Posts Tagged “Wisconsin potato shipments”
The Wisconsin potato season is getting started and in what seems to be a pattern over the past number of years, acreage and volume remain fairly stable.
The Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Association of Antigo, WI reports
growers are looking at average yields of about 420 cwt per acre. The potato harvest typically runs from late July into October.
Wisconsin shippers move potatoes every month of the year by supplying product from other areas in Badge State supplies run out. In the calendar year 2022, Wisconsin shippers moved 7.14 million cwt of Wisconsin potatoes, with peak shipments in November.
Potato acreage is also expected to be flat compared with last year’s 66,500 acres, with some shifts between red and yellow varieties.
Roughly 38% of Wisconsin’s 2022 crop went to the fresh market. Only a small percentage of the state’s potato volume is grown organically.
Wisconsin yellow potato shipments are ready at Alsum Farms in Arena, WI with the first potato loads being washed, graded and packed for fresh market delivery to distribution centers and retail grocers the first full week of August.
“The first harvest of yellow potatoes at Alsum Farm looks promising,” says Larry Alsum, President & CEO of Alsum Farms & Produce in Friesland, WI.
Red potato loadings started July 31st.
Alsum Farms russet potato harvest will begin on August 11th with the Russet Caribou and Goldrush varieties. Both early season varieties will be the first of new crop russets to be harvested off the field and freshly washed, packed and delivered to retail grocers in the Midwest and beyond. In addition, new crop Wisconsin organic russet, red and yellow potatoes will be available for shipping starting August 14th.
For 50 years, Alsum Farms & Produce has been a leading grower and shipper of locally grown potatoes and onions and provider of fresh, quality produce. Join us for the Alsum Farms & Produce 50th Anniversary Community Celebration, Tater Trot 5k/2-mile walk, plant and farm tours on August 11 & 12!
About Alsum Farms & Produce
Alsum Farms & Produce Inc. is a leading fresh market grower, packer and shipper of Wisconsin grown potatoes, onions, and provider of fresh, quality produce. Established five decades ago and headquartered in Friesland, Wis., Alsum Farms & Produce is a vertically integrated family-owned farm, packing facility and logistics company providing quality produce. Committed to sustainability and stewardship of the soil, Alsum Farms grows 3,000 acres of Wisconsin Healthy Grown Certified Alsum Potatoes along with pumpkins.
Most Wisconsin potato packing sheds were up and running fulltime by the middle of August, with good volume shipments expected in September.
Acreage for the 2022 Wisconsin potato crop was estimated in June at 64,00 acres, down slightly from 66,000 in 2021 and 70,000 acres in 2020.
Wisconsin fresh potato shipments in 2021 totaled 631.9 million pounds, down from 652.3 million pounds in 2020, according to USDA numbers.
Wisconsin organic fresh potato shipments were 3.4 million pounds in 2021, down from 4.5 million pounds in 2020.
Wisconsin chip potatoes accounted for 828.2 million pounds in 2021, up from 795.4 million pounds in 2020. The USDA said seed potato shipments in Wisconsin in 2020 were 82.9 million pounds in 2021, 85.8 million pounds in 2020.
The Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association of Antigo, WI reports seed potatoes come mainly from the Antigo area in Langlade County, while fresh and processed potatoes are grown in the Central Sands and southern areas of the state, including fields near Stevens Point, Plover, Coloma, Grand Marsh, Friesland and more.
The state has a wide range of varieties, including norkotahs, silvertons, red norland, dark red norland, yukon gold and more.
Due to a late crop maturing crop this season because of weather factors, there has be a shipping gap between the old and new crops. The new crop is about seven to 10 days later than usual.
Alsum Farms & Produce of Friesland, WI kicked off the month of August harvesting red and gold potatoes, followed by russets about August 18.
This year, Alsum Farms planted nearly 3,000 acres of potatoes between the firm’s two farming locations in Arena and Grand Marsh, WI. The operation’s total acreage is similar last year.
Wisconsin potato shipments got underway in the central part of the state a few days early in August for the 2021 crop.
Shippers are reporting acreage and volume will not change significantly from last season, and the crop outlook is generally favorable, though weather factors could influence the outcome of the crop through the end of harvest this fall.
The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association of Antigo WI expects acreage to stay flat with some growers making slight fluctuations between certain varieties and others shifting slightly between reds and yellows.
Alsum Farms of Friesland, WI expect almost identical acreage compared to a year ago. Acreage of red potatoes was cut back a little, increased on yellow-flesh potatoes and was about steady for russets.
Yields may be average this year, limited by early season cooler weather and extreme heat in June.
Alsum Farms, began shipments in early August, a couple of days later than a typical harvest start because of the hot weather in early June.
Bushman’s of Rosholt, WI reports a good looking good crop. The company expects an average crop.
Friesland, Wisconsin, August 3, 2021 — Wisconsin red potato harvest is underway at Alsum Farms in Grand Marsh, WI., and the first potato loads were washed, graded, packed and shipped to distribution centers and retail grocers the first full week of August.
