McCain Foods awards top potato growers supplying Portage La prairies french fry plant

Anton Wiebe Ltd. was named the 2010 McCain Champion Potato Grower for the McCain Portage La Prairie plant during the annual Growers' Banquet held Oct. 19 at Canad Inns Portage. More than 100 guests gathered to celebrate the top growers and their achievements.

Potatoes are rated throughout the year on a variety of factors including size, gravity, defect level and colour and awarded points accordingly. At the end of each crop year, the top 10 growers are determined based on their overall scores.

Darryl Rowe, President of McCain Foods (Canada) was on hand to extend personal congratulations to Anton Wiebe Ltd. and all of the McCain growers.

In his address to the group, Rowe noted the importance of their achievements and his optimism for the coming year.

"The potato industry, and particularly exports, will continue to face significant challenges,"he said, citing the impact of the high Canadian dollar and the low cost of potatoes in Europe. "But collectively we have made great progress in improving our competitiveness and we will continue to work and grow together which gives me great cause for optimism."

The other potato growers who qualified for the top 10 roster, in order of final standing, were: Kehler Farms Limited (Harvey and Donna Kehler, Jason Kehler and Laura Sawyer – Carman), J.P. Wiebe and Sons Ltd. (Ben and Betty Weibe, Sheldon and Jennifer Wiebe – MacGregor), Border Farms Ltd. (Glen and Pat Fehr – Rosetown), Beaver Creek Farms Ltd. (Ed and Helen Weibe, Don and Colleen Weibe, Stan and Nita Weibe – MacGregor), Societe Marquis Agricole Ltd. (Gilles and Celine Ponsin, Nick Ponsin and Catleen August – St. Eustache), Suderman Bros. (1981) Ltd. (Dennis and Leona Suderman, Tom and Theressa Suderman – Winkler), Gem Meadows Inc. (Henry and Gertrude Sawatzky, Collin and Olga Sawatzky, Karen and Kirk Holland – MacGregor), AYR Farms Limited (Ron and Elaine Tidsbury, Keith Tidsbury and Bobbi-Lynn Cook, Grant and Sherri Tidsbury – Portage) and Prairie Potato Inc. (Paul and Kelly McDonald, Ray and Bev Friesen, Bill and Mary-Anne Siemens, Mike Rumancik – Bagot). Each received a $1,000 cheque for their accomplishments.

Here you can find a number of additional pictures and videos of the event