Potato News from Prince Edward Island

The Prince Edward Island potato industry is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for recent tampering incidents involving sewing needles being embedded in fresh potatoes.

It began as a trickle — people with their arms filled with personal items, leaving the McCain Foods processing plant in Borden-Carleton for the last time Wednesday — and soon it turned into a mass exodus.

Prince Edward Island Potatoes was delighted to have Col. Chris Hadfield, former Commander of the International Space Station helping to dig potatoes on Halloween morning against the backdrop of a clear blue sky and the beautiful West River.

The market for Prince Edward Island potatoes is holding strong despite the recent reports from six Atlantic Canadian locations of needles found in potato shipments from an Island grower.

Following the discovery of potato wart on Prince Edward Island (PEI) in August the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) notified the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of temporary mitigation efforts by CFIA.

Another potato has been found with a sewing needle inside, the Prince Edward Island RCMP announced yesterday. This is the seventh sewing needle discovered in a potato.

RCMP says metal objects were intentionally placed. Police believe all affected fries at Cavendish Farms did not leave facility.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising consumers of a possible food tampering situation involving potatoes harvested and packed by Linkletter Farms Ltd. of Summerside, PEI.

Through a partnership with Cavendish Farms, the Province of Prince Edward Island is purchasing 96 acres of agricultural land in the Barclay Brook area to help protect Island rivers and fish habitat.

Farmers who grow potatoes for McCain are wondering where their crop will go after the McCain plant on P.E.I. shuts down.

The President of the World Potato Congress (WPC) Mr David Thompson and the Chairman of the WPC Industry Awards Committee, Mr Douglas (Doug) Harley, have announced that nominations are now being called for the 2015 World Potato Congress Industry Awards.

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board, on behalf of all Island potato growers, is proud to be rooted in our community through support of a number of exciting events this September and October.

The number of cases of a late blight (Phytophthora infestans) continues to grow on Prince Edward Island.

The red fields of Prince Edward Island are renowned for growing potatoes. Fred Dollar’s decision to grow organic potatoes is built on that reputation.

Prince Edward Island potato growers are proud of the trail blazers and industry builders who have established PEI as a world leader in potato production and expertise.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed a case of potato wart in a Prince Edward Island field.

Cavendish Farms says it is facing the very same challenges as its rival McCain Foods: currency, competition and costs.

The Prince Edward Island potato industry is reeling today from the announcement that McCain Foods will close its Borden-Carleton French fry facility as of October 31, 2014.