WPVGA Celebrates Transfer of Storage Research Facility to UW
Pictured at the Storage Research Facility on Monday, September 26th, 2011 - front row (l to r) Dale Nelson, Walt Stevenson, Bill Wysocki, Kirk Wille, Mary LeMere, and Dwight Mueller; back row (l to r) Jill Grennan, Jeremie Pavelski, Chuck Kostichka, Cliff Gagas, Tom Wild, Dennis Zeloski, Lexi Tenpas, Jim McCarthy, Rep. Keith Ripp, Sen. Julie Lassa, Duane Maatz, and Colleene Thomas.
March 18, 2011 marked a milestone that the WPVGA and its grower members have been working towards for over five years. This is the date when the Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility (SRF) located at the UW-Hancock Agriculture Research Station (HARS) in Hancock, WI was paid in full.
With the loan paid off, the WPVGA decided to transfer ownership of the facility to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. To recognize this achievement and to thank everyone who played a part in making the SRF a reality, the WPVGA held a short ceremony on September 26, 2011 that brought together growers, UW researchers, and others involved in the completion of the building and the work being done there.
The vision to build this multi-million dollar, world class storage research facility began back in 2004 when the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board (WPIB) allocated $100,000 for the project. Additional funding from a Specialty Crop Grant in the amount of $700,000 and $300,000 in initial grower donation commitments was followed in 2005 with the WPIB approving a motion to budget a minimum of $150,000/year for the next five years. The monetary commitment for the Storage Research Facility ultimately totaled $2.9 million.
More than 400 people were on hand at the newly completed SRF on July 26, 2006 for the ribbon cutting and dedication. Over the last five years the Storage Research Facility Advisory Committee has worked with University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers to establish research priorities for a wide range of vegetable crops to include potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, and cabbage. The WPVGA and its growers look forward to all the important storage research that will be conducted at the SRF.
Without the incredible commitment from our grower members and industry partners, the Storage Research Facility would have never happened. The WPVGA would like to thank the following people and organizations for their time and financial support.
| Larry & Paula Alsum, Alsum Farms |
| Steve Diercks, Coloma Farms |
| Andy Diercks, Coloma Farms |
| JW Mattek & Sons |
| Edward Okray |
| Richard Pavelski, Heartland Farms |
| Richard Pavelski, Memory of Albert/Irene Pavelski |
| Paul Phillippi, Shiprock Farms |
| John T Schroeder, Schroeder Bros. Farms |
| James Spychalla, James Spychalla Farms |
| Tom Wild, Wild Seed Farms |
| Dennis Zeloski, Felix Zeloski Farms |
| Wysocki Produce Farms |
| Paul Miller Farms |
| Woodford Farms |
| Dennis Bula, Bula Potato Farms |
| Richard & Roderick Gumz, Gumz Muck Farms |
| Brad Igl, Igl Farms LLC |
| Al Sowinski, Sowinski Farms |
| Harvey Wagner, Wagner Farms |
| RD Offutt |
| Edward J Okray Foundation |
| Hamerski Farms |
| Cedar River Potato Co. |
| Klinger Farms |
| H & J Williams Farms |
| Reb’l Acres |
| Royal Farms |
| Gallenberg Farms |
| Hartman Farms |
| Triple C Acres |
| Taterland Farms |
| Wirz, Inc. |
| Northern Sand Farms |
| Gumz Muck Farms, LLC |
| Myron Soik & Sons |
| Lauritzen, Inc. |
| Coloma Farms |
| Allied Industry (Associate Division) |
| Bayer |
| Pest Pros |
| M & I Bank |
| Wilbur Ellis |
| Farm Credit Services in Baraboo, Wausau & East Lansing, MI |
| Volm Bag Company |
| Quinlan’s Equipment |
| Bushmans’ Inc. |
| Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Assn. |
| Syngenta Crop Protection |
| Sandra Brown |
| In Kind Donations |
| Central Sands Buildings, Skip Tenpas |
| Nelson’s Vegetable Storage Systems, Dale Nelson |
| Bacon Construction, Dave Bacon |
| Design Tech, Brian Knutson |
| Glover Metal Building Erectors, Mike Glover |
| Gauge Electric, Rod Vezina |
| ALV Engineering, Al Verkuylen |
| Ron’s Refrigeration & Air Cond., Tim Mancl |
| TIP, Steve Tatro |
| Wallendal Supply Co. |
| McCain Foods USA – bin unloader |
| Paul Miller Farms – bulk potatoes for storage research |
| Wysocki Produce Farms – bulk potatoes for storage research |
| McCain Foods USA – bulk potatoes for storage research |
| JW Mattek & Sons – conveyor |
| Big Iron Equipment – parts & labor to construct conveyors |
