Potatoes in Canada

News Diseases
P.E.I. seed-potato growers hopeful for compensation soon

February 16, 2023  By Potatoes in Canada


Seed-potato growers who destroyed their crops last year because borders were closed to their sale are hopeful promised compensation from the federal government could come this month.

As the reported by the CBC, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency stopped transport of seed potatoes, along with table potatoes, in the fall of 2021 after potato wart was found in some Island fields. It ended 20 years of successful management of the pest.

So far, compensation to seed growers has only covered the cost of running the potatoes through a snowblower, said Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board, but those growers heard good news at the annual P.E.I. Potato Conference in Summerside Monday.

Advertisement

“The government has made a commitment to provide compensation to those seed producers,” said Donald.

“It hasn’t materialized yet. So the message from Ottawa is that should be available any day. So they have been saying that for a while.”

The total compensation package is expected to be worth $8 million.

For the full story, visit cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-seed-potato-compensation-1.6747499.


Print this page

Advertisement

Stories continue below