FoodTrust - Connections

David Dawson knows the value of good land. He told me recently that “Land is not something that’s readily available.’ The Dawson farm is located in Augustine Cove, on Prince Edward Island’s south shore. He went on to say “It will never be able to be replaced. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

David, and his brother Paul, use progressive farming practices when they grow FoodTrust potatoes. They are aware that in order to get the best out of their land they must use sustainable farming techniques. “It’s tending what we have and trying to nurture it to produce the best it possibly can,’ David said.

FoodTrust producers, like the Dawsons, are required to meet a stringent set of guidelines. They have an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) in place, use an Integrated Pest Management (IPM), keep their fields on a three-year rotation, and maintain buffer zones to protect watersheds on their property. In return, the Dawsons receive a premium for the potatoes they supply.

Scott

G.W. Visser & Sons have made Environmental Farm Plans (EFP) a part of their operations since the program came to PEI in 1996. Randy Visser says “We supported the concept from day one. As a family business, we’ve always been conscious of the land, sustainability and not depleting the nutrients in the soil. We can’t profit in our business at the expense of the land and the future.”

Gerrit, his son Randy, and granddaughter.

Their commitment to EFP at such an early stage also meant that Randy’s family business was among the first to qualify as FoodTrust producers when it held its first official meeting in 1999. “We liked the fact that the EFP program was a requirement for becoming a FoodTrust supplier,” he says. “It was like getting rewarded for doing the right thing.”

As a means to promote sustainable farming practices, the EFP program is a voluntary initiative that provides a formal process for conducting broad environmental assessments of farm practices and farm properties. Prince Edward Island has the unique distinction of having the most comprehensive and one of the longest running EFP programs in Canada. To date, the program has covered almost 70% of the island’s acreage, and 80% of producers have completed it.

Scott

Gerrit Visser and Son’s has a great farm tour on their web site. They introduce you to their staff, and show you how potatoes are grown.

It’s worth a visit!

Scott