Stevens Point, Wisconsin, March 8, 2024 — On March 4, Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Executive Director Tamas Houlihan received the Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture Award from the Portage County Business Council during its annual American Agriculture Appreciation Banquet.
Each year, the Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture Award is presented to a deserving individual for commitment to the progress and success of the agribusiness industry, and for significant contributions to the agribusiness community.
Held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, in Stevens Point, the American Ag Appreciation Banquet is the premier Portage County event honoring agriculture and agri-businesses, 4-H leaders and youth, and FFA high school seniors.
During the ceremony, plaques were awarded to students in the categories of 4-H Leadership in Agriculture, and Outstanding FFA Seniors, as well as the presentation of an Agri-Business Scholarship to a high school senior pursuing a career in agriculture.
A highlight was the Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture Award, which Portage County Ag Agent Ken Schroeder presented to Houlihan, saying, “Businessman Tamas Houlihan has been a force in Central Wisconsin agriculture for many years.”
“On December 4, 2014, the WPVGA Board of Directors announced that Tamas had been named Executive Director of the Association,” Schroeder continued. “For the previous 27 years, he served as the Managing Editor of The Badger Common’Tater magazine, the official voice of the Wisconsin potato and vegetable industry.”
At the WPVGA, Houlihan received a Distinguished Service Award in 1997; the President’s Award in 2001 and 2015; the Agri-Communicator Award in 2008; and the Wisconsin Seed Potato Industry Leadership Award in 2011. He was also honored with the National Potato Council President’s Award in 2020.
“Tamas’s community involvement is second to none,” Schroeder said, “leading numerous meetings, serving on industry boards, advocating where needed, facilitating contract negotiations, participating in events and conferences, campaigning for fundraisers, grant writing, and so much more, all to improve community relations and help address the industry’s issues and concerns.”
“Tamas has made his mark as one of our community’s most respected, influential leaders and is a pillar of our community,” Schroeder concluded. “We are pleased you have chosen Portage County as the place to make a difference, Tamas, because indeed, you have!”
In accepting the award, Houlihan said, “I am deeply honored and humbled to stand before you today as the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture Award.”
“This recognition is not just a testament to my individual efforts, but a celebration of the collective dedication and resilience of all those who work tirelessly in the fields, day in and day out, to feed the world,” he said, “as well as those who help them do so.”
He then emphasized the outstanding work done by the staff of the WPVGA, saying, “Their hard work, guidance, encouragement, and unwavering belief in the importance of our work have been the driving force behind all my achievements. I could not do it without them, and they are directly responsible for me receiving this award.”
Houlihan pledged to continue advocating for the interests of farmers and rural communities, championing sustainable practices, and promoting innovation in agriculture.
He asked banquet attendees to keep in mind that America’s farm families represent only two percent of the population that feeds the other 98 percent with the fruits of their labor, a dramatic demographic shift from the nation’s first 100 years when most Americans lived and worked on farms.
Wisconsin Senator Patrick Testin also presented Houlihan with a Citation of Commendation for his contributions to agriculture.
American Agriculture Awards
4-H Leadership in Agriculture – Jacob Spoelstra
Outstanding FFA Senior Awards – Abby Sekerka, Pacelli (through the Rosholt High School FFA program); Jaclynn Kaminski, Rosholt High School; and Caleb Mroczenski, Stevens Point Area Senior High School
Agri-Business Scholarship Recipient – Porter Stuczynski
2024 Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture Award – Tamas Houlihan, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association
