During the last century, agriculture significantly transformed, as farms and the equipment needed to run them, grew ever larger and more technical. Meanwhile the demand to produce greater and greater yields increased sharply along with regulatory pressures on the agricultural practices that produce those yields.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the number of family farms in the United States has fallen from 6.8 million in 1938 to roughly two million today. The fastest growing segment of our nation’s farming population is now over 65 and within the next decade, the majority of American farmers will be retirees.

That is why it is so vitally important that the ‘next generation’ of farmers, who are interested in successfully pursuing a career in farming, become actively involved at an early age in their family’s operation so they are ready and able to assume the ‘reins’ from the previous generation when the time is appropriate, creating

a more seamless transitionary period.

Eric Schroeder, son of Pete and Gina Schroeder of Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. and Assistant Farm Manager of the family operation, is a perfect example of what these ‘next generation’ farmers represent: young men and women who have learned the practices and challenges of farming along with acquiring leadership and managerial skills.

A fifth generation member of his family farming operations, founded in Antigo in 1879, Eric is a strong participant in the organizations that support the farming industry. In 2014, Eric was awarded Young Grower of the Year by Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), in recognition of his leadership and active contribution to the potato industry.

Elected as the 2014 Potato Industry Leadership Institute’s Grower-Leader, Eric also serves on WPVGA’s and Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association’s (WSPIA) board of directors, as well as a Wisconsin

Interview Eric Schroeder Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc.By Ruth Faivre, Managing Editor

continued on pg. 10

Top: Eric Schroeder, Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. kicks back with some great reading material! Photo by Ruth Faivre

Name: Eric Schroeder

Company: Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc.

Crops Grown/Acreage: 2200 acres Potatoes, 1200 acres Oats, 500 acres Soybeans, 1600 acres Alfalfa, 900 acres Field Corn

Location: Antigo

Hometown: Antigo

Current Residence City: Deerbrook

Years in Present Position: Six years

Schooling: BBA Business Administration, BA Spanish for Business, Certificate in Business Communication

Activities/Organizations: Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Association (WPVGA) Secretary, United States Potato Board (USPB) Administrative Committee (Research) and Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association (WSPIA) Vice President

Awards/Honors: 2014 Potato Industry Leadership Institute’s Grower-Leader

Family: Wife, Theresa and son, Parker (two years old)

Hobbies: Coaching hockey and golfing

—Ree d S e a r l e

KEEPS YOUR CROPHEALTHIER

PRODUCES HUMIDITY INTHE CLEANEST POSSIBLEWAY

CAPTURES AND KILLSSILVER SCURF ANDOTHER DISEASES

800-236-0005www.ronsrefrigeration.com

www.humigation.com

LET US HELP YOU INCREASE YOUR YIELDS

Three years ago my biggest potato storage problems were silver scurf and black dot disease. With IHT Humigators now installed in every cellar, I no longer have problems with either disease. My cellars are clean and odor free. These machines have been very reliable and theypaid for themselves in the first year of use.

8 BC�T November

—Ree d S e a r l e——RRRReRRRRee e d Se d Se d Se d Se d Se d Se d Se d S ee aa rr ll ee

KEEPS YOUR CROPHEALTHIERLTHIERLKEEPS YOUR CROPHEALTHIER

PRODUCES HUMIDITY INTHE CLEANEST POSSIBLEWAY

PRODUCES HUMIDITY INTHE CLEANEST POSSIBLEWAY

CAPTURES AND KILLSSILVER SCURF ANDLVER SCURF ANDLOTHER DISEASES

CAPTURES AND KILLSSILVER SCURF ANDOTHER DISEASES

800-236-0005www.ronsrefrigeration.com

www.humigation.com

LET US HELP YOU INCREASE YOUR YIELDS

Three years ago my biggest potato storage problems were silver scurf and black dot disease. With IHT Humigators now installed in every cellar, I no longer have problems with either disease. My cellars are clean and odor free. These machines have been very reliable and theypaid for themselves in the first year of use.

representative to the United States Potato Board (USPB). He chairs both the Regulatory Committee for the WSPIA and the Chip Committee for WPVGA.

The Schroeder family also owns and operates Schroeder’s Gifts in Antigo, WI (schroedersgifts.com).

Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. is one of the largest Frito-Lay seed producers in the U.S. and a four-time winner of Frito-Lay’s seed grower of the year

award. Since Eric does the food safety audits and documenting for Frito Lay as a supplier, he is the ideal candidate for our interview for the November Seed issue.