“We are having ideal weather for the first harvest of red potatoes this summer at Alsum Farms,” says Larry Alsum, President & CEO of Alsum Farms & Produce in Friesland, WI.
Gold potato harvest got underway a week later on August 6. Alsum Farms russet potato harvest is just starting with the Pacific Russet variety, an early season variety that will be the first of new crop russets to be harvested off the field and freshly washed, packed and delivered to retail grocers in the Midwest and beyond.
New crop Wisconsin Fingerlings also were ready for shipping on August 16. In addition, new crop Wisconsin organic russet, red and gold potatoes were available for shipping August 9th.
Alsum Farms is now in full swing shipping new crop Wisconsin russet, red, white, gold and fingerling potatoes.
Wisconsin potato shipments remain light as the harvest has recently started. Good, steady volume is expected in September.
Farmers Potato Exchange of Antigo, WI started digging chip potatoes in late July and tablestock potatoes about two weeks ago.
Alsum Farms & Produce of Friesland, WI believes this may one of the best crops in years with 90 percent of the fields being average or above average for reds, gold and russets.
The company started with red and gold potatoes the last week of July and russets August 12th.
Okray Family Farms of Plover, WI reports Wisconsin’s potato production is located in the state’s 1.75 million-acre Central Sands region, which rests on deposits of sand and gravel.
Grower-shipper RPE Inc. of Bancroft, WI. expects a good potato crop, which has started on time.
Gumz Muck Farms LLC of Endeavor, WI notes potato quality is above average with good size and started harvest over a week ago.
While we haven’t seen any estimate for Wisconsin potato shipments, reading between the lines it appears a fairly normal season is expected.
While some diggings got underway the last week of July, the main crop, which is russets, is just now starting.
The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association reports a decent crop with adequate rain.
Alsum Farms & Produce Inc. of Friesland reports Wisconsin has been shipping reds and gold potatoes since the first week of August.
Alsum is just starting to dig its new crop russets this week and will immediately start shipping its new-crop of fingerlings.
Alsum apparently avoided heavy rains in late July, despite other regions of the state being heavily impacted by strong storms.
Bushmans’ Inc. of Rosholt reports spring rains delayed planting schedules, but the crop has been rapidly catching up during the summer. However, the company notes it was catching up due to favorable weather and is cranking up its packing shed this week with russets. It has been shipping reds and round whites since late July.
Okray Family Farms of Plover reports too much rain put the harvest behind about 10 days for the normal starting date of August 1st.
A similar report comes from RPE Inc. of Bancroft, WI although it is reporting a great looking crop, although its about 7 to 10 days late.
Farmers Potato Exchange Inc. of Antigo reports a similar situation.
Volume in terms of hundredweight is expected to be down only slightly for Wisconsin potatoes shipments this season. Meanwhile, the Red River Valley has very limited potato shipments at this point.
Wisconsin’s potato shipments are expected be off about 5 percent this season from a year amounting to 27 million hundredweight (cwt) the 2017 18 growing. storage and shipping season. The 2016=17 fresh volume totaled 28.5 million cwt.
Due to a late weather related planting, growers will be leaving the potatoes in the ground as long as possible to give time to gain size. This resulted in diggings getting underway September 11th instead of September. 1st. Updated forecasts will be needed as growers are rolling the dice a bit as the latter harvest increases the change of a damaging frost. Wisconsin’s potato farmers normally complete harvest by October. 10th. Digging of potatoes this fall could continue as late as October 20 to gain as much growing time as possible for a product that is gauged by weight. Thus, growers are praying for a late frost.
Russet potatoes currently make up about 70 percent of potato shipments in the U.S., followed by red potatoes that have increase to 20 percent and yellow potatoes amounting 10 percent. Russets also continue make up the biggest volume of Wisconsin potato shipments.
How Wisconsin Potato Volume Ranks
Wisconsin is the nation’s third-largest potato shipping state, and ranks number one No. 1 east of the Mississippi River. Frito Lay has become a big presence in the Badger State and accounts for 25 percent of Wisconsin’s potatoes shipped for the processing market. Another 10 percent of the state’s potatoes are shipped as seed.
Red River Valley Potato Shipments
Shipments haven’t really ramped up yet but red potatoes from the nation’s largest “red” production region have got underway. While red potatoes continue to grow in popularity, about 18 percent of the Valley’s fresh potato production will be yellows this fall, a number that has tripled in the last six years.
Fairly normal shipments of U.S. apples is predicted this season, with the exception of one state that is expecting volume to rise by nearly one-third. Also, here’s a look at what to expect with potato shipments from Wisconsin.
Apple shipments in the U.S. this coming season should hit nearly 246 million bushels (42 pounds boxes) this fall, which is slightly over the five-year average. However, Michigan might edge out New York state as the second-leading apple producer and shipper for the first time, assuming the U.S. Apple Association’s annual forecast holds true to the end of the season.
