Howard Culberson & Sons named Champion Potato Grower for McCain Foods Florenceville

Howard Culberson and Sons of Jacksonville, NB was named the 2015-2016 McCain Champion Potato Grower for Florenceville-Bristol during the 43rd annual McCain Growers’ Banquet held August 24 at Northern Carleton Civic Centre.

Almost 300 guests gathered to celebrate the top growers and their achievements.

Allison McCain, Chairman of McCain Foods Limited, Dale McCarthy, VP Integrated Supply Chain North America, and Christine Wentworth, VP Agriculture North America were on hand to extend personal congratulations to Howard Culberson and Sons, and all of the McCain growers.

In his address to the group, McCain said he is “excited about agriculture, and particularly our agriculture.”

Allison McCain, Chairman of McCain Foods Limited:

“Potatoes are an important crop in Canada, and they are a big export crop. The industry, including ourselves here in Canada, is built on export.”

“60% of what we produce is exported either to the US or elsewhere and we’re up against some pretty big competitors in the US and in Europe.”

“But I am optimistic about what can happen here.”

“Potatoes are a driver of jobs and prosperity and we are poised for great success in New Brunswick.”

McCain said he was proud to be at the event to recognize and celebrate the hard work and success of the growers.

Hon. Rick Doucet, Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries and Minister of Energy and Resource Development:

“As New Brunswickers, we take a great deal of pride in the success of our potato industry.”

“And right now, people around the world are eating our potatoes grown right here and that is pretty tremendous.”

Doucet also thanked the growers for their commitment for advancing farming and economic development in the province.

Rick Doucet:

“Your farm is your business, it is your way of life, you put in long hours to make a living, support your families and feed the world. Your work is extremely important, and I’d like to personally thank you for the work you are doing.”

Master of ceremonies for the evening was Field Department Manager Luc Côté. Travis Pirie, Potato Buyer/Scheduler took the podium to announce the Top 10 winners.

Other McCain personnel on hand to congratulate the growers included Stephen McCain, Managing Director, McCain Produce, Dale McCarthy, VP Integrated Supply Chain NA, Christine Wentworth, VP Agriculture NA, David Good, Director of Agriculture, and Marc Kilfoil, French Fry Plant Manager.

Other special guests included Sadie Perron, Assistant Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, and Jean Finn, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries and Deputy Minister of Energy and Resource Development.

Howard Culberson and son Blair, and his sons Ryan and Paul were thrilled to win the Champion Grower title. Ryan attributed the win to “good ground, such as well-drained, heavy soil, carrying on a good rotation, and Mother Nature.”

Howard Culberson and Sons has been in the Top 10 category twelve times and have been growing potatoes for McCain for 32 years.

In addition to being awarded a trophy and a $1,000 cheque, the Culberson family will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to a destination of choice for their achievement.

A special presentation was also made by Field Representative Joshua Guest to Lakeside Farms who won the 3rd annual Yield Contest.

Second place was awarded to B and C Young Farms.

The goal of the contest is to identify high-yielding fields and capture and share best practices among the grower community.

Peter, Paul and Matthew Tweedie of Lakeside Farms achieved a yield of 509 hundredweight or 308 barrels an acre, while Blair and Chad Young of B and C Young Farms had a yield of 494 hundredweight or 299 barrels an acre.

For the Top 10 grower awards, 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 other growers who qualified for the top 10 roster, in order of final standing, were: Ralph B. Culberson & Sons Ltd. (Roy with son Robert Culberson – Jacksonville), Herb Culberson Farms Ltd. (Herb Culberson – Jacksonville), G&C Culberson Inc. (Gerald with son Cory Culberson – Jacksonville), Kilpatrick Farms Ltd. (Brian with son Jared Kilpatrick – Greenfield), Double B Farms Ltd. (Dana with son Aaron Bubar – Hartland), Stephenson Farms (Brothers Carl and Robert Stephenson – Florenceville), Kevin Floyd Ltd. (Kevin Floyd – Bloomfield), Brian Markey (Brian Markey – Hartford), Killoween Farms (Kornelis Bakker – Killoween).

Each received a plaque and a $1,000 cheque for their achievements.