Before we get into specifics of the operation, please share some of the history of Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. and your favorite memories of growing up and working on your family farm, since these things helped shape your love

of agriculture.

The farm was originally homesteaded in 1879 in Antigo, WI. Initially it started out with a few dairy cows and a few crops to feed the animals and the family.

In the 1960s, my grandfather, John, came back to the farm after his brother, Tom, was in a serious snowmobile accident that left him unable to work on the farm. Shortly thereafter, Grandpa John began growing certified and foundation seed.

In the early 1980s, John T, Pete and Rob began returning to the farm and it has steadily grown into the farm it is today.

continued on pg. 12

Interview. . .continued from pg. 8 Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc.

“ONLY THE BEST”Foundation & Certified

Seed PotatoesREDSRed Norlands Dark Red Norlands Red Endeavor

WHITESAtlantics Snowdens Superiors PikesMega ChipLamoka

RUSSETSRusset Burbanks Goldrush Silverton Tx296 NorkotahRusset Norkotah Co8

N1435 Cty Rd DAntigo, WI (715) 623-2689farm@sbfi.bizjohnt@sbfi.biz

WISCONSINCERTIFIED

SEED POTATOES

Above Left: Three members of Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. ‘next generation’ (L-R): JD Schroeder, Andy Schroeder and Eric Schroeder during the 2015 potato harvest. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Above Right: Andy and Eric Schroeder are scouting some rows of their newly windrowed potatoes, waiting to be harvested. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Bottom: Eric, awarded WPVGA’s “2015 Young Grower of the Year,” displays his plaque in this photo. (L-R) Eric’s dad, Pete Schroeder; his mother, Gina; Eric and his wife, Theresa and brother, Andy. Photo by Ruth Faivre

10 BC�T November

Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc.“ONLY THE BEST”

Foundation & Certified Seed PotatoesREDS

Red Norlands Dark Red Norlands Red Endeavor

WHITESAtlantics Snowdens Superiors PikesMega ChipLamoka

RUSSETSRusset Burbanks Goldrush Silverton Tx296 NorkotahRusset Norkotah Co8

N1435 Cty Rd DAntigo, WI (715) 623-2689farm@sbfi.bizjohnt@sbfi.biz

WISCONSINCERTIFIED

SEED POTATOES

continued on pg. 14

Interview. . .continued from pg. 10

My earliest memories of the farm come from the days when they used to collect and cook their own maple syrup. Mom would bring Andy and me down to the sap house where we would drink fresh maple syrup from the tap.

Your operation is widespread, includes some outlying areas and covers a number of crops. Can you

describe the configuration, your crop mix, soil types and the challenges you face when your land is not contiguous?

We farm in Langlade, Shawano and Oconto counties. Most of our crops are grown right around the Antigo flats and Bryant. We go as far north as Post Lake (35 miles) and as far east as Suring (45 miles).

The majority of our crop is in the Antigo flats, which is Antigo Silt Loam (Wisconsin‘s state soil by the way).

However, the outlying areas like Post Lake and Suring consist of sandier soils similar to the soils in Pearson. Farming these sandier soils allows us to start our spring planting earlier and provides us with options if we get heavy rains in the Antigo area during planting and harvest. That being said, sandy soils also require irrigation more often because they do not retain water like the silt loam does.

The biggest challenge of farming the outlying areas is getting the crop home. We need to run about 20 bulk trucks between the fields and storage consistently for 12 hours per day. Between traffic, breakdowns and other obstacles, this is not always a smooth process. Depending on yield, sometimes the harvester can dig faster than we can transfer the potatoes into storage or vice versa, which creates timely delays.

Most of our fields are on a three-year rotation including two years of alfalfa, field corn, soybeans and oats.

Left: Eric’s uncle, John T Schroeder operates the self-propelled Lenco Harvester. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Right: Andy & Eric’s grandmother, Jackie, started a museum of old equipment, parts, odds and ends from the farm, back in the 1980s. There is even an old still, shown between the brothers, presumably from back in the 1920’s. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Bottom Left: Eric’s father, Pete Schroeder, runs the big blue self-propelled Gallenberg Harvester. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Your Lender of Choice for Farm and

Ranch Mortgages

Long-term fixed or adjustable rate mortgage financing

• Agricultural real estate lender for 98 years • Competitive interest rates• Flexible terms and structuring

www.metlife.com/ag

Troy W. Fischer815-494-4349

tfischer@metlife.com

© 2015 METLIFE, INC. PEANUTS © 2015 Peanuts Worldwide

12 BC�T November

© 2014 Lindsay. All rights reserved. Zimmatic, FieldNET, Growsmart, Watertronics and LAKOS are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Lindsay Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Separators and Filtration Solutions

THE LINDSAY ADVANTAGE

DUR ABLE

RUGGED

EASY TO USE

INTEGR ATED TECHNOLOGIES

BROADEST L INE OF SOLUTIONS

SOLUTIONS THAT ADD VALUE, REDUCE RISK & INCREASE PROFITS.

