Cranberry Growers Seek Research Station, Vigilant on Emerging Water Use Issues

By Jane Fyksen, Crops Editor
Thursday, January 24, 2008 12:26 PM CST

“A fruitful partnership” is how Dean Molly Jahn characterized the historical and ongoing relationship between her UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Wisconsin’s cranberry industry. Jahn kicked off the winter meeting of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association last week in Stevens Point. The WSCGA was founded in 1887. President Abraham Lincoln signed the law establishing the Land Grant university system in 1862.

Wisconsin is No. 1 in cranberries with more than 55 percent of the nation’s crop on about 18,000 harvested acres, and UW-Madison ag researchers have helped bring it to that point. Jahn highlighted work in mineral nutrition, release of the UW HyRed cranberry, continuing research on the “barren berry” problem (i.e. patches of cranberry plants within beds that for some genetic reason don’t flower), conservation efforts, pest and disease management, plant genetics and cultivar selection.

Jahn said it’s “exciting” to be an ag dean in a state that “understands” the need for a vibrant ag economy n one steeped in diversity. Cranberries are an important contributor to that diversity.

Since 1985, the Cranberry Board has sponsored $2.273 million in research funds, for 70 awards supporting 22 principal investigators. Thirty-two of those projects are currently active. She stressed that the UW is as committed as ever to the industry.

Jahn highlighted some examples of cranberry research currently underway at UW-Madison, such as an experiment simulating frost on cranberries. Stress tolerance will be a key trait not just for cranberries but other crops as well, she predicted, pointing to more extreme shifts in weather of late.

The UW has contributed to studies on the health benefits of cranberries. Such research teams tend not to fit within traditional college boundaries, she noted. Jahn said its “one of the most exciting” things she does as dean n to assemble teams of researchers across departments to work together on industry needs, such as the health benefits of cranberries.

She listed the crucial topics that’ll be facing both agriculture and CALS now and in the near future as: Food and health (including nutraceuticals, which are extracts of food with medicinal impact on human health), environmental issues and energy.

She promised that the cranberry industry will remain “very high” in the college’s priorities.

Wisconsin’s cranberry industry is hoping for federal funding to help establish a cranberry research station in this state and put two USDA Ag Research Station scientists with CALS. WSCGA Executive Director Tom Lochner indicated that if and when such a dedicated station comes to fruition, the industry would look to the UW to be very involved. A research facility is needed for field research that can’t be done on grower-cooperator properties.

He told Agri-View there’s language currently in both House and Senate versions of the new Farm Bill identifying cranberry research as a priority. If it makes it through the Conference Committee and into the Farm Bill, it would still need to go through the appropriations process. The aim is to establish a research station for cranberries in Wisconsin, upgrade the existing one in Massachusetts (the No. 2 cranberry state) and get more USDA positions (research PhDs) working in cranberries at both sites. The entire package is estimated at $10 million. WSCGA has been working with the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association to secure support and funding for this cranberry research enhancement initiative.

Rutgers has a station in New Jersey, the No. 3 cranberry-producing state. Even Washington State, No. 5 in cranberries, has a facility owned by a grower foundation.

The theme of last week’s cranberry school was water conservation. It’s necessary, he alluded, between recent drought and high fuel bills (i.e. growers don’t want to run their pumps any more than they have to) and the fact that water use is fast becoming a public policy issue.

He credits with the Great Lakes Compact seeking to regulate withdrawals of water within the Great Lakes Basin and efforts to extend its provisions across the state as possibly drawing attention to the cranberry industry, a major water user. The other area of scrutiny is groundwater and high capacity wells, which could lead environmentalists to decide to also look at reliance on surface water, also possibly putting the cranberry industry squarely in the spotlight.

Lochner noted that he expects water access and diversion from both groundwater and surface water to be a topic in the Legislature, as does the WSCGA’s legislative counsel Ron Kuehn.

