Reading Time: 2 minutes A system of “pest-free places of production” (PFPP) is now on the drawing board for Prince Edward Island’s potato sector, following a meeting between federal and industry officials. Federal Agriculture Minister and P.E.I. MP Lawrence MacAulay on Friday reported meeting with staff and representatives of the P.E.I. Potato Board, to discuss next steps in the […] Read more
P.E.I. potato growers, CFIA to draft plan for ‘pest-free places’
Plan would support movement of seed potatoes, feds say
U.S. food companies go deal hunting as pandemic growth fades
Twinkies maker Hostess exploring a sale
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. packaged food companies are set for a flurry of deals in a push to revamp their brand portfolios as their pandemic-era fortunes fade and benefits of price hikes start to taper off. Last month, Campbell Soup struck a $2.7 billion deal for Rao’s sauce maker Sovos Brands (all figures US$). Unilever bought […] Read more
P.E.I. names new deputy ag minister
Gordon MacFadyen replaces Brian Matheson
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prince Edward Island’s Premier Dennis King has named a new top bureaucrat for the province’s agriculture ministry and others, to manage a fresh round of post-election ministerial mandate letters. Gordon MacFadyen, most recently executive director of fiscal management and assistant secretary to Treasury Board with the provincial finance department, was announced Aug. 8 as deputy […] Read more
Wireworm survival behaviour unearthed
Wireworms travelled deep into the soil for winter, research out of Atlantic Canada found
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Wireworms can dig deep into the soil to avoid frost and survive cold temperatures, according to research out of Prince Edward Island. Christine Noronha, an entomologist with Agriculture Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Charlottetown, recently studied how deep, and at what times, wireworms were on the move in the soil. There are no […] Read more
Alberta potatoes chip in $2.9 billion for Canadian economy
New report verifies what many in industry suspected
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s potato industry is making a big impact — not just on that province but the entire country. A new report — dubbed a “landmark study” by the Potato Growers of Alberta — revealed the sector drove a total contribution of $2.87 billion to Canada’s economy in 2022. It also notes the nationwide creation of […] Read more
A potato producer’s commitment to change
Embracing soil health and new technologies helped Peter VanderZaag build a successful potato business. Like most farmers these days, he’s faced with having to do more with less
Reading Time: 4 minutes Every farmer knows that change is inevitable. New markets beckon, new technologies emerge, end-user tastes, preferences and opportunities shift, and it’s often the primary producer who’s one of the first to react. Peter VanderZaag has spent much of his farming career investing wisely in new equipment, securing contracts and growing his Sunrise Potato Storage business […] Read more
Breaking down barriers to sustainability in potato production
McCain Foods teams up with Farm Credit Canada and McDonald’s Canada to provide financial incentives for farmers who adopt regenerative agricultural practices
Reading Time: 4 minutes McCain Foods pledged two years ago to implement regenerative agricultural practices across 100 per cent of its potato acreage worldwide by 2030. To help reach that goal, the company is now offering up financial solutions to make sustainable farming more affordable for Canadian potato producers. McCain Foods announced in November it was teaming up with […] Read more
New fungicides for potato producers in 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutes Gavel Zoxamide and mancozeb are the active ingredients for Gavel, a new fungicide from Gowan, which says they work in synergy to protect crops from major diseases. Zoxamide kills fungal zoospores before they are released and attempt to penetrate leaf surfaces. Mancozeb inhibits spore germination and disrupts enzyme activity. Gowan says Gavel provides excellent control […] Read more
A new source of nitrogen for crops
Biological products like Utrisha N and Envita enable potatoes and other crops to harvest nitrogen from the air
Reading Time: 5 minutes The question of how different crop production would be if plants could fix their own nitrogen has been at the forefront of researchers’ work and stakeholders’ interests for more than 60 years. Aside from the ability of soybeans and edible beans to fix their own nitrogen, researchers have sought to find the same process for […] Read more
Where did potato production land in 2022?
Despite farmer challenges such as high input costs and adverse weather conditions in many areas, Canada saw an overall increase in total production and yield numbers from 2021
Reading Time: 6 minutes For many potato farmers in Canada, 2022 was a challenging year. There were some major weather difficulties to contend with — cold, wet springs delayed planting for producers in New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba and B.C. and in some cases contributed to later harvests as well. Harvest was also held up in P.E.I. after the tail […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
