PEI Potato Board Elects New Executive

(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE  –  November 22nd, 2012)  The Prince Edward Island Potato Board has a new executive as a result of its November 22nd Board of Directors meeting.  Gary Linkletter, of Summerside, was re-elected as Chairman of the Board.  Mr. Linkletter re-offered for a 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.

Daryl Wilkie, a partner in Wilkie Farms in Alberton and Chairman of the Seed/Farm Committee is the new Vice-Chairman of the Board.  Daryl represents the seed sector from the West Prince District.  Owen Ching is the new Secretary-Treasurer.  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:  Alex Docherty of Elmwood representing seed producers from the Charlottetown District and Darryl Wallace of Cascumpec representing processing growers from the West Prince District.  At present, the Montague-Souris District seed representative position on the Board remains vacant.  The returning Board Directors are:  Colin MacAulay, Donald Godfrey, Fulton Hamill, Irwin Jay, Kirk Shea, and Barry Green.  Ryan Keenan also sits on the Board as a Young Farmers Representative.  During the November meeting, the Board recognized retiring directors Boyd Rose, Wayne Diamond, and Harris Callaghan 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.

For more information on this release, please feel free to contact Greg Donald, PEI Potato Board General Manager at 892-6551 or by email at greg@peipotato.org.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND POTATO BOARD
90 Hillstrom Avenue, West Royalty Business Park
Charlottetown, PEI   CANADA  C1E 2C6     
Ph:   902-892-6551   Fax: 902-566-4914    
Email: potato@peipotato.org      Web: www.peipotato.org