Wisconsin’s Potato Industry Gets a Boost with New Seed Potato Legislation

Spud-tacular news for Wisconsin! Senator Patrick Testin is on a mission to protect Wisconsin’s spot as one of the nation’s top potato producers with a brand-new piece of bipartisan legislation! Senate Bill 164 is all about ensuring that the state’s potato industry stays strong and continues to grow (pun intended!) by protecting the availability of clean, pathogen-free seed potatoes.

Why potatoes, you ask? Well, did you know that Wisconsin is the third largest potato producer in the U.S.? Yep, right behind Idaho and Washington! And in 2023, Wisconsin farmers harvested a spud-tacular 28.4 million hundredweight (cwt) of potatoes! That’s a lot of fries, mashed potatoes, and potato salad, my friends!

The 24th Senate District, where Sen. Testin’s roots run deep, is especially important in this potato-growing frenzy, as it’s home to the bulk of Wisconsin’s potato crop. Plus, the state’s not just good at growing potatoes — it’s also a top producer of seed potatoes, those little spuds that help new crops grow year after year. Wisconsin has been at the forefront of the seed potato game since 1913, with the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program ensuring that seed potatoes are clean, healthy, and free of any unwanted diseases.

But not all potato news has been rosy lately. In 2023, a few rogue farmers planted uncertified seed potatoes in violation of state law. And while we love a good potato surprise, these bad actors put the whole seed potato crop at risk, potentially jeopardizing future harvests.

Enter Senate Bill 164! Sen. Testin’s legislation will give the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) more enforcement power and bump up penalties for anyone caught planting unapproved seed potatoes. It’s like giving DATCP a bigger potato peeler — so they can keep things clean and crispy!

This legislation is inspired by Wisconsin’s successful updates to the late blight statute in 2017, which helped control the spread of late blight, a major potato crop threat. So, we know that this new bill will help keep Wisconsin’s potato crops healthy and safe for many years to come.

With this new legislation, Wisconsin is making sure its potato industry stays top-tier in the U.S., and that its famous seed potatoes continue to grow strong and healthy. Whether it’s for tasty mashed potatoes, crispy fries, or a hearty potato salad, these changes are all about keeping Wisconsin’s potato patch flourishing for future generations!