Helping Wisconsin Potato
Growers Develop Reduced Risk Pest Management Program
Environmentally conscious consumers now
can choose a potato that was grown in an
environmentally friendly way. A cooperative
effort by the University of Wisconsin, the
World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Wisconsin
Potato Growers Association (WPGA) has developed “Healthy
Grown” eco-labeled potatoes, a brand
produced with Integrated Pest Management
tactics using fewer harmful pesticides.
The Wisconsin eco-labeled potato effort
has been supported by the following collaborative
NIFA funding sources: the Risk Avoidance
and Mitigation Program, the Potato Pest Management
Grant Program, the Extension Integrated Pest
Management Program, Hatch Research funds.
In 1996, the WWF and WPGA joined in a unique
partnership to reduce the ecological effect
of potato production in Wisconsin. The two
organizations agreed to targets and timetables
for the elimination of specific high-risk
pesticides and industry-wide adoption of
biologically based Integrated Pest Management
systems. The IPM team at the University of
Wisconsin has provided pertinent research,
education, and information since the effort's
inception, and formally became a partner
in 1998.
Eco-labeling is an effective way to tell
customers about the environmental impacts
of selected products and the choices they
can make. An eco-label makes the customer
more aware of the environmental benefits
of certain products. Other examples include
recycled paper or toxic-free cleaning agents.
Potato growers must meet certification standards
for their crops to earn the Healthy Grown
eco-label. Some practices, such as crop rotation,
are mandatory. Other practices are scored
and added toward a minimum point total that
must be achieved.
These practices revolve around reducing
or eliminating the use of pesticides that
have the greatest risk to birds, fish, and
wildlife. The Wisconsin
potato industry achieved a 25 percent
reduction of pesticide toxicity in the production
system from 1995 to 1999, based on the 11
high- risk pesticides targeted by the program.
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