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March/April 2017 Volume 18, Issue 2 In This Issue: • Variety Trial Reports • CFIA Consultations • CHC Annual General Meeting Publications Mail Agreement # 40011377 Mail Agreement Publications PLAN Automation is your Food Safety & Potato Inspection partner. Add an X-Ray Inspection System to your line and ensure that all dense embedded foreign bodies are detected and rejected. Avoid thousands of dollars in rework costs and lost production. Our X-Ray Inspection Systems will detect: • Needles, Nails & Staples • Other Ferrous, Non Ferrous and Stainless Steel Contaminants • Glass • Stones • High Density Plastics & Rubbers • Hollow Hearts Detected Contaminants Detected Hollow Hearts Packaging Automation Professionals EDUCATION, PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT IN CANADA (416) 479-0777 x102 BY PLAN AUTOMATION [email protected] Features Nuffield Scholar - Learning Through Travel ..................................................... 8 2017 PEI Potato Day ...................................................................................... 12 Canadian Horticultural Council AGM ............................................................. 16 Prince Edward Island Potato News is a AIM Workshop Report ................................................................................... 22 publication of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board. It is published six times Variety Trials 2016 ......................................................................................... 23 per year. While every effort is made Variety Performance in Various Climates ...................................................... 27 to ensure the accuracy of published material, both editorial content and CFIA Consultations Underway ....................................................................... 29 advertising, no responsibility will PEI at Fruit Logistica ...................................................................................... 32 be assumed by the publisher for Nutrition Labelling - Q & A with Sally Blackman of CPMA ............................. 36 accuracy. Material contained in Prince Edward Island Potato News may not Soil Conservation Awards .............................................................................. 38 be reprinted in any form without the express written permission of the Prince Edward Island Potato Regular Departments Board. Mailed under Canada Post Chairman’s Message ........................................................................................ 4 Publications Mail Agreement Number 40011377. Potato Board News .......................................................................................... 5 Processing Update ......................................................................................... 34 Prince Edward Island PEI Department of Agriculture Update ......................................................... 40 Potato Board UPGC Activity Update .................................................................................... 41 Chairman: Rodney Dingwell Holdings & Disposition to March 1, 2017 ...................................................... 42 Vice-Chairman: Darryl Wallace Secretary-Treasurer: Jason Hayden Industry Updates ........................................................................................... 43 Directors: Mark MacMillan, John Hogg, Owen Ching, Harris Callaghan, David Cover: A storm on March 23 that left this blanket of white on the ground was a reminder Francis, Glen Rayner, Wayne Townshend, that winter of 2017 is not over yet. (Photo: M.K. Sonier). Alex Docherty, Fulton Hamill, Ashton Perry (Young Farmer Representative). Board Staff Greg Donald.............................General Manager Brenda Simmons.......Assist. General Manager Kendra Mills..........................Marketing Director Rob Morrison......................................Comptroller Mary Kay Sonier......................Seed Coordinator Editor, PEI Potato News Scott Howatt................Processing Coordinator Mark Phillips.........................Market Info. Officer Karen Martin...........................................Reception Debbie Hirst...............................IT Administrator Ryan Barrett...........Sustainability Project Lead and Research Coordinator Tel: 902-892-6551 Fax: 902-566-4914 Email: [email protected] Website: www.peipotato.org Fox Island Elite Seed Farm Matthew Ramsay.........................Farm Manager Eleanor Matthews...........................Lab Manager Tel: 902-853-2619 Fax: 902-853-3962 Please return undelivered copies to: PEI Potato Board, 90 Hillstrom Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI, C1E 2C6 March/April 2017 Prince Edward Island Potato News 3 Chairman’s Comments by Rodney Dingwell, PEI Potato Board Chairman It is hard to believe that another planting season is accompany the Act have yet about to start. It has been a very busy winter with to be developed. There will meetings and information sessions and I hope growers be an opportunity to provide have been able to take advantage of some of these feedback once these are opportunities. The format for the Agronomy Initiative drafted as well. Workshops was for smaller, more local sessions and It has been a fairly positive year with post harvest hopefully this has made it easier for people to attend. test results for seed coming back with a 92% pass rate I would like to recognize two growers who represent to meet our planting cap requirements (3% total virus our industry at the national level at the Canadian with a subcap of 2% for PLRV) and many of these seed Horticultural Council. Gary Linkletter was presented lots tested clear. Tablestock and processing holdings are with the Doug Connery Award for leadership excellence at comfortable levels and both movement and pricing recognizing his contribution to CHC over the years. have been good. The drought in Ontario certainly has Gary is stepping away from his active roleat the CHC helped to keep the table market strong for PEI potato due to changes in their farming opertion, and we wish growers this year, however, we cannot make our him the best for his retirement. Also this year, Alvin planting plans hoping for shortfalls elsewhere. 2017 Keenan became President of CHC for the 2017-2018 will be a different year with its own surprises and we year. I am sure Alvin will be an excellent voice for PEI urge growers to avoid overproduction by planting for potato growers and the overal horticultural industry in known markets. this important position. There are many issues going on at the national and As pressures increase with the rush of spring local level that require significant time from both planting season approaching we wish everyone a safe our staff and elected representatives to address and and profitable year. make sure PEI potato grower concerns are expressed. Examples of these at the national level are the PMRA Re-evaluation program for the crop protectant products that we rely on to produce a quality crop, the Cost Recovery Initiative that is underway by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the implementation of a Carbon Tax on PEI and how this will affect agriculture, providing input on programs that are being developed for the next five year Growing Forward program, and the development of an Animal and Plant Health strategy for Canada. While there are survey opportunities for growers to register individual commnents, these are issues that require a common voice and would be almost impossible for each of us to address individually. Here at home we have seen the release of a draft Water Act for PEI. A very tight timeline has been provided to make a response, but the Potato Board will be making a presentation at the April 10th consultation session in Charlottetown. We all know that the devil is in the details and the regulations to 4 Prince Edward Island Potato News March/April 2017 POTATO BOARD NEWS Canadian Potato Task Force reviewing the report, his department was in support of Industry Representatives Meet with the recommendations and that CFIA would continue with Federal Minister of Agriculture shipping point inspection on an on-going basis for seed potatoes moving to the United States. On February 22, 2017, representatives from the Canadian The next issue to be dealt with by the Task Force is potato industry met with federal Minister of Agriculture, preparing analyisis and a response to the CFIA Cost Recovery the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay. The purpose of the Initiative Consultations now underway. meeting was to discuss the results of the Canadian Potato Task Force report on alternatives to the implementation of Meetings with Provincial the Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program. This Department Representatives had been announced in the Harper Government’s 2012 Staff and Board executive members recently met with budget to replace CFIA delivered shipping point inspection the Deputy Ministers of the Departments of Agriculture services for seed moving to Canadian and US markets. Our and Fisheries and Communities, Land and Environment, US trading partners did not support this move and the Task John Jamieson and Michele Dorsey. This was followed by Force was established to look at this and other significant a meeting with Minister Robert Mitchell and Acting Deputy industry issues. Meetings and research took place over 18 Minister Todd Dupuis of the Department of Communities, months and a report was prepared to provide details on the Land and Environment. Discussions centred around moving feasibility of options available, including alternative service