Wisconsin potato growers are celebrating a win as the Healthy Grown program earns official recognition from retail giant Walmart. It’s also helping farmers navigate complex new federal regulations.
After years of developing its own sustainability metrics, Walmart has shifted its strategy to include established third-party programs. Healthy Grown was added to that approved list last year, meaning for local producers, it’s become more than just a label; it’s a tool for market access.
“If you don’t meet one of these programs, you’re not going to be able to sell to Walmart,” explains Andy Dierks, a fourth-generation potato grower from Coloma who has seen the program evolve over 30 years. “It’s market access for anybody that’s selling Wisconsin potatoes that are under the Healthy Grown program.”
Beyond the retail benefits, the program provides farmers with a direct line to researchers at the University of Wisconsin. This partnership is becoming increasingly critical as growers face new federal pressures, such as the Endangered Species Act, which has the Environmental Protection Agency reviewing crop protectants.
Dierks says that while some growers initially thought the program would be a burden for those without natural features like streams or hunting grounds, the initiative has proven adaptable. Specialists are helping farmers identify “ecosystem services” and pollinator plantings that fit their specific acreage, regardless of the landscape.
“The industry has really moved with Healthy Grown,” he says. “The practices have become sort of standard practices in our industry and so it’s not very hard for growers to get engaged.”
Currently, the program includes roughly 15 fresh growers covering up to 13,000 acres, about half of Wisconsin’s fresh potato production. As the industry pivots toward “regenerative agriculture” to meet changing consumer demands, Dierks hope the Walmart relationship will act as a springboard for higher participation rates statewide.
