Stabilization funding for PEI potato sector

Jul 20, 2022

The federal government has announced a Potato Stabilization and Innovation Initiative for Prince Edward Island potato growers that will cover the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years.

To qualify, growers must be either a table or seed potato grower, or a key supplier to the potato sector operating on Prince Edward Island, and must be able to show impacts resulting from the imposed restrictions on the movement of P.E.I. potatoes. An applicant could also be a non-profit organization or provincial entity providing support to the P.E.I. potato sector.

Here are samples of what the funding could support:

investing in automation and technology that increase a business’ productivity and competitiveness
improving storage to increase product quality and lifespan
modifying packaging (changing volume of bags, packaging preferences, etc.)
developing equipment or technology that manages pests or disease
creating value-added products, including those that make use of byproducts or processing waste
investing in new markets or market expansions.

Source : The Grower

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.