(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – December 6th, 2013) The Prince Edward Island Potato Board has a new executive as a result of its December 5th Board of Directors meeting. Gary Linkletter, of Summerside, was re-elected as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Linkletter is currently serving his second three year term representing the tablestock sector for the Summerside District. Gary is a partner in Linkletter Farms, a family farm operation which grows seed, table and processing potatoes. Gary has provided excellent leadership to the Board of Directors and they are very pleased that he has agreed to serve as Chair for another year.
Alex Docherty of Skyeview Farms Ltd. of Elmwood is the new Vice-Chairman of the Board. Alex represents the seed sector from the Charlottetown District. Owen Ching returns as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Board. Owen represents the tablestock sector for the Montague-Souris District and is a tablestock producer from Souris.
Also joining the Board are two new directors: David Francis of Lady Fane representing seed producers from the Summerside District and Rodney Dingwall of Morell representing processing growers from the Montague/Souris District. The returning Board Directors are: Daryl Wilkie, Donald Godfrey, Irwin Jay, Darryl Wallace, Charles Murphy, Kirk Shea, and Barry Green. Ian Drake also joins the Board as a Young Farmers Representative in an ex-officio capacity. During the November meeting, the Board recognized retiring directors Fulton Hamill and Colin MacAulay, as well as outgoing Young Farmers Representative Ryan Keenan for their time and efforts on behalf of the Board.
The potato industry is the single largest economic driver of the agriculture industry on Prince Edward Island, worth over one billion dollars to the Prince Edward Island economy each year. Prince Edward Island is also the largest potato-producing province in Canada. The Prince Edward Island Potato Board represents Island potato growers and assists in growing the market for PEI Potatoes locally, nationally, and internationally.