Potato News from Canada

Terrence McEachern of the Guardian spoke with Romana Roberts and Chris Hunt of PEI Potato Solutions on the Sherlock Separator they recently installed for the removal of foreign objects and defects, such as surface scabs or rot.

Yesterday the Manitoba government and Agribusiness J.R. Simplot Company (Simplot) announced a major investment and expansion in the company’s Manitoba-based potato processing operations near Portage la Prairie.

Potato growers and industry members gathered in Fredericton for the Potato Selection Release Open House on Wednesday to learn what new varieties are available for trial that could improve yields and taste – including the varieties used to make French fries.

Canada's largest full‐service restaurant company Cara is to merge with Keg Restaurants Ltd. The addition of 106 The Keg restaurants will provide Cara with a network of 1,365 restaurants.

The Government of Canada supports the investment in a Sherlock Separator potato sorter by RWL Holdings LTD (PEI Potato Solutions), a potato washing and sorting facility to optimize potatoes for processing prior to delivery to Cavendish Farms.

McCain Foods Limited has announced the appointment of Mr. José Boisjoli to its Board of Directors, by its parent company, McCain Foods Group Inc.

Chemicals in the leaves of potato plants, produced naturally by the plant, may hold the key to a new way to control Colorado potato beetles - a major pest for potato growers.

David Thompson steps down as President and CEO of the World Potato Congress Inc. and announces Romain Cools as new President and CEO.

McCain Foods Global Vice President for Agronomy Ghislain Pelletier shared his vision for the future of the potato industry with Island growers during the recent annual meeting of the PEI Potato Board.

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board has a new Chairman as a result of its December 4th Board of Directors meeting.

The government of Canada last week announced a $1.8 million investment in a research project at the University of British Columbia that includes the development of beneficial management practices for increasing the efficiency of fertilizer use in potatoes.

S-Scan Farms of Scandia, Alberta was named the McCain 2016 Crop Year Champion Potato Grower for the McCain Coaldale plant

Fiskel Farms of Carberry, Manitoba was named the McCain 2016 Crop Year Champion Potato Grower for the McCain Manitoba plants during the annual Growers’ Appreciation Banquet held at Canad Inns in Portage la Prairie.

The PEI Potato Industry is excited to release for the first time a thirty second commercial highlighting the industry.

French Fry manufacturer Cavendish Farms officially opened its new state-of-the-art potato storage facility in New Annan, Prince Edward Island with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

For the first time, evidence of the zebra chip pathogen has been found in potato fields in southern Alberta, but the University of Lethbridge’s Dr. Dan Johnson cautions against panic.

McCain Foods (Canada) has officially opened its new $65M state-of-the-art potato specialty production line, expanding the company's flagship potato processing facility in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick.

Snack food company Left Field Foods has launched SPOKES, a light and crunchy air-puffed potato snack, now available across Canada.