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: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency July 15, 2022 news release