Chapter ATCP 156

ATCP 156.10 Note Note: The issuance of the seal does not necessarily mean the department actually seals the bag, tote, bin, truck or other container of inspected potatoes. In many cases, the potatoes are handled by other persons after the department inspects the potatoes and before they are delivered to the customer.

ATCP 156.10(3) (3) Grades and grade standards. The following grades of certified seed potatoes shall meet the following grade standards:

ATCP 156.10(3)(a) (a) Badger state brand. Badger state brand potatoes shall meet the grade standards in s. ATCP 156.12.

ATCP 156.10(3)(b) (b) Yellow tag brand [grade]. Yellow tag brand [grade] potatoes shall meet the grade standards in s. ATCP 156.13.

ATCP 156.10(3)(c) (c) Badger state foundation brand. Badger state foundation brand potatoes shall meet the grade standards in s. ATCP 156.14.

ATCP 156.10(3)(d) (d) Yellow tag foundation grade. Yellow tag foundation grade potatoes shall meet the grade standards in s. ATCP 156.15.

ATCP 156.10(4) (4) Request for grading. A seed potato grower shall make a grading request under sub. (1) in writing, on a form provided by the department. The requester shall agree to pay the department’s reasonable grading costs, as determined by the department. A grading request may cover 2 or more lots of seed potatoes.

ATCP 156.10 Note Note: To obtain the form required under sub. (4), a seed potato grower may do any of the following:
  • Visit the department’s website at www.datcp.state.wi.us.
  • Call the department’s fruit and vegetable inspection office at 715/345-5212.
  • Call the department’s Bureau of Business Trade Practices at 608/224-4998.

ATCP 156.10(5) (5) Grading inspection. The department shall grade a lot of certified seed potatoes based on visual inspection of one or more samples of potatoes selected from that lot. The department shall select samples that appear to be visually representative of the lot. Each sample shall include at least 20 pounds of potatoes and the number of individual samples from each lot may vary with the size of the lot. Tolerances for size and defects shall be calculated on the basis of weight. The department shall inspect enough samples to obtain a reliable representation of the lot.

ATCP 156.10(6) (6) Applying tolerances.

ATCP 156.10(6)(a) (a) The occurrence rate for a defect or size violation in a graded lot, determined as an average of the occurrence rates for each of the samples selected under sub. (5) from the graded lot, may not exceed the applicable tolerance specified under s. ATCP 156.12 or 156.13.

ATCP 156.10(6)(b) (b) Within an individual sample selected under sub. (5) from a graded lot, except as provided in par. (c) or (d):

ATCP 156.10(6)(b)1. 1. No defect or size violation may occur at a rate that is more than 1.5 times the applicable tolerance specified in s. ATCP 156.12 or 156.13 if that tolerance is more than 10%.

ATCP 156.10(6)(b)2. 2. No defect or size violation may occur at a rate that is more than twice the applicable tolerance specified in s. ATCP 156.12 or 156.13 if that tolerance is 10% or less.

ATCP 156.10(6)(c) (c) Within an individual sample selected under sub. (5) from a graded lot:

ATCP 156.10(6)(c)1. 1. The rate of sprout damage may not exceed the applicable sprout damage tolerance specified in s. ATCP 156.12 or 156.13.

ATCP 156.10(6)(c)2. 2. There may be no more than one off-size potato and one defective potato.

ATCP 156.10(6)(d) (d) Potatoes damaged by freezing, soft rot or wet breakdown may not occur, at more than 3 times the applicable tolerance specified in s. ATCP 156.12 or 156.13, in more than one-tenth of the samples selected under sub. (5) from a graded lot.

ATCP 156.10 History History: CR 06-085: cr. Register April 2007 No. 616, eff. 5-1-07.

ATCP 156.11 ATCP 156.11 Defects.

ATCP 156.11(1) (1) External defects. External defects in a certified seed potato include the following:

ATCP 156.11(1)(a) (a) Deep air cracks that penetrate beyond the vascular ring.

ATCP 156.11(1)(b) (b) Shallow air cracks that materially detract from the appearance of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(1)(c) (c) Second growth or growth cracks that materially detract from the appearance of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(1)(d) (d) Brown or dark skin discoloration that materially detracts from the appearance of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(1)(e) (e) Shriveling, sponginess or flabbiness, except minor shriveling.

