In the October 2011 Badger Common’Tater

Premium Potato Packaging:  Bushmans’, Inc. Offers Market Fresh Produce Brand Potatoes

Bushmans’, Inc. of Rosholt, Wisconsin is pleased to announce that it is now offering a full line of potatoes under the Market Fresh Produce brand.  Market Fresh Produce has long been a category leader in tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and sweet onions as well as avocados and peppers.

 “We are now offering premium red, white, russet and yellow potatoes in Market Fresh Produce bags,” said Mike Carter, CEO of Bushmans’, Inc.  “The bags feature high color graphics that are attractive and very consumer-friendly.  We’re offering primarily five- and ten-pound bags for retail and 50-pound boxes for foodservice, but our intention is to expand to all sizes of packs.  At Bushmans’, we offer packaging technologies that allow us to meet almost any labeling, sizing, packing or mixed order request.” For more details, see the October Bagging/Packaging issue of The Badger Common’Tater.

The Badger Beat:  Late Blight In Review, by Dr. Amanda Gevens, UW Dept. of Plant Pathology

With the recent presence of the late blight pathogen in Wisconsin potato production areas it is critical that all growers remain on alert and prepared for late blight control.  Late-season potato late blight disease management practices should include the following:  Continue to scout fields regularly. Scouting should be concentrated in low-lying areas, field edges along creeks or ponds, near the center of center-pivot irrigation structures, and in areas that are shaded and protected from wind.  Any areas where it is difficult to apply fungicides should be carefully scouted.  For more disease management recommendations, read the Badger Beat column in the October issue of The Badger Common’Tater.

McCain Foods Presents Grower Awards

McCain Foods presented Leadership awards to four potato growing operations that now have on-farm quality assurance labs.  Pictured are (L-R) Laurie Jecha-Beard of McCain Foods USA, Chad Kraft (RDO – Menomonie), Jon Jacobs (Cedar River Potato), Kirk Wille (Wysocki Produce Farm), Jim Mortenson (Mortenson Bros. Farms) and Kerry Larson of McCain Foods – Plover factory.  McCain Foods of Plover presented its annual top grower awards at a banquet held in Stevens Point in August.  For more photos of the award winners, check out the October issue of The Badger Common’Tater.