Posts Tagged “Wisconsin potato shipments”
Wisconsin red and yellow potato harvest is underway at Alsum Farms in Adams, WI., with the first loads being washed, graded, and packed for fresh-market delivery to distribution centers and retail grocers.
“The first harvest of yellow potatoes at Alsum Farms looks promising,” says Larry Alsum, President & CEO of Alsum Farms & Produce, based in Friesland, WI, in a press release.
Alsum Farms’ russet potato harvest will begin August 13 with the Russet Plover and Caribou varieties at the Arena, WI., farm.
Both early-season varieties will be the first new-crop russets harvested off the field, freshly washed, packed, and delivered to retail grocers throughout the Midwest and beyond. Yellow and purple fingerlings were ready for shipping start August 10. In addition, new-crop Wisconsin organic russet, red, and yellow potatoes were available for shipping August 3.
Alsum Farms grows, nurtures, and harvests farm-fresh potatoes that make their way to dinner tables across America through the Wisconsin Healthy Grown Program. This eco-friendly program has guided the farm’s sustainability practices since 1996. Alsum Farms follows the Healthy Grown Program’s regenerative agriculture approach, working to strengthen ecosystems and community resilience, and has dedicated 50 acres to prairie restoration and pollinator habitat to support a sustainably grown food supply.
“In 1992 we began farming, and by 1996 we helped establish the Wisconsin Healthy Grown Program,” says Alsum, a founding member of the program. “Since that time, the Healthy Grown Program has continued to guide our farm sustainability practices, utilizing Integrated Pest Management to efficiently manage inputs and implement conservation practices that enhance ecosystem health.”
With Alsum Farms in full swing harvesting new-crop Wisconsin Healthy Grown Certified russet, red, and yellow potatoes, now is an excellent time to offer customers farm-fresh, sustainably grown potatoes. The versatility and storability of fresh potatoes make this budget-friendly staple a go-to
vegetable for nutritious, delicious family meals.
Alsum offers a wide range of pack options, from 12 ounces up to 50-pound bags, in poly, mesh, paper, or cartons.
Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. packs potatoes and onions under the Alsum Farms & Produce brand. Organic potatoes are packed under the Alsum Organics and Rainbow Organics labels, and unclassified potatoes under the Family Favorite brand.
For more than 50 years, Alsum Farms & Produce has been a leading grower and shipper of locally grown potatoes and onions, and a provider of fresh, quality produce.
About Alsum Farms & Produce
Alsum Farms & Produce Inc. is a leading fresh-market grower, packer, and shipper of Wisconsin-grown potatoes and onions, and a 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. Committed to sustainability and stewardship of the soil, Alsum Farms grows 3,000 acres of Wisconsin Healthy Grown Certified potatoes, along with pumpkins.
Among U.S. potato-growing states, Wisconsin ranks third, and produced 26 million cwt of potatoes in 2024, according to the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association of Antigo, WI.
That was off from 28 million cwt in 2023, a year that saw above-average yields.
The state has about 100 potato growers who produce about 63,000 acres of russet, red, white and yellow potatoes each year along with specialty varieties like blue/purple, fingerlings and little potatoes.
Most growers expect 2025 yields to be similar to last year.
Bushmans’ Inc. of Rosholt, WI started its russet harvest the first week of August, which is normal. Red and yellow harvests were already underway.
The company ships potatoes year-round, starting with shipments from the field then transitioning to storage sales. Harvesting usually wraps up around October 10. Growing conditions have been very good.
Average size and good quality were expected this year, barring unforeseen glitches prior to harvest.
Alsum Farms & Produce of Friesland, WI., sees a promising season with russet, red, yellow and specialty creamer potato varieties.
Harvest of red and yellow potatoes got underway in early August with russet potatoes kicking off the third week of August. Alsum Farms grows 2,700 acres of Wisconsin potatoes.
The operation has a year-round supply of Wisconsin russets while yellows and reds finish up by January. In the specialty category, the company offers 3-pound and 5-pound specialty creamer red and yellow potato blends.
While Schroeder Bros. Farms Inc. of Antigo, WI focuses on seed potatoes, the company also offers some red and russet potatoes for fresh market sales.
Digging started the first week of September this year as usual, and will continue until about the third week of October.
The company, which dates back to 1879, strives to complete shipping table stock by January, then transitions to seed potatoes.
The company sells mostly to brokers who, in turn, ship to retail customers.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Friesland, WI — Wisconsin red, yellow russet potato harvest is underway at Alsum Farms in Adams, WI with the first potato loads being washed, graded, and packed for fresh market shipments to distribution centers and retail grocers.
“The first harvest of yellow potatoes at Alsum Farm looks promising,” says Larry Alsum, President & CEO of Alsum Farms & Produce in Friesland, WI.
Alsum Farms russet potato harvest began on August 20th 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 shipped to retail grocers in the Midwest and beyond. In addition, new crop Wisconsin organic russet, red and yellow potatoes were available for shipping beginning August 5th.
Alsum offers a wide variety of pack options from 12 ounces up to 50-pound packs; and in poly, mesh, paper or cartons.
Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. packs potatoes and onions under the Alsum Farms & Produce brand. Organic potatoes are packed under the Alsum Organics and Rainbow Organics labels. Alsum also packs unclassified potatoes under our Family Favorite brand.
For more than 50 years, Alsum Farms & Produce has been a leading grower and shipper of locally grown potatoes and onions and provider of fresh, quality produce.
Alsum Farms grows 3,000 acres of Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Certified Alsum Potatoes along with pumpkins.
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.