US: Bushmans’ potato program faring well despite challenges

With supplies running short, some Wisconsin red potato shippers approached mid-January filling orders with spuds purchased from elsewhere. But grower-shipper Bushmans’ Inc. was still shipping from its own storage, Mike Carter, chief executive officer, said. Bushmans’ red potatoes “are holding well and the quality is good. We are not shipping from outside packing plants.” He acknowledged that Wisconsin’s red potato crop overall “has been a challenge this year” because of flooding in southern Wisconsin, which is heavy to red production. Some reds also are produced in the Antigo area. Wisconsin weather in the fall “did us no favors. It’s difficult all over. We still have reds. They are part of our program.” More