ATCP 156.11(1)(f) (f) A sprout over one inch long.

ATCP 156.11(1)(g) (g) One or more scabs that together cover more than 5% of the potato surface. Scabs may include pitted scabs.

ATCP 156.11(1)(h) (h) Pitted scab that causes a loss of more than 5% of the weight of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(1)(i) (i) Rhizoctonia that materially detracts from the appearance of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(1)(j) (j) Wireworm or grass damage that includes any of the following:

ATCP 156.11(1)(j)1. 1. In a potato that is at approximately 2½ inches wide or weighs approximately 6 ounces, a hole more than ¾ inch long or multiple holes with an aggregate length of more than 1¼ inch.

ATCP 156.11(1)(j)2. 2. Proportionately smaller or larger holes in a smaller or larger potato.

ATCP 156.11(1)(k) (k) A more than slight amount of dirt or foreign matter adhering to the potato, or present in the sample of potatoes.

ATCP 156.11(2) (2) Internal defects. Internal defects in a certified seed potato include the following:

ATCP 156.11(2)(a) (a) Ingrown sprouts, if removal causes a loss of more than 5% of the weight of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(2)(b) (b) Internal discoloration, occurring entirely within the vascular ring, which includes any of the following:

ATCP 156.11(2)(b)1. 1. In a potato that is at approximately 2½ inches wide or weighs approximately 6 ounces, the equivalent of 3 scattered light brown spots 1/8 inch in diameter.

ATCP 156.11(2)(b)2. 2. A proportionately smaller or larger number or size of spots in a smaller or larger potato.

ATCP 156.11(2)(c) (c) Internal discoloration located or extending outside of the vascular ring, if removal causes a loss of more than 5% of the weight of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(3) (3) Defects constituting serious damage. The following defects constitute serious damage:

ATCP 156.11(3)(a) (a) Caked dirt covering more than ½ of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(3)(b) (b) Brown or dark skin discoloration that seriously detracts from the appearance of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(3)(c) (c) Excessive shriveling, sponginess or flabbiness.

ATCP 156.11(3)(d) (d) One or more scabs that together cover more than 50% of the potato surface. Scabs may include pitted scabs.

ATCP 156.11(3)(e) (e) Pitted scab that causes a loss of more than 10% of the weight of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(3)(f) (f) Wireworm or grass damage that includes any of the following:

ATCP 156.11(3)(f)1. 1. In a potato that is at approximately 2½ inches wide or weighs approximately 6 ounces, a hole more than 1¼ inches long or multiple holes with an aggregate length of more than 2 inches.

ATCP 156.11(3)(f)2. 2. Proportionately smaller or larger holes in a smaller or larger potato.

ATCP 156.11(3)(g) (g) Ingrown sprouts, if removal causes a loss of more than 10% of the weight of the potato.

ATCP 156.11(3)(h) (h) Internal discoloration, occurring entirely within the vascular ring, which includes any of the following:

ATCP 156.11(3)(h)1. 1. In a potato that is at approximately 2½ inches wide or weighs approximately 6 ounces, the equivalent of 6 scattered light brown spots 1/8 inch in diameter.

ATCP 156.11(3)(h)2. 2. A proportionately smaller or larger number or size of spots in a smaller or larger potato.

ATCP 156.11(3)(i) (i) Internal discoloration located or extending outside of the vascular ring, if removal causes a loss of more than 10% of the weight of the potato.

ATCP 156.11 History History: CR 06-085: cr. Register April 2007 No. 616, eff. 5-1-07.

ATCP 156.12 ATCP 156.12 Badger state brand.

ATCP 156.12(1) (1) Grade requirements. To qualify for the badger state brand, a lot of certified seed potatoes shall meet all of the following requirements:

ATCP 156.12(1)(a) (a) The college shall certify the lot under subchapter II.

ATCP 156.12(1)(b) (b) All potatoes in the lot shall be of the same variety, subject to a tolerance of 0.25% for varietal mixture. The tolerance shall be applied according to s. ATCP 156.10 (6).

