Commercial farmers will be digging into newly-cleared farmland this growing season following a recent Request for Proposals for large-scale potato production. The Honourable Derrick Bragg, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, today announced the successful bidders for agricultural leases near Junction Brook, Dead Water Brook, and the former seed potato farm in Glenwood.
The successful applicants are:
- Junction Brook – M&M Farming Company Ltd.
- Dead Water Brook – Adam Anderson and Lukas Doman
- Former seed potato farm, Glenwood – Gordon Peddle
The areas prepared for potato production include approximately 700 acres of cleared agricultural Crown land with access roads and potential for further expansion. This valuable farmland has the potential to yield more than 230 acres of potatoes annually on a three-year rotation – over 15 million pounds, or the equivalent of 120 tractor-trailer loads. Once this land is in production and harvested, the province will achieve its goal to double food self-sufficiency to 20 per cent by 2022. For more information on the agricultural lease sites, please see the below backgrounder.
The selection committee evaluated farm plans based on the following criteria:
- Commercial viability;
- Applicant’s need for additional land;
- Degree to which the additional land will improve the viability of the farm land;
- Management and use of the applicant’s existing land base, if applicable;
- Markets/quotas available to the farm;
- Proximity of the land to the applicant’s farm, if applicable; and
- Proposed management and use of additional land.
Preference was given to proposals for potato production and associated crops normally used in rotation with potato production.
The large-scale potato production initiative was announced in June 2020 as part of a $13-million plan to create jobs in a growing agriculture sector, and directly support farmers and producers.
Quotes
“Just as farmers are committed to building a strong, ever-growing agricultural sector, the Provincial Government is demonstrating its commitment to increased food self-sufficiency by making more arable Crown land available to them. We are confident the rich farmland entrusted to the capable, hard-working hands of these farmers will be put to good use now and for future generations.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“Potatoes are a tried and true staple here in Newfoundland and Labrador. By preparing this farmland and making it available to farmers, we expect they will more than double our province’s potato production, and help us achieve our goal to double fruit and vegetable self-sufficiency to 20 per cent by 2022. We are pleased to offer farmers an opportunity to break some new ground this upcoming growing season.”
Honourable Derrick Bragg
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
“The Glenwood Seed Potato Farm was initiated in 1973 to supply local potato growers with clean, disease-free seed to help expand the potato industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since re-locating this program to the Wooddale Centre for Agriculture Research and Development in 2019, we have been working to ensure this valuable land remains in use as a farm. We are happy to see this property will flourish once again under the guidance of a new generation of farmers.”
Honourable John Haggie
Minister of Health and Community Services and MHA for Gander
“We are pleased to be given the opportunity to farm newly-cleared, ready-to-seed land at Junction Brook. As stewards of this agricultural resource, we are looking forward to getting down to work to ensure this land is used the way it should be – to grow our province’s agriculture sector and support employment and food self-sufficiency here at home.”
Louis Macdonald and Scott Madore
M&M Farming Company Ltd.
“We are thrilled to be recipients of an agriculture lease for Dead Water Brook. The Provincial Government is doing a great thing here to support farming, and we feel this is an amazing opportunity for us to develop our agriculture business in Western Newfoundland. These types of projects provide the agriculture sector a major boost, especially to new entrants, like us. We can’t wait to get started.”
Adam Anderson and Lukas Doman
“I’ve been navigating my way into farming over the last three years and potatoes have been my passion. This opportunity is well within my wheelhouse. Last year I planted 25 acres of someone else’s land, and this year I am excited to start producing on my own. I am excited to get started and make my contribution to food sustainability in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Gordon Peddle
– 30 –
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Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
meghanmccabe@gov.nl.ca
Linda Skinner
Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
709-637-2284, 632-8167
lindaskinner@gov.nl.ca
Jackie Watkins
Constituency Assistant, MHA for Gander
709-256-3729
jackiewatkins@gov.nl.ca
Louis MacDonald
M&M Farming Company Ltd.
709-649-7049
macdonaldwarren@eastlink.ca
Adam Anderson
709-640-1791
adam@resourceinnovations.ca
Gordon Peddle
709-685-9446
gpeddle@theriverbendgroup.ca
BACKGROUNDER
information on Agricultural Lease Sites Announced Today
Dead Water Brook
This site includes two properties near the Town of Cormack in the Humber Valley area. One property contains a total of 178.6 acres (72.3 hectares). Approximately 100.1 acres (40.5 hectares) have been rough cleared and enhanced. An additional 1.1 acres or 0.5 hectares have been rough cleared only. The remainder consists of cutovers and several small wooded areas. The other property contains a total of 135.0 acres (54.6 hectares). Approximately 42.9 acres (17.4 hectares) have been rough cleared and enhanced. An additional 10.0 acres (4.0 hectares) has been rough cleared only. The remainder consists of cutovers and organic deposits.
Junction Brook
This site is located in the Humber Valley area west of the Trans-Canada Highway.
- Lot 1: Two parcels totaling approximately 331.1 acres (134 hectares). Approximately 101.4 acres (41.0 hectares) have been rough cleared and enhanced. Approximately 81 acres (33 hectares) have received an application of limestone.
- Lot 2: One parcel totaling approximately 580.6 acres (235 hectares). Approximately 238.8 (96.6 hectares) has been rough cleared and enhanced. Approximately 225.5 acres (91.3 hectares) has received an application of limestone.
- Lot 3: Four parcels totaling approximately 417.4 acres (168.9 hectares). Approximately 150.7 acres (61.0 hectares) has been rough cleared and enhanced. Approximately 148.1 acres (59.9 hectares) has received an application of limestone. An additional 10.8 acres (4.4 hectares) has been rough cleared only.
Former Seed Potato Farm, Glenwood
This site is located approximately 2.8 kilometers south of the Town of Glenwood in the central area of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The property contains a total of 369.5 acres (149.5 hectares). Approximately 69.71 acres (28.2 hectares) is cleared land previously utilized for potato production, but currently uncultivated. The remainder of the land is mainly softwood forest. There are four structures associated with the property.