In the November 2011 Badger Common’Tater
UW-Madison to Lead National Potato Research Effort
University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have been selected to lead a national, multi-institution effort to improve the quality and safety of processed potatoes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced in October. The $3.7 million Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant will support an effort to reduce the amount of acrylamide in French fries and potato chips, without sacrificing the taste and texture that make these products so popular with consumers. See the full story in the November 2011 edition of The Badger Common’Tater magazine.
The Keys to Potato Storage:
WPVGA hands over keys to Storage Research Facility to UW
On September 26, 2011, representatives from the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) ceremoniously “handed over the keys” to the Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility (SRF) to the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW). The ceremony gave the WPVGA a chance to recognize and thank everyone who was instrumental in making the vision of the SRF become a reality. The SRF is a great example of how Wisconsin growers continue to work with industry partners to invest in the future of agriculture. Read the feature story in the November 2011 issue of The Badger Common’Tater for more details.
Dr. A.J. Bussan of the UW Dept. of Horticulture oversees potatoes entering the Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility at Hancock.
Spud, Berry, and Dairy Tour Provides Insight into Wisconsin Potato Industry
The WPVGA along with the Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureaus held the Spud, Berry, and Dairy Tour September 26-28, 2011. The tour was designed to give those interested in Wisconsin agriculture an inside view of some of the industry’s most important operations. The “Spud” portion of the tour was held on Monday, September 26th and included stops at Heartland Farms, Inc. and the UW-Hancock Agriculture Research Station both in Hancock, Wisconsin; Paragon Potato Farms packing facility in Bancroft; and the McCain Foods potato processing plant in Plover. Day two of the tour focused on the cranberry industry and day three offered tours of Wisconsin’s dairy industry. Check out the November 2011 issue of The Badger Common’Tater for full coverage.
Spud, Berry, and Dairy Tour attendees are pictured at the McCain Foods potato processing facility in Plover. The group was given a tour of the factory, getting a chance to see how French fries and other potato products are made from start fo finish.
