A year later, P.E.I. potato growers still feeling impacts of U.S. border closure

It has been one 12 months for the reason that U.S. border was closed to P.E.I. potatoes, and potato growers say they’re nonetheless feeling the affect.

Now, they fear a blanket ban on P.E.I. potatoes might occur once more. 

The official announcement got here on Nov. 21, 2021, after potato wart was detected in two P.E.I. fields. 

Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau described the suspension as a pre-emptive measure, as a result of the People had been threatening to ban P.E.I. potatoes if Canada did not take instant motion. She stated that order could be difficult to overturn.

The border reopened to P.E.I. table potatoes on April 1, however seed potatoes are nonetheless prohibited from leaving Prince Edward Island. 

The P.E.I. Potato Board stated the U.S. border closure price the trade $50 million in misplaced gross sales, and 300-million kilos of unsold potatoes had been put by snow blowers, or fed to cattle.

‘It was devastating’

Andrew Smith of Smith Farms in Newton, P.E.I., is the fifth era of his household within the potato trade.

A giant a part of the farm’s enterprise earlier than the border closure was offering potatoes for making potato chips.

“It was devastating for us. We had been closely reliant on the U.S. market, 25 per cent of our enterprise was direct to the U.S.,” Smith stated. 

“We had a contract with a serious firm down there, contracts that we had been legally obligated to fill, and we could not do this final 12 months. In order that put us in a extremely unhealthy place.”

Smith stated that buyer is now gone, one of many casualties of the border closure. 

“That buyer has since left us, for apparent causes. I imply there was a threat to provide, there isn’t any assure that this example wasn’t going to occur once more, and so they could not take that threat,” Smith stated.

“They did not inform us what they did with their enterprise, however I count on they most likely contracted that quantity of potatoes south of the border and so they do not must cope with the results of border points.”

Fairly powerful one to swallow when it is one thing that is past your management​​​.— Andrew Smith, Smith Farms

Smith stated dropping that American buyer left him feeling ”helpless.”

“We had an incredible relationship for 12 years with that buyer, and we had been rising the enterprise for 12 years,” Smith stated.

“Grew it final 12 months, we had contracted greater than the 12 months earlier than, and for that to go from that to zero? Fairly powerful one to swallow when it is one thing that is past your management.”

CFIA’s dealing with of potato wart file questioned

Smith stated the final 12 months has been a wrestle financially, together with having to destroy greater than six-million kilos of potatoes due to the U.S. border closure.

“That was fairly heart-breaking. Once you put your 12 months’s work into rising meals, after which it will get destroyed,” Smith stated.

“Simply not a really satisfying feeling, that is for positive.”

Smith stated he wish to see some adjustments in the best way the potato wart file is dealt with by the Canadian Meals Inspection Company. 

“I believe there must be an overhaul … [at] CFIA. I am not speaking about boots on the bottom folks right here on P.E.I., however I do not assume the higher stage understands the scenario,” Smith stated. 

“I believe we have to have a look at different locations on the earth which might be coping with this drawback, and the way it’s working for them, and why cannot it work right here.”

Smith stated he is hoping to sometime be capable of promote extra potatoes south of the border.

“Sooner or later, I’d like to attempt to get some extra American enterprise. We have to ensure the border goes to remain open, after which we will go chase that once more.”

Nonetheless not over

At Skye View Farms in Elmwood, P.E.I., Alex Docherty has warehouses filled with seed potatoes harvested this fall, with nowhere to promote them aside from on Prince Edward Island.

These potatoes are nonetheless not allowed to depart the province.

Docherty stated the final 12 months has been difficult. 

“You could not measure the affect, in my view. There’s thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of {dollars} misplaced, and good meals went to waste, and it is not over, that is the issue,” Docherty stated.

“We’re simply involved that it will not open as a result of the powers that be in Ottawa did not give the U.S. any pushback final 12 months. In order that’s why I believe it will occur once more.”

Whereas not less than half of P.E.I. potato producers develop some seed together with potatoes for the recent market and processing, Docherty solely grows seed potatoes.

“In our case, it is fairly irritating as a result of I’ve my prospects now are calling from off-Island questioning can we purchase your seed, and I do not know,” Docherty stated.

“There’s 1,000,000 kilos that must be going to Ontario. I even have the customer from Ontario coming right here subsequent Thursday to have a look at them, and I nonetheless cannot promote them. That is irritating.”

There’s 1,000,000 kilos that must be going to Ontario…. That is irritating.— Alex Docherty, Skye View Farms

Docherty stated he planted fewer potatoes this 12 months, however nonetheless went forward, regardless of not understanding what markets there could be.

“Again within the spring, folks had been saying, do not plant. Properly, what was I going to do? I do not develop pumpkins. I do not develop turnips,” Docherty stated. 

“As a result of the place would I be, if the powers that be say ‘Yep, you are good to go’ and the warehouse is empty proper? It is simply what we do, and it is all a threat and a chance, but it surely’s what we do.”

Docherty stated one of many lowest moments for him was watching his son destroying the potatoes they’d grown collectively.

“It is one thing you do not neglect. I simply hope I do not see it once more in my lifetime,” Docherty stated.

“It was a shame to have it occur. There’s folks ought to put on luggage over their heads for letting it occur.”

‘Rollercoaster experience’

John Visser had solely been chair of the P.E.I. Potato Board for a couple of days when the federal agriculture minister referred to as to say the company was suspending the export of Island potatoes to america. 

Visser described the final 12 months as “a rollercoaster experience” — with long run impacts nonetheless being felt. 

“There’s lots of people that need our seed, and people markets are gone for the foreseeable future,” Visser stated.

“Our fathers, and typically grandfathers, labored onerous to develop these markets, and with the stroke of a pen they had been gone.”

“It is going to take onerous work, and good communications to get these markets again,” Visser stated. 

“A few of them will not come again, as a result of if someone else fills your want, and also you’re fairly proud of that, you are not going to take an opportunity on a spot the place the federal government could step in once more.”

Visser stated there have been different impacts on the trade on the Island. 

“I’ve not heard of any farmers that had been bankrupt. I do know there’s a few farmers that went out of enterprise, or give up farming this 12 months,” Visser stated.

“Was it immediately associated to the wart? In all probability not, however it will undoubtedly have been an element. Only one extra nail within the coffin. You possibly can solely take so many nails.”

Only one extra nail within the coffin. You possibly can solely take so many nails​​​​.— John Visser, Chair, P.E.I. Potato Board 

Visser stated he worries one thing just like the border closure might occur once more. 

“If folks do not need to talk nicely, and sure different dynamics, political stress is placed on by events from outdoors, forces that now we have no management over, something’s potential,” Visser stated. 

“Hopefully folks will perceive that we do have plan in place, and our meals is secure, and our seed can be secure.”