Kuehn says Wisconsin is increasingly “waking up to the fact” that water is not an unlimited resource. Access to water will be a major focus in the public policy arena, he predicted.

He said the Cranberry Law is the only significant exception to the Public Trust Doctrine, which basically declares that the surface waters of this state are subject to the general public. He fears the upcoming focus on water might result in erosion of cranberry growers’ rights to use water in their businesses.

Kuehn said the Great Lakes Compact in its present state is unacceptable to agriculture. The WSCGA is concerned that as written the compact may not actually prevent other states or regions from diverting water yet place severe restrictions on uses within the state of surface and groundwater.

He noted that he also represents the potato and vegetable industry; those growers fear extension of the Public Trust Doctrine to groundwater and high capacity wells. If that would ever happen, people could bring lawsuits challenging the drilling of high capacity wells. That is, of course, also an issue for the state’s largest dairies.

The other upcoming issue of focus, according to Kuehn, will be wetlands protection and cranberry’s general permit. The aim is to perhaps align with road-building, home construction and electrical utility industries, all of which are stymied by wetlands protection laws as they currently stand.

As the industry looks at opportunities for growth, WSCGA has requested that General Permit 014 be reissued to allow certain activities on existing cranberry marshes. The association is negotiating with DNR to make the permit usable for growers in Wisconsin.

The WSCGA is implementing a new program to improve grassroots lobbying efforts. A web-based program, VoterVoice, will be used to quickly connect grower and associate members with elected officials. This program will allow WSCGA to mobilize members in response to critical legislation or proposed rulemaking by contacting their elected officials. Emails will go out to members, who, in turn, will be able to email policy-makers.

Lochner reported to WSCGA membership that the association is financially strong, operating in the black, with good membership numbers and more growers participating in its programs. Some 450 registered for last week’s conference, compared to 330 last year, indicative of the strengthened cranberry economy, according to Lochner.

He highlighted the fact that the industry is a leader in nutrient management planning with more than 350 growers and consultants attending training since 2006 and certified to write plans. Wisconsin cranberry growers have implemented (or committed to do so) NMPs on over 8,300 acres or about 42 percent of the statewide total acreage. That’s way ahead of other commodities and ag as a whole.

WSCGA and the Wisconsin Cranberry Board once again sponsored the Milwaukee Brewer Radio Network and Cranberry Night at Miller Park. A new model of a cranberry marsh drew a lot of attention at the Wisconsin State Fair’s Wisconsin Products Pavilion, he added of industry promotions. Cranberry product sales were up at state fair last year.

Working with the nationally shown Mr. Food program, WSCGA developed a program featuring cranberries that aired prior to Labor Day as well as one during the week of Thanksgiving. And in September, the association worked with the cable business news network DNBC for a story on Wisconsin’s cranberry industry. The network spent two days shooting footage, interviewing growers and broadcasting live from a marsh during harvest.

Finally, the litigation involving a Sawyer County grower hasn’t quite yet gone away, even though the court rejected claims by the Attorney General and 14 out-of-state landowners who brought suit against the cranberry grower alleging he created a nuisance by discharging phosphorous into a bay on Lac Courte Oreilles Lake. Those charges were brought despite the fact there was no referral by any state agency nor was the grower accused of breaking any law or regulations. The plaintiffs have filed an appeal of the decision. The cranberry industry remains vigilant.

In elections, Ed Sabey, Merrill, was elected president of the WSCGA, replacing Scott Schultz, Warrens, who remains on the board. The new vice-president is Mike Moss, Wisconsin Rapids. Heidi Dobbs, Wisconsin Rapids, was newly elected as treasurer. Jim Van Wychen, Warrens, remains as secretary. Remaining on the board are Dan Brockman, Vesper Bill Hatch, Necedah; Bill Wolfe, Nekoosa; and Teryl Roger with the UW at ex-officio. Newly elected as a director is John Stauner, Wisconsin Rapids, whose marsh is at Three Lakes.

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