Rhinelander Potato Fest Begins This Year
The Northwoods is typically a “hopping” place during the summer, and especially during summer holidays. That’s why the non-profit organizations, Tri-County Council and Downtown Rhinelander Incorporated, are partnering to create a festival that will put Rhinelander on the map! On the Saturday of Labor Day weekend (August 31), the first annual Rhinelander Potato Fest will feature several potato dishes, including potato brats, for sale! You’re also sure to experience plenty of entertainment, art and food vendors not to mention activities for kids and a couch potato race hosted by Rhinelander’s YMCA of the Northwoods. Activities, food and drinks will be available throughout the day at Trig’s Green Space on Courtney Street in Rhinelander.
USDA Webinar Invitation
The PACA Complaint Process – An Interactive Discussion
Thursday, August 22, 2013
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Please join us at a live, interactive discussion via webinar about the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), a federal law that facilitates fair trading practices in the marketing of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in interstate and foreign commerce. If you buy and sell bulk fruits and vegetables, you won’t want to miss this unique webinar!
In response to your requests, we are offering this webinar in a new format. We are limiting the time of our formal presentation and devoting the majority of the webinar to a live and interactive Question and Answer session.
Webinar Schedule
1. Presentation. John Koller, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) PACA Division, will provide a brief overview of the Act, the importance of Federal inspections, the proper acceptance and rejection of produce, and multiple avenues to resolve a business conflict. He’ll touch on how to file an informal PACA complaint, mediation, working through a formal complaint, and the PACA Trust.
2. Question and Answer Session. We’ve set additional time aside for you to ask questions related to your unique business challenges related to the PACA. If you prefer, you may submit your questions ahead of time to Disputeresolutionsection@ams.usda.gov and John will answer them at the webinar.
The webinar is free and available to anyone with Internet access. Registration is, however, required and space is limited. Visit (http://bit.ly/13l0pNP) to register today!
We will host webinars on more AMS programs and services throughout the year. To view previous webinars online, visit our Webinar Archive.
For additional information about PACA click on this link PACA Introduction or visit our Web-site at www.ams.usda.gov/paca.
If you have any questions about the webinars or AMS, please contact Christopher Purdy at (202) 720-3209 or christopher.purdy@ams.usda.gov.
2013 Spud Bowl Features Spud Run
A new feature has been added to the 27th Annual Spud Bowl football game: The inaugural Spud Run will be held prior to this year’s game!
The Spud Run is a 5K race that is open to everyone, male or female; young or old. Medals and prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age and gender category. Baked potatoes and French fries will be served to all participants as well as those attending the Spud Bowl game, which is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 7 at Community Stadium in Goerke Park, Stevens Point. The Spud Bowl football game marks the home opener for the Pointer football team as UWSP takes on Rockford University.
Cost to enter the Spud Run is $20 and includes a t-shirt and complimentary potato products. Participants must register online at: www.uwsp.edu/spudbowl. The run will start and finish on the track at Goerke Park. The race will begin at 4 p.m.
The Spud Bowl Committee is also accepting applications for 2013 Spud Bowl scholarships. Multiple scholarships ranging from $500-$750 will be awarded. The application deadline is August 30, 2013. Scholarships are available to incoming students enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for the 2013 fall semester, undergraduates already enrolled at UWSP and students planning to continue at UWSP.
Scholarship applicants are not required to pursue a career in agriculture. The scholarships are provided by the proceeds received from the annual Spud Bowl event. A volunteer judging panel of the Spud Bowl Committee reviews all applications. Apply online at: www.uwsp.edu/spudbowlapplication.
The Spud Bowl was developed to highlight the potato and agri-business industry in the Portage County area. Through the years over $100,000 has been awarded in Spud Bowl scholarships to over 100 students. The Pointer football team has enjoyed great success in Spud Bowl games, with a record of 22-4.
For more information, contact Tony Romano, event coordinator, at 715-346-3406.
Industry Veteran, Blair Richardson, Named United States Potato Board President/CEO
(DENVER August 1, 2013) – The United States Potato Board (USPB), the nation’s potato marketing organization and the central organizing force in implementing programs that will increase demand for potatoes, named produce industry veteran, Blair Richardson, as President/CEO, effective August 1, 2013.
Over the past four years Richardson served as CEO for the combined entities of WesPak Sales, Inc., and Enns Packing, Inc., Dinuba, CA, as he assisted the owners of the 110-year-old business in a transition through their generational gap. Through that process, Richardson also facilitated a corporate merger/acquisition of the operations by a group, including the owners of Rivermaid Trading Company, in 2012. During the spring/summer of 2013, Richardson then facilitated a second merger of operation between WesPak, Inc., and Precision Produce.
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ICYMI: Wisconsin Ranked #2 in Leading Economic Indicator
Madison— The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released its June leading economic indexes for states today. Their data suggest Wisconsin will have the second strongest economic growth of any state in the nation over the next six months.
“We know that employers want stability, and while we can’t control all of the factors affecting job creation, this ranking is another sign that the work we are doing is improving the business climate in the state.” Governor Walker said.
The leading index projects the six-month growth in the coincidence index. The latest coincidence index for June had Wisconsin ranked 5th in the nation, 1st in the Midwest, and exceeding the national growth rate. This was only the sixth time since 1980 Wisconsin has ranked in the top five based on this measure.
The leading index is calculated by using the coincidence index, as well as housing permit data, initial unemployment claims, the Institute for Supply Management manufacturing survey, and the 10-year Treasury bond and 3-month Treasury bill interest rate spread.
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Wildfire Safe, Sound & Code Smart Wisconsin Conference
The National Resource Conservation & Development Councils and the International Code Council present the Wisconsin Wildland Urban Interface Conference on August 6 and 7, 2013 in Madison, WI.
Wildfire Safe, Sound & Code Smart seeks to improve a community’s ability to combat wildland fire through development of fire prevention and building policies that better fit the changing nature of human habitation along the edge of the forest as people leave the cities for life in the country. The target audience for this phase of the program is nationally recognized Wildland Urban Interface areas where currently more than 12 million people live and work. The people in these areas will benefit from local policy adoption and wildfire public education resulting from this program. Wildfire public education is of the utmost importance and the goal is to continue the development of these programs nation-wide as funding becomes available.
More information, agenda, and registration
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