Key takeaways:
- ‘It’s simply amazing. Lots of smiles from the food bankers when they get these shipments.’
- A cargo of PEI potatoes was offloaded at a food bank in Hamilton, Ont.
PEI potato shipments resumed:
Island potatoes may have been closed out of their largest export market, but they’re still discovering a way to make a difference elsewhere.
PEI potatoes have been on the menu at many food banks across the nation while exports to the US mainland stay stopped.
Nearly 100 truckloads of contributed spuds have left the Island as an element of a program handled by the PEI. Potato Board, which seeks to stop the potatoes from going to waste.
Kirstin Beardsley is the CEO of Food Banks Canada, which has supported almost half of the freight dispatched.
She said the loads had been “excellent” and that all the food banks that have got the potatoes are grateful for the Island farmers offering healthy food to individuals who require it most.
“The food banks are getting a nutritious product with a long shelf life at no cost, and the potato farmers and growers can see that their hard work is going where it’s required and supporting people across this nation who are undergoing hunger,” she stated.
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“It’s just incredible. Bunches of smiles from the food bankers when they got these cargoes.”
‘Overjoyed’
Beardsley said there had been cargoes to British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario. The organization intends to begin shipments to the North shortly.
The Kamloops Food Bank is one of the associations with PEI potatoes.
“Suddenly, we had this driver come with 18,500 pounds of Prince Edward Island potatoes … and we were just overjoyed,” stated Barb Lundstrom, a long-time volunteer.
“These potatoes serve 53 agencies locally. That’s including schools, areas that require help, plus several local food banks in small districts.”
Source – cbc.ca