Lindsay’s rugged equipment, integrated technologies, and plug-and-play add-ons will make the most of your operation – from a single, reliable source.

Pumps, pivots, fi ltration and remote control all work together to maximize your yields.Visit your local Zimmatic® by Lindsay dealer to customize the right system for your needs. www.lindsayadvantage.com

THE LINDSAY ADVANTAGE

THE BEST LINE OF IRRIGATION SOLUTIONS. PERIOD.

Oasis Irrigation LLC715-335-8300

N6775 5th Avenue • Plainfield, WI 54966

Oasis Irrigation LLCOasis Irrigation LLC

Interview. . .continued from pg. 12

How would you describe your role as Assistant Manager in the operation and particularly in regards to your responsibilities with your major client, Frito-Lay?

I am not really sure that I have a real title yet. My role on the farm varies every other week, it seems. During planting and harvest, I am out in the tractor. In summer, I could be out in the water truck filling the sprayers, or watering the crop in Suring. In the winter, I am in the office most of the time tracking, sending invoices and keeping up on the food safety program.

As for Frito-Lay, John T handles most of the responsibilities and direct communication with them. Between my cousin JD and me, we help with Frito-Lay’s crop tracking requirements.

What challenges do think young farmers face and how are these challenges different from those faced by previous generations?

For a young farmer, it can be a bit overwhelming at times even being in the same conversations with some of the more established growers who seem to have been doing this for a hundred years.

I have found that in the few short years that I have been involved in farming, there are a ton of intelligent, well-respected individuals in this business and it really is a pleasure to be a part of it.

continued on pg. 16

Above: Andy and Eric Schroeder in front of Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc.’s headquarters. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Left: Both Andy and Eric Schroeder love to golf and participate yearly in the Spud Seed Classic and WPVGA Putt Tato golf events. They are shown here with Jay Weidman and another employee of Mid-State Truck Service. Photo by Ruth Faivre

Bottom: An aerial view of the Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. taken after a few years after a huge fire ravaged the office, warehouse and packing complex in Antigo, WI in 2008. Harvest had just completed a matter of days before the fire broke out so not only was there extensive damage to the buildings and equipment, but over 300,000 cwt. of freshly dug seed potatoes were a complete loss. Photo by Ruth Faivre

14 BC�T November

Bald is beautiful.

And SmartBlock® works, any way you slice it.

Improves performance of other sprout inhibitors, including CIPC

Improves quality, including pack-out and shelf life

Works as part of a program or a rescue treatment

Increases turgidity and helps reduce pressure bruising

As more growers use Smartblock, more benefits continue to emerge.

Smartblock offers consistent, effective, green sprout control and so much more.

© 2015 AMVAC Chemical Corporation. All rights reserved. SmartBlock, the AMVAC logo and the YES logo are trademarks of AMVAC Chemical Corporation. Always read and follow label directions. www.amvac-chemical.com AV-2015-SMARTBLOCK500WS

To integrate SmartBlock into your potato storage, contact

NELSON’S VEGETABLE STORAGE SYSTEMS INC.Plainfield, WI 715.335.6660

Learn more at amvac-chemical.com.

SBK-1509 Common Tater Ad_8.375x10.875.indd 1 10/14/15 12:16 PM

Interview. . .continued from pg. 14

I would say the biggest difference in challenges between generations is probably the higher regulations/restrictions today’s farmers face on pretty much everything.

How do you see the regulatory and legislative climate changing, particularly in regards to the growing pressure from environmental activists who wish to limit commercial farming?

Whether it involves water, pesticides, GMOs, animal husbandry, drones or the next ‘big’ thing, every day we seem to encounter a new challenge that we need to wrap our heads around so we can figure out how to deal with it.

Historically, farmers have been more concerned about simply growing and marketing their crops. You did not have to convince your friends and neighbors about the importance of what you were doing because it helped support the community. If the farmers were doing well, so was the local economy.

