Another Ag Industry Hit Hard by COVID-19

Potatoes are a staple for many in our country but with the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta's potato industry is being hurt.

 

Southern Alberta's three major potato processors, Cavendish Farms, McCain Foods, and Lamb Weston, have cut the total size of contracted acreage this spring by 20 to 25 percent.  All three companies site plummeting sales, mainly in french fries, as the determining factor.  The cause of this is the restrictions and closures in the restaurant industry. The non-profit industry group Potato Growers of Alberta says that the processors have either shut down or are preparing to do so as they have no room in their freezer storage.  Many farmers are concerned as they have crop from 2019 yet to be sent to the processors.  

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner