"I look at a potato and I see all the possibilities,"Pelletier said Wednesday.
Those possibilities probably aren't the ones you've dreamt up in your kitchen. They're things such as bio-plastic utensils that dissolve in water, extracts that can be used by the pharmaceutical industry and even insect repellents - all from a potato.
The federal government announced $5.3 million in funding to create the BioPotato Network on Wednesday and help bring those possibilities closer to reality.
Pelletier and Tai said the network will bring a significant portion of that investment to the Potato Research Centre on Lincoln Road in Fredericton.
Canada's potato industry is already worth nearly $6 billion a year to the national economy and generates more than 30,000 jobs.
Pelletier and Tai are confident their team can help expand the industry, and they're excited about the possibilities.