Nowadays, you have to be able to interpret complicated regulations, monitor legislative activities, understand the implications of those activities, promote your occupation to the public and keep them aware of all the good things farmers do. You also have to master new ecological

and sustainable methods of farming while keeping abreast of new technologies and growing techniques.

Is it worth it? I think so but I also believe the future will only bring more challenges and it will be up to all of us growers to keep fighting for what we believe is right.

What steps has your operation taken to ensure a quality product for your clients as well as consumers?

We always put our clients first, which I think in turn, helps satisfy the end consumer as well.

We carefully focus on providing our clients with exactly what they need: the correct size profile, the right varieties and then the desired quantity of each variety.

We give our clients the option to pick up different varieties from both our locations, which allows them to get their seed quicker and

Above Left: Parker, son of Eric & Teresa Schroeder, representing the fifth generation of Schroeder Bros. Farms, Inc. gets off to a good start with his favorite magazine, Badger Common’Tater. Photo by Teresa Schroeder

Above Right: A vintage Don Schroeder Farms truck, a relic of yesteryear, rests by the old maple shed and one of the farm’s original barns.

Bottom: According to Eric, the family used to tap maple trees for syrup, “Most of my memories involved loading up on sugar by drinking maple syrup right out of the faucet!” This was the maple shed where the syrup was processed.

continued on pg. 18

“Your Locally Owned Insurance Connection Since 1888”

FARM PACKAGESLife & Health

Personal PackagesBusiness Packages

We represent Secura – WPVGA endorsed insurance carrier

715-627-4302800-236-4302 • FAX: 715-623-4189

POST OFFICE BOX 66522 CLERMONT • ANTIGO, WI 54409

www.mccormickklessig.com

16 BC�T November

CPS

CPS Great Lakes5053 Co

PureGrade In-furrow Liquid Starters and Foliar Plant Food

Low-salt plant food high in orthophosphates especially formulated for in-furrow placement and foliar application.

C

“Your Farming Success is Our Meat & Potatoes”

Supplier for – Nutra-Flo® Liquid Fertilizers

Bio-Gro humic and fulvic acid products

HiQual-Solution Fertilizer Compounds

Specialized Potato Handling Equipment & Parts

Chemical Sales & Custom Application

Hi Leverage Crop Fertility Recommendations

Interview. . .continued from pg. 16

more efficiently. Some clients ask us to precut seed for them, which we do our best to accommodate. Whether they buy 50 cwt or 50,000 cwt, we do everything we can to provide the best seed and service.

Technology is a major part of today’s farming environment. What are some of the technological advances your operation has adopted?

The most recent example of us keeping up with technology would be our purchase of two Odenberg FPS sorters and a Halo for the fresh pack shed.

The FPS sorter allows us to remove most of the foreign debris from the dry seed potatoes before it gets to the grading lines, allowing the graders to concentrate more fully on the quality of the tuber than on removing rocks and vines.

The Halo removes all foreign debris and defects to further reduce rejected loads and improve the overall quality. It also reduces over grading, which can cause good product to be discarded.

What would you recommend to other growers as far as getting

involved with farmer organizations and associations?

Being involved in these types of organizations allows you to do several things especially as a young grower.

Participation in Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Association (WPVGA), United States Potato Board (USPB) and National Potato Council (NPC) and Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association (WSPIA) provides you with the opportunity to learn all the different levels and

aspects of the potato business.

Most importantly, these organizations help educate you on the local, state, national and even worldwide issues that confront our industry. By absorbing the collective knowledge you are exposed to within these groups, you are better able to intelligently voice your opinion and represent your growing region, which is quite an honor.

As a Wisconsin Certified Seed grower, selling certified and foundation seed, how do you feel about Simplot’s new Innate™ potatoes and what do you think genetically modified potatoes might mean for the improvement of future potato breeding programs?

The next wave of potato breeding is both very intriguing yet also simultaneously scary.

It is intriguing because these advances may greatly reduce the amount of inputs that go into growing a crop, whether they are pesticides, fertilizers or water.

I think everyone would agree that further reduction of pesticides is a good thing, but at the same time, it is scary because you do not really know how the public will react and what the ramifications will be to the whole industry.

Pete, Eric and Andy Schroeder check out a booth at the 2015 WPVGA show.

Phone: 920-748-26011-800-782-9632

Fax: 920-748-4829Commercial • Residential • Agricultural

Design and Construction of:Post Frame • Stud Wall & Steel Buildings

M.P.B Builders, Inc.From Planning through Completion

www.mpbbuilders.com

654 E. OSHKOSH STREETRIPON, WISCONSIN 54971

18 BC�T November