During the past six years, a partnership between University of Wisconsin – Madison researchers, state potato growers, the World Wildlife Fund and the International Crane Foundation has reduced industry reliance on toxic pesticides, enhanced profitability and helped establish a national independent eco-label called “Protected Harvest.” Recently, this unique project was recognized with the United States Department of Agriculture’s prestigious Secretary’s Honor Award for Maintaining and Enhancing the Nation’s Natural Resources and Environment.

The Wisconsin Eco-Potato Partnership was nominated for the award by Elton Aberle, Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. “This program is unique,” explains Dean Aberle. “It involves a team of faculty from five CALS departments working with potato farmers for more than two decades to improve the way we grow crops without harming the environment. The payoff to the state is now being realized in cleaner water, more diverse wildlife habitats and profitable and sustainable vegetable production.”

Three individuals from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences were nominated for the award: team leaders Jeffrey Wyman, an entomology professor, and Deana Sexson, a senior outreach specialist with the Nutrient and Pest Management Program, and program manager Katherine Schmidt. They, along with three central Wisconsin potato farmers, a member of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, and representatives from the World Wildlife Fund and the International Crane Foundation, received the award from USDA Secretary Anne Veneman on June 13.

“This is an excellent example of how the Wisconsin Idea can help to address real issues facing the state by applying the resources of the College statewide to solve specific problems,” says Wyman. He adds that CALS specialists were instrumental in developing the production systems needed to grow potatoes in an environmentally friendly manner. Wyman directed field research on the effectiveness of reduced-risk pest management programs, which target pest insects while encouraging beneficial insects to regulate pests naturally.

As an extension of Wyman’s research, Sexson provided educational and outreach programs and innovative hands-on tools for growers to track performance and plan improvements in their production systems. “Society is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of farming in harmony with the environment,” Sexson explains. “The Wisconsin potato growers recognize this and have been proactive in growing in an environmentally friendly manner and developing the eco-friendly brand “Healthy Grown,” which is now marketed nationally with “Protected Harvest” certification.”

A key part of the plan calls for farmers to adopt biointensive integrated pest management systems that rely on prevention rather than treatment. In order to achieve certification for the national ‘Protected Harvest’ label, growers must meet strict standards for production, pest management, water quality and ecosystem management. Growers must also follow stringent toxicity guidelines for pesticides when they are necessary, and must avoid certain high-risk products. More than 100 fields have been certified in the first two years of the program; these fields were grown with 54 percent less toxicity than the industry norm, established in 1998.

“The Wisconsin Eco-Potato Partnership is leading the nation in demonstrating how much can be achieved when science and agriculture work hand in hand,” says Wyman. “This benefits the farmer, the consumer, the environment and the state.”