P.E.I. potato seed growers offered cash to grow soil-building crops this season

A brand new $3 million program is providing seed growers on P.E.I. money to develop various crops this season whereas they’re unable to export their potatoes. 

Whereas the export of recent potatoes was allowed to renew in April, seed growers are usually not allowed to ship to america, and might solely promote domestically in the event that they meet strict circumstances set by the Canadian Meals Inspection Company.

The federal agriculture minister has stated there will likely be no exports of Island seed potatoes till a minimum of 2023.

The company has stated seed potatoes carry a higher danger of spreading potato wart as a result of they aren’t washed and sprout inhibited, the best way desk inventory potatoes are earlier than delivery.

To qualify for the Soil Constructing for Seed Producers Undertaking, growers must show they’ve misplaced seed potato gross sales on account of potato wart.

Growers even have to scale back their 2022 seed potato acres by a minimum of 10 per cent in comparison with 2021, and never substitute seed acres with desk or processing potatoes.

P.E.I. Agriculture Minister Bloyce Thompson stated the brand new program aligns with the province’s purpose of enhancing soil well being, by way of a method referred to as soil first farming.

“It is soil-building crops, something that can improve the natural matter of their soil and enhance their rotations,” Thompson stated.

“It offers a while to resolve what they wish to do going ahead, and it provides them the flexibility to enhance their soil on the similar time.”

‘Offers them a yr’

Growers may apply for funding for perennial crops that they lengthen for one more season, as an alternative of planting seed potatoes. Eligible fields would solely qualify in the event that they planted crops equivalent to timothy, clover, alfalfa, within the earlier yr.

Thompson stated growers may choose to plant money crops, however these will not qualify for this system. 

“It is one or the opposite. So this manner, it incentivizes them. If it wasn’t a straightforward repair to go money crops, then this offers them a yr to resolve what path they wish to go,” Thompson stated.

“It is $1,000 per acre which supplies an excellent, important fee to actually take the monetary fear out of it.”

Thompson stated lots of the crops additionally sequester carbon, as an additional benefit.

Maintain farms

The P.E.I. Potato Board, in addition to some seed producers, had been concerned in creating the brand new program. 

“We have to maintain these seed farms, and this program will present a possibility for them to to cowl a number of the prices which can be misplaced, a few of their fastened prices, with not with the ability to dump the Island,” stated board basic supervisor Greg Donald. 

“That is most necessary, is to maintain these seed farms, however on the similar time get different advantages as effectively.”

Donald described the crops eligible for this system as “inexperienced manure” crops, equivalent to sorghum-sudangrass and pearl millet. 

Donald stated there could be prices to arrange the land and plant the crops, which might be coated by the $1,000 per acre from this system in addition to some assist with fastened prices related to seed manufacturing. 

“It will actually be a assist,” he stated.

Planting choices made

Donald stated the timing of the brand new program might restrict what number of growers are in a position to participate. 

“Selections might have already been made and likewise plans since final fall, so, for some, the timing might not be ultimate as effectively — however it’s actually welcome information,” Donald stated. 

“It was simply introduced so we’ve not had numerous suggestions, though a few of our seed producers did have enter into it. I feel it is beneficial, however they’re wanting into it and seeing the way it will work on their farm.” 

Donald stated seed producers will likely be making very cautious choices on what they plant this season, particularly with the excessive prices of gas and fertilizer. 

He stated some producers will change their seed acres with potatoes grown for the desk market or processing, or with money crops equivalent to cereals, oilseeds or corn.

The P.E.I. agriculture minister stated he hopes the brand new program will assist Island seed growers make it by way of this season, whereas CFIA continues to gather the 35,000 plus soil samples wanted to make the case for permitting the export of seed potatoes to renew.

“Seed rising is sort of a distinct segment market. It is not one thing that they’ll change simply,” Thompson stated.

“I might prefer to see them keep within the business, however they should make that enterprise resolution for themselves, and this offers them a possibility to take their time on that enterprise resolution.”