(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – September 22, 2016) Harvest time has arrived for Prince Edward Island potato farmers! It’s a busy and exciting time of year, when farmers put in long hours to harvest their crop after working hard throughout the growing season to nurture and protect their world famous PEI Potatoes.
As farmers and their employees head to the fields to bring in the potato crop this fall, the industry wishes to thank the Island public for their support during the growing season. At the same time, if Islanders see unauthorized persons access farmers’ fields or witness any suspicious behaviour during the next few weeks, they are encouraged to contact the farmer whose fields are involved or their local detachment of the RCMP. The vigilance of our friends and neighbours is invaluable to the industry this fall as farmers work hard at getting the 2016 crop safely stored for the new marketing season.
Additionally, Island motorists are reminded to watch for slow moving farm vehicles at this time of year. Large harvesting equipment and trucks will be moving to and from fields across the Island. We ask motorists to be patient when coming across farm equipment on Island highways and to ensure that it is safe before passing large harvesters, tractors and trucks.
Prince Edward Island family farms produce as much as 25 percent of the Canadian potato crop from our rich, red soil. Prince Edward Island Potatoes are destined for grocery store shelves across Canada, the United States, and many other nations, and potatoes grown on the Island are made into French fries, potato chips, and other potato products that travel the globe!
Island potato farmers are proud to be the 2016 sponsors of Farm Day in the City. They welcome Islanders and visitors to join them in Charlottetown on Sunday, October 2nd for a celebration of PEI’s vibrant agriculture sector.