WPVGA Water Commercial to Begin Airing Monday

It doesn’t matter if you produce potatoes for the chip, seed, fry or fresh market. The current and ongoing water issues that WPVGA is involved with certainly have their effect on every farmer. It’s for this reason the WPVGA Chip Committee decided to put some of its resources toward an effort that could benefit the entire industry and beyond.

With the help of two growers from Northern Wisconsin, namely, Ron Krueger of Felix Zeloski Farms in Eagle River, and John Hein of Sowinski Farms in Rhinelander, a 30-second commercial about agricultural water use became reality.

John Hein plays the role of a community member who sees his neighbor and farmer, Ron Krueger, getting ready to irrigate after a rainfall. Krueger proceeds to educate Hein about the technology farmers utilize to monitor their water use. He also informs Hein that his irrigation practices don’t take away from the water trees need. He explains that Wisconsin has huge, healthy forests and that there are studies to prove that trees use more water than vegetables. Furthermore, farmers only use precise amounts of water when and where needed, which helps families receive healthy potatoes and vegetables on their plates each day.

The commercial is set to begin airing on local television stations (channels 7 and 9 in Wausau and channel 12 in Rhinelander) on Monday and continue through an 8-10 week time span.

Upon review of the success of this effort, this commercial could be the first of many to come. The commercial can also be seen on the following websites. It has been shared on WPVGA’s social media sites as well.

• http://wisconsinpotatoes.com/governmental-affairs/water/
• http://wisconsinfarmers.org/about/