The Manitoba provincial government is proposing a major revamping of the business model for potatoes and root crops. As the Manitoba Co-operator staff reports in this news story, a press release issued Mar. 3, quotes Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson as saying legislation is being introduced to “… help expand the provincial table potato and root crop industry.”
“Our province’s farmers provide nutritious, local food to Manitobans, though for years they have not had the freedom to grow and sell their table potatoes and root crops in the province,” said Johnson.
The proposed legislation would allow growers to produce as many table potatoes and root crops as they want to, and sell to whatever buyer they wish, a government media release explained.
That would be a major change to business conditions for Peak of the Market, (formerly the Manitoba Vegetable Producers’ Marketing Board), a farmer-owned marketing board which sells Manitoba-grown vegetables in Canada, the United States and occasionally overseas.
The minister noted: “Through this legislation, producers and Peak of the Market would be better able to grow their businesses, expand local sales and exports, and provide opportunities for new growers in Manitoba.”
