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Feds, P.E.I. governments support potato industry

March 22, 2012, Charlottetown, PEI – The PEI Potato Quality Institute (PQI) has expanded its facility in the West Royalty Industrial Park to offer local potato farmers more efficient disease testing, thanks to investments made by the federal and provincial governments and industry partners.

This new expansion will allow for the addition of a potato disease testing facility and improve efficiencies for Island potato farmers.

The Government of Canada, through ACOA, has invested $190,833 to help with the purchase of new equipment for the facility. The Government of Prince Edward Island, through the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, PQI and the P.E.I. Potato Board, has also invested a combined investment of $381,667 to assist with required building renovations to facilitate the new testing procedures.

It’s hoped the investment will allow the P.E.I. Potato Quality Institute to offer improved services to farmers, helping small and medium-sized businesses to continue to create jobs and economic prosperity, said government representatives. It’s also hoped lab improvements will assist with ensuring healthy potato seed stocks for growers and allow the industry to be more competitive in global seed markets.

“We welcome this collaboration with both levels of government that will help our industry move forward with the most recent advances in testing technology,” said Gary Linkletter, chair of the P.E.I. Potato Board. “This will facilitate our participation in export markets and improve our testing procedures used to maintain crop health. We appreciate the government investment at the PEI Potato Quality Institute and are pleased that they recognize the contribution that our industry makes to the provincial economy.”