News on The Potato Supply Chain from Canada

Frost impacts frying color potatoes PEI.

December 10, 2009

Frost impacts frying colour potatoes PEI

As potatoes began rolling into the two processing plants in Price Edward Island this fall, it became relatively easy to determine when they were harvested. Maybe not the exact date, but at least whether they hit the warehouse before the first of a ...

November 24, 2009

PEI Potato farmers hope aggressive marketing will benefit industry

P.E.I.’s potato farmers are hoping more aggressive marketing will help their industry bounce back after a tough season.Many Island growers met Friday in Summerside for the P.E.I Potato Board's annual general meeting.Board chair Boyd Murphy said this ye...

November 21, 2009

Earl Smith receives PEI Potato Board Award

Earl Smith accepted the P.E.I. Potato Board’s recognition award for his 44 years of service to the potato industry on the Island at the board’s annual banquet at Credit Union Place last night. The Summerside farmer began his career with Canada Packers ...

November 19, 2009

Prince Edward Island government offers Cavendish Farms workers money for training during shutdowns

The union representing Cavendish Farms workers has publicly thanked the P.E.I. government for more than $600,000 in training money.The money will allow employees of the company's two potato processing plants in New Annan who expect to be out of work du...

October 23, 2009

Rain causes more delays in Prince Edward Island Potato harvest

Delays in P.E.I. potato harvest operations are getting even worse after heavy rains continued to plague the island Thursday night.The recent wet weather has put some farmers close to two weeks behind schedule, and more rain is expected on the weekend, ...

October 19, 2009

Potato harvest slow on Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island potato growers are being hampered by the elements as they try to harvest the most expensive crop ever planted.Usually, harvest is half done by Oct. 15, with Oct. 31 being the typical deadline to avoid the risk of frost damage. But ...

September 30, 2009

No Potato Cyst Nematodes detected in the first 28000 soil samples analyzed in Canada

This year, approximately 65,000 Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) soil samples will be collected and analysed as part of Canada's national PCN detection survey and to meet various countries' import requirements. So far, approximately 40,000 soil samples have ...

September 27, 2009

Edmonton potato farmer gives away spuds to protest urban sprawl

In Edmonton, AB Canada, Potato farmer Gord Visser decided to give away 100,000 pounds of Russet potatoes to raise awareness about local food grown in the northeast corner of Edmonton.Gordon Visser makes an unlikely barker of the one-day sale.

September 10, 2009

Food pricing becoming an issue as recession wears on

Canadian shoppers have been paying more at supermarket cash registers, but a price war could be on the horizon if the loonie continues to trek higher and consumers react to the weak economy, some industry watchers suggest. Supermarket chains across the...

September 09, 2009

Poitras, Barclay inducted into Hall of Recognition

All eyes are on Lionel Poitras and G. Melvin Barclay at the sixth annual Potato World Hall of Recognition Awards. More than 100 people joined in congratulating the potato innovators at Potato World in Florenceville-Bristol on Thursday evening. "T...

September 09, 2009

New Brunswick potato cash receipts grow 32%

New Brunswick farmers have raked in one of the highest revenue increases in the country this year over last, thanks to the potato industry, newly released figures state. Higher prices for potatoes boosted farm cash receipt totals for New Brunswick in ...

September 02, 2009

Toner Farms Ltd. named the 2009 McCain Champion Potato Grower for Grand Falls

Toner Farms Ltd. of Grand Falls was named the 2009 McCain Champion Potato Grower for Grand Falls.

August 29, 2009

McCain Foods announced Champion Potato Grower for Florenceville

Howard Culberson & Sons of Jacksonville was named the 2009 McCain Champion Potato Grower for Florenceville during the annual McCain Growers' Banquet held at the Northern Carleton Civic Centre.Potatoes are rated throughout the year on a variety of fa...

August 26, 2009

Canada adds acrylamide to toxic substance list

Health Canada has added acrylamide to the government’s list of toxic substances. Having added acrylamide to its toxic list, Health Canada will be pursing a three-pronged strategy to reduce exposure to the substance from food sources. It will press ...

August 10, 2009

World's potato experts meet in Fredericton at PAA annual meeting

Fredericton is in the eye of the potato world this week with more than 200 delegates from Canada, the United States and 10 other countries attending the 93rd annual meeting of the Potato Association of America. The potato virus Y, which can affect cro...

August 05, 2009

The Queen of Spuds: Angela Santiago, CEO of the Little Potato Company

Angela Santiago, CEO of The Little Potato Company in Edmonton, Alberta was recently hailed as Canada's 'Queen of Spuds' by Global TV. Since Angela Santiago harvested her first one-acre crop by hand in 1996, the Little Potato Company’s co-founder and CE...

July 28, 2009

Cavendish Farms buys appetizer division Omstead Foods

Omstead Foods Limited announced today that Cavendish Farms, one of North America's leading processors of frozen potato products, has purchased the Appetizer division of Omstead Foods.In a transaction that closed today, Cavendish Farms, a member of the ...

July 28, 2009

Potato blight flourishing on Prince Edward Island

Wet, humid conditions are leading to the worst season for late blight on potatoes on P.E.I. in years. Provincial agriculture officials report 30 cases of late blight so far this summer in Island potato fields. Last year at this time, there were just t...