Farmers look to turn surplus to aid
The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture is doing a feasibility study to see whether vegetables that aren't good enough for supermarkets could be turned into food aid.
'As a farmer that was my goal, was to feed some of the people.' — MLA Alan MacIsaac
Dale Hickox, a cauliflower and broccoli farmer in Vernon River, east of Charlottetown, is one of the people behind the initiative. When he harvests, he ends up leaving many heads in the ground because they're either too small or have a blemish on them.
"It's a shame to see 9,000 heads of cauliflower out in the field, rotting," said Hickox.
Hickox has the support of MLA Alan MacIsaac. They are looking to the example of other similar non-profit food aid operations in Canada and the United States. The plan would have healthy vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes, carrots and turnip — that for one reason or other aren't fit for market — diced, dehydrated and turned into soup mix.
Some Islanders have already travelled to look into operations such as Ontario Christian Gleaners, which since 2004 has delivered about four million servings of soup mix to 26 different countries. MacIsaac said in those groups volunteers do the work and choose which aid groups get the free soup mix.
MacIsaac, a former farmer, is pleased to see feasibility study underway at the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture
"I guess I have a social conscience too," he said.
"I see so many people starving in the world, and as a farmer that was my goal, was to feed some of the people. And here we are with an opportunity, I feel, and we're going to give it our best shot, see if it is feasible."
Hickox would love to see his vegetables put to good use.
"Any time you can use food that's not being used for every day use, it's a bonus," he said.
"If it can go to fill a need somewhere in the world, I think that's terrific."
MacIsaac said the study will look into things like how much it would cost to buy and maintain a dehydrator and whether surplus produce would have to be brought in from other provinces.
The study will take about six months.