Woordman Farms (Taber) named champion grower of the McCain Foods Coaldale Plant

Woordman Farms of Taber, AB was named the 2015-2016 McCain Champion Potato Grower for the McCain Coaldale plant during the 17th Annual McCain Growers’ Banquet held recently at the Coast Hotel and Conference Centre.
From left to Right: Jeremy Carter, Fi

Woordman Farms of Taber, AB was named the 2015-2016 McCain Champion Potato Grower for the McCain Coaldale plant during the 17th Annual McCain Growers’ Banquet held recently at the Coast Hotel and Conference Centre.
From left to Right: Jeremy Carter, Field Department Manager, Shai Altman, President, McCain Foods Canada, Wietske Woordman, Arjan Woordman, Dale McCarthy, Vice President Integrated Supply Chain North America.

November 17, 2016

Woordman Farms of Taber was named the 2015-2016 McCain Champion Potato Grower for the McCain Foods Coaldale plant (Alberta) during the 17th Annual McCain Growers’ Banquet held recently at the Coast Hotel and Conference Centre.

About 140 guests gathered to celebrate the top growers and their achievements.

Shai Altman, President, McCain Foods Canada and Dale McCarthy, Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain North America were on hand to extend personal congratulations to Woordman Farms and all of the McCain growers.

In his address to the group, Altman stressed the importance of growers to McCain and the continued need to work together in partnership for success.

Shai Altman, President, McCain Foods Canada:
 

“Thank you for helping us source potatoes late in the season to supply our growing customer’s demands, both domestically and for our export market, and we also thank the Coaldale team that helped us support and supply these incremental volumes.”

Dale McCarthy, Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain North America agreed:
 

“This evening is about us recognizing and showing our grower community how much we appreciate you and our partnership.”

“Without our valued growers, we could not be successful and we also hope that our success will benefit you.”

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Jeremy Carter, Field Department Manager. Other McCain management who extended congratulations to the Top 10 winners included Mark MacPhail, Director of Agriculture North America, Jean Theriault, Coaldale Plant Manager, Randie Davenport, Production Manager, and Emily Snowdon, Agronomist.

Arjan and Wietske Woordman were thrilled when Woordman Farms was announced as the Champion Grower.

Woordman Farms has been contracting with McCain since 2005. This is the first time Woordman Farms has been named as Champion Grower, and the sixth time being in the Top Ten list, so it was a wonderful achievement and surprise.

In addition to being awarded a trophy and $1,000, Woordman Farms will also receive an all-expense-paid trip to Bermuda or a comparable destination of choice for the achievement.
 

(Click to enlarge) The Top 10 Growers gather with McCain Management (Click picture for names).

The Top 10 Growers gather with McCain Management (Click picture for names).

Potatoes are rated throughout the year on a variety of factors including size, gravity, defect level and colour and awarded points accordingly.

At the end of each crop year, the Top 10 growers are determined based on their overall scores.

The others growers who qualified for the top 10 roster, in order of final standing, were:
 

  • 3D Farms Joint Venture (Jake Schutter, Egbert Schutter and Onno Mellema – Grassy Lake)
  • Perry Produce Ltd. (Chris & Harold Perry – Chin)
  • S-Scan Farms (Stan & Stuart Kanagawa – Scandia)
  • Tamminga Farms Ltd. (Bill Tamminga – Cranford)
  • Chin Coulee Spud Farms (John, Delbert & Dwayne Vossebelt – Chin)
  • Stiekema Kolhorn JV (Laus Stiekema & Jaco Kolhorn – Vauxhall)
  • North Paddock Farms (Alison & Michael Davie – Taber)
  • Lane Lievaart Farms Ltd. (Lane Lievaart – Chin)
  • Uchikura Farms Ltd. (Winston Uchikura – Bow Island)

Each of these growers received a plaque and $1,000.