Alsum Farms & Produce began five decades ago with one man in a 600-square-foot potato shed. Today, the farming business has grown into 325 full-time team members working across two farming locations, packing facilities, marketing and distribution to bring 200,000,000 pounds of potatoes to families across the Midwest.
As a vertically integrated farm, packing facility and logistics agribusiness – Alsum Farms, Alsum Farms & Produce and Alsum Transport – work together growing, packing and delivering fresh, Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Certified Alsum potatoes, onions and produce to dinner tables across America since 1973. The business is farmer-owned, quality-driven and family-run by first-generation potato farmer Larry Alsum and his two daughters.
Sisters Wendy (Alsum) Dykstra and Heidi (Alsum) Randall grew up inspired by their father, Larry, a fourth-generation dairy farmer turned potato farmer. From an early age, the sisters witnessed firsthand the long hours, challenges and rewards that come with farming.
Integrity from Field to Fork
From the beginning, the success of Alsum Farms & Produce has been rooted in hard-working local employees, strong partnerships with growers and customers and a steadfast commitment to quality. The Alsum family places a strong emphasis on caring for employees and recognizing the contributions each person makes.
“Advances in equipment, farming practices and packing systems have strengthened efficiency and product quality, but they have never replaced our people-first approach,” shared Wendy.
Combining Instinct and Innovation
Wendy and Heidi blend longstanding farming practices with modern technology to position Alsum Farms for long-term success.
“While the tools and scale of the farm have evolved, our culture remains grounded in family focus and long-term relationships,” shared Heidi. “By balancing strong roots with forward-thinking innovation, we have proved that growth and tradition can thrive side-by-side.”
Wendy and Heidi grew up in the information age, so using digital tools feels natural to them. They rely on automation, apps and data to make faster, clearer decisions. Technology doesn’t replace generational intuition; it strengthens it. It supports their instincts. By pairing experience with modern tools, they improve teamwork and help the operation run smoothly.
“By respecting what works and carefully testing new approaches, we protect our legacy while positioning the farm for a sustainable, competitive future,” shared Wendy.
Using technology that helps them monitor fields, store potatoes safely, and avoid wasting seed and nutrients improves farm efficiency and reduces risk, striving to pack a quality product for customers across the country.
“We are involved in the farm at a time when change happens faster than ever,” noted Heidi. “Because of that, adaptability and willingness to make necessary changes are very important.”
Technology in Potato Farming
GPS-guided planting technology helps maximize productivity and yield, ensuring each field is planted with precision. Soil sensors and cameras mounted on irrigation pivots monitor moisture levels and crop conditions. Irrigation pivots in the field can be adjusted from a smartphone, allowing rapid response to changing conditions.
“That level of precision transformed how we farm,” shared Heidi. “We are able to farm smarter, reduce waste and improve sustainability, all while supporting the instincts and experience that guide our decisions in the field.”
Protecting crops from insects, weeds and disease is essential to growing a steady, reliable food supply. At Alsum Farms, fields are scouted weekly by agronomists and professional scouts, allowing the team to respond only when a real need is identified.
Alsum Farms is a founding member of the Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Program. The agronomy team uses the Healthy Grown framework to determine which products, if any, are necessary for the crop. The program provides a framework for improving farming practices, protecting the environment and creating a sustainable future for the next generation.
“Balancing innovation with generational experience means using technology to strengthen hard-earned instincts,” shared Heidi.
Harvest and Storage Innovation
During harvest, an AI-powered HarvestEye™ system counts, sizes and weighs potatoes in real time as they pass by on a conveyor on the potato harvester. HarvestEye™ provides real-time, GPS-based reports which allow Alsum agronomists to make better planning and production decisions.
Storage innovation plays a critical role in making fresh Wisconsin potatoes available throughout the year. Environmentally controlled warehouses regulate humidity, temperature and light exposure, creating conditions that preserve potato quality long after harvest. Most recently, Alsum Farms installed technology to cool and purify the air in storage warehouses.
In the packing facility, technology supports quality assurance. Artificially intelligent robotic cameras inspect each potato as they spin along the grading table, offering nearly 360 degrees of visibility. A robotic picker removes potatoes that do not meet USDA #1 grade standards. Rather than going to waste, those potatoes are redirected for dehydrated potato products or cattle feed.
Healthy Food for Your Family
Adopting these systems early sets the tone for how Alsum Farms approaches innovation today: thoughtfully, strategically and always with the goal of long-term performance.
Within 36 hours of harvest, potatoes are cleaned, packed and delivered to customers, preserving freshness while maintaining quality standards. During the winter and spring months, potatoes are taken out of storage, washed, packed and delivered, providing a year-round supply of Wisconsin Healthy Grown® russet potatoes.
The Wisconsin Healthy Grown® seal on every bag of Alsum russet potatoes signals that verified best practices were used throughout the growing process. Each package is fully traceable back to the specific field where it was grown.
Alsum potatoes can be found at major grocery stores across Wisconsin, including Aldi, Woodman’s, Piggly Wiggly, Costco and more. For shoppers, Alsum Farms’ commitment to consistent quality means dependable access to fresh, locally grown food year-round.
“When a family brings home a bag of Alsum potatoes, we hope they feel confident in the care behind every step of the process,” shared Wendy. “We want them to know that we truly care about our people, our land and the responsibility we carry as farmers.”
Wisconsin potato farmers like Alsum Farms are setting the standard for sustainable, innovative potato farming.
Legacy of Tradition and Innovation
Wendy and Heidi are building a legacy defined by their care for their people and the planet. They consider it equally important to maintain a culture at Alsum Farms & Produce where employees are treated like family and feel valued, supported and proud of their work.
“We are blessed with the opportunity to grow healthy, nutritious Healthy Grown potatoes in an environmentally responsible way and we take that responsibility seriously,” concluded Heidi.