P.E.I. potato packer grateful for packaging help from Summerside non-profit

As Prince Edward Island potatoes bound for Puerto Rico shipped to Halifax on Monday, potato packers were grateful for P.E.I. organizations that stepped up to help. 

Starting last week, P.E.I. potato growers were allowed to ship their product to the U.S. territory, months after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency imposed a suspension on exports to the U.S. due to the discovery of potato wart in two Island fields.

Farmers exporting their potatoes must include a sticker on their bags which reads "Not for distribution outside Puerto Rico and for consumption only."

Garden Isle Farms, a potato packer in Albany, P.E.I., got help adding stickers to their bags from Summerside non-profit organization Community Connections., which paid its clients for the work through funding from Skills P.E.I.

"We jumped on board right away as soon as we could because it's just a wonderful opportunity for our clients," said John Smallwood, acting executive director of Community Connections.

"We'll continue to push through as long as they need us. It's great work for our clients."

Those clients applied 19,200 stickers in one day to Garden Isle bags, Smallwood said. He said the goal going forward will be around 20,000 daily by the group's 145 clients.

Josh Gill, operations and sales manager at Garden Isle Farms, appreciates the help. He said finding labour has been a "major issue these days."

The packer hopes to be shipping 70,000 to 100,000 bags a week.

"It was welcome news that there might be some help," he said.

"We were kind of scrambling and scratching our heads to try and get stickers on bags fairly quickly."

Gill is happy to see P.E.I. potatoes being shipped out to the U.S. again.

"Our shed down here normally would be shipping, I'd say 60, 70, 80 per cent to the U.S," he said. "We'd love to see the mainland USA open sooner versus later as well, but it's a start.

"Obviously markets where we can ship potatoes right now are a little slimmer than we'd like, so having another market open is a big help."

Help from Islanders no surprise

Mark Phillips, marketing specialist with that P.E.I. Potato Board, said many Islanders have stepped up to help, and they are creating a list that will be shared with packers and dealers who could use a hand with the stickers. 

Despite how overwhelming the support has been, Phillips said it is no surprise to see Islanders stepping up for potato farmers once again.

"With everything going on, sometimes you feel alone in this. It's been great to know how many people want to support growers and packers," he said.

"When things like this come up it is always great to see how much support comes around."

There hasn't been time to celebrate the news of shipping potatoes to Puerto Rico, Phillips said. Most farmers have spent time "scrambling" to get stickers on bags of potatoes being shipped. 

"That had never been done to Puerto Rico before, so people are scrambling to do that and to get orders lined up."

Eventually, most packers will get bags printed with the information the stickers carry, Phillips said.