ATCP 156.12(1)(c) (c) All potatoes in the lot shall comply with size standards in subs. (2) to (4), subject to tolerances specified in subs. (2) to (4). Tolerances shall be applied according to s. ATCP 156.10 (6).

ATCP 156.12(1)(d) (d) All potatoes in the lot shall be fairly well shaped.

ATCP 156.12(1)(e) (e) No potatoes in the lot may be frozen at the time of inspection.

ATCP 156.12(1)(f) (f) The lot shall be free of all the following:

ATCP 156.12(1)(f)1. 1. Blackheart.

ATCP 156.12(1)(f)2. 2. Bacterial ring rot.

ATCP 156.12(1)(f)3. 3. Nematode or tuber moth injury.

ATCP 156.12(1)(f)4. 4. Defects in excess of tolerances specified in sub. (5). Tolerances shall be applied according to s. ATCP 156.10 (6).

ATCP 156.12(1)(f)5. 5. Other damage.

ATCP 156.12 Note Note: See definition of “damage” in s. ATCP 156.01 (4). “Damage” includes, but is not limited to, “serious damage” as defined in s. ATCP 156.01 (31).

ATCP 156.12(2) (2) Minimum diameter.

ATCP 156.12(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), not more than 3% of the potatoes in any lot of badger state brand certified seed potatoes may have a diameter smaller than 1½ inches or, if the seller guarantees a different minimum diameter, the minimum diameter guaranteed.

ATCP 156.12(2)(b) (b) If a seller guarantees a minimum diameter under par. (a) of at least 2¼ inches, not more than 5% of the potatoes in the lot may have a diameter that is smaller than the guarantee.

ATCP 156.12(3) (3) Minimum weight.

ATCP 156.12(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), not more than 3% of the potatoes in any lot of badger state brand certified seed potatoes may have a weight less than the minimum weight, if any, guaranteed by the seller.

ATCP 156.12(3)(b) (b) If a seller guarantees a minimum weight under par. (a) of at least 5 ounces, not more than 5% of the potatoes in the graded lot may have a weight that is less than the guaranteed minimum.

ATCP 156.12(4) (4) Maximum size. Not more than 10% of the potatoes in any lot of badger state brand certified seed potatoes may have any of the following:

ATCP 156.12(4)(a) (a) A weight of more than 12 ounces or, if the seller guarantees a different maximum weight, the guaranteed maximum.

ATCP 156.12(4)(b) (b) A diameter that exceeds the maximum guaranteed by the seller, if the seller guarantees a maximum diameter.

ATCP 156.12(5) (5) Defect tolerances. A lot of badger state brand certified seed potatoes may not contain any of the following defects in excess of the following tolerances, specified as a percentage by weight of affected potatoes compared to weight of potatoes in the lot:

ATCP 156.12(5)(a) (a) Serious damage from hollow heart: 10%.

ATCP 156.12(5)(b) (b) Damage from defects listed in s. ATCP 156.11 (1) or (2), other than sprout damage: 5%.

ATCP 156.12(5)(c) (c) Sprout damage: 10%.

ATCP 156.12(5)(d) (d) Late blight tuber rot: 1%.

ATCP 156.12(5)(e) (e) Serious damage from dry- or moist-type fusarium tuber rot: 2%.

ATCP 156.12(5)(f) (f) Damage from freezing, soft rot or wet breakdown: 0.5%, except that the tolerance is 1% if the potatoes are inspected en route to or at the point of receipt by the potato buyer.

ATCP 156.12(6) (6) Sale in bags or totes. The following requirements apply whenever badger state brand certified seed potatoes are sold in bags or totes, as certified seed potatoes:

ATCP 156.12(6)(a) (a) The potatoes shall be sold only in clean new bags or totes. Each bag or tote shall be labeled with the name and address of the seller.

ATCP 156.12(6)(b) (b) Each bag or tote may be labeled with the words “Badger State Brand.” No other brand, other than the seller’s trademark, may appear on the bag or tote without the department’s approval.

ATCP 156.12(6)(c) (c) Each bag or tote shall bear a blue tag issued by the college under s. ATCP 156.02 (3) (a). The blue tag shall clearly disclose all of the following: