(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – November 5, 2015) The Prince Edward Island Potato Board extends congratulations to Hon. Lawrence MacAulay, MP for Cardigan, who was yesterday named the new Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Minister MacAulay is a veteran representative of the concerns of Islanders in Ottawa and his most recent ministerial appointment no doubt recognizes his commitment to our province and our country.
The Board is particularly excited that Prince Edward Island farmers and agribusinesses will have a champion in Minister MacAulay. This is the first time in more than 100 years that the federal Minister of Agriculture has hailed from the Maritime Provinces, and the first time that a Prince Edward Island MP has served as Minister of Agriculture.
Alex Docherty, Chairman of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, adds that “Minister MacAulay has a strong reputation as an advocate for his constituents and for Prince Edward Island. Since Mr. MacAulay was also a seed potato grower before he entered the political arena, it is encouraging that our new Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food will have first-hand knowledge of our industry.”
Representatives of the PEI Potato Board have just returned from national and international potato industry meetings in the past day and can report that potato industry representatives from across the country are excited to work with a new Minister of Agriculture that is familiar with the potato industry and its importance to Canadian agriculture.
The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is a producer-controlled organization dedicated to supporting the highest performance of an economically and environmentally sustainable potato industry.