Cavendish Farms

In 1980 Irving Group purchased C.M. Mclean potato and vegetable processing facility in PEI Canada and renamed it Cavendish Farms.[2] In 2001, Cavendish Farms acquired its "first US processing plant in Jamestown, North Dakota".[2] Cavendish Farms is part of the family-owned Irving Group of Companies established in 1882.[2]

Cavendish Farms is the 4th largest processor of frozen potato products