The projection for U.S. apple shipments is 3 percent over the 2015 crop and the five-year average. This would make it the 11th-largest crop overall (with the USDA’s 248-million-bushel estimate). The estimate for Michigan apple shipments, at 31 million bushels, is 31 percent over its 2015 harvest, and exactly 1 million bushels higher than the apple association’s New York estimate for 2016.
The association’s Washington crop estimate of 149 million bushels (USDA’s is 152.4 million) is a 5 percent increase from last season’s shipments and 1 percent less than the state’s five-year average.
While production has been increasing in recent years, bearing acreage has dropped significantly in recent years due to higher yields per acre.
“We’re still growing the same sized crops, in fact, in the last five or six years we’ve had some of the bigger crops in history, with the 2014 crop of 272 (million bushels) just a shade below the record crop of 1998,” the apple association said. In four of the past five years, the association’s estimates have been closer than the USDA’s, which is released in the month before the annual Outlook conference.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
This is a more normal year. Last year, Wisconsin had very high yields and a bumper crop.
In each of the last two seasons, Wisconsin growers have produced about 63,000 acres of potatoes. But in the booming production of 2015, there was an average of 460 bags per acre. This year the average will still be strong at 430 100-pound bags per acre. The total production for 2015 was 28.98 million hundredweight. This year this number is expected to be 27 million.
The vast majority of the acreage is harvested in September.
U.S. potato crop will be close to last year in shipments, or down no more than 1 or 2 percent.
Central Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $1000 to Chicago.
The new U.S. potato shipping season is underway in very light volume. Here is a preview from five states on what to expect.
Indiana Potato Shipments
Here’s one you may not be aware of. The red potato harvest has begun at Black Gold Farms’ operation in Winamac, IN, located about hallway between Chicago and Indianapolis. Red potatoes for the fresh market account for several hundred acres of Norland and Dark Red Norland varieties, which are being shipped through August. The Winamac farm allows Black Gold Farms to ship potatoes the year-round from its own farms. The cycle that starts each year in Texas and then transitions to North Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri before moving up to Indiana and finally to the Red River Valley in North Dakota and Minnesota.
North Dakota/Minnesota Potato Shipments
Red River Valley red potato shipments out of North Dakota and Minnesota are expected to be off 25 to 30 percent from a year ago due to weather factors. However, shipments, which will begin in mid October, are expected to be normal for 2016-17 until storages start running out of product late in the season (May and June). This will probably mean an earlier than normal end to shipping for most shippers. The Red River Valley is the nation’s largest red potato shipping area. A & L Potato Co. in East Grand Forks, MN is already packing and shipping red potatoes. Big Lake and Long Prairie, MN, along with Wisconsin typically ship the first red potatoes of the new season beginning in August.
Big Lake, MN potatoes – grossing about $1000 to Chicago.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
Central Wisconsin is now shipping red potatoes, with russets coming soon. The first russets are expected this week in very light volume. The Badger State ranks third in U.S. potato shipments. Normal volume is expected this year.
Idaho Potato Shipments
The nation’s leading potato shipper, Idaho, is expected to get underway for the new season the week of August 15th. Normal volume is expected for the 2016-17 shipping season.
Twin Falls, ID potatoes – grossing about $1450 to L.A.
A week ago you were presented a smorgasbord of produce hauling opportunities from around the county. Well, here’s Part II ranging from Mexican crossings into the Lower Rio Grand Valley of Texas to Northwest blueberry loadings, Wisconsin potatoes – and more.
South Texas Produce Shipments
Mexican produce shipments crossing the border into Pharr, Tx cover a lot of items ranging from citrus to tropical fruit and vegetables. However, no one item has real heavy volume at this time. Among the heaviest volume commodities are: avocados hitting about 675 truck loads per week, but volume is increasing; mangos with about 500 truck loads a week and limes at about 450 trucks load each week.
Around 550 truck loads of vine ripe, as well roma tomatoes are crossing the border weekly.
There’s also many other products coming into South Texas, but in much lighter volume ranging from lemons to papayas, broccoli, carrots and cucumbers.
Mexican produce crossing into South Texas – grossing about $2400 to Chicago.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
Loadings of the old 2015-16 russet potato crop had in a fast seasonal decline. Meanwhile, the central part of the state has just started shipping a few of the 2016-17 potato crop, but we’re another month of so away of good volume.
Northwest Blueberry Shipments
Blueberry shipments are increasing from both Oregon and Washington state, as well as from British Columbia.
Washington Apple Shipments
The consistent item in the Northwest is typically apples, especially since Washington easily lead the nation in apple shipments. Even though it is very late in 2015-16 shipping season, Washington is still average over 650 truckloads each week.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $4600 to Dallas.
Watermelon Shipments
A week ago we cover Midwest watermelon hauling opportunities, here are some more.
California’s central San Joaquin Valley is moving around 350 truck loads per week. On the east coast, North Carolina may be your best bet loading around 230 trucks loads of watermelons a week.
Both eastern Texas and western Oklahoma combing to ship nearly 500 trucks of watermelons per week.