
Legislatively, Houlihan said WPVGA is continuously communicating and working with the National Potato Council, state lobbyists, lawyers and the many committees under its umbrella to ensure that governmental rules and regulations are beneficial for the Wisconsin potato and vegetable industry.
That work includes, but is not limited to, advocating for farmer-led water quality initiatives and using the best technology and the highest sustainability standards to conserve Mother Nature’s resources for current and future generations. Wisconsin growers are invested and actively participating in regular meetings and work groups such as the Wisconsin Producer-Led Watershed Protection Program and The Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project. The WPVGA also funds specific research projects with the goal of improving sustainable farming practices and promoting innovative stewardship practices.
Sustainability messaging
The sustainability of Wisconsin potato producers is part of the messaging from the association, Rady said.
“WPVGA promotes the sustainability efforts of Wisconsin growers as well as the state’s Healthy Grown program on social media, in promotional campaign videos, during regularly scheduled TV spots at news stations in the state and in blog posts,” Rady said. “Wisconsin has been known as the “green state” for decades and has a reputation for outstanding environmental stewardship.”
For whatever challenges that the growing season presents, Rady said Wisconsin growers are ready.
“Through it all, however, many of Wisconsin’s farm organizations are multi-generational family farms,” Rady said. “This alone is a true testament to the commitment Wisconsin farmers have when it comes to feeding families and providing each with the highest quality potatoes and vegetables. That is at the heart of every Wisconsin farmer and the biggest thing they look forward to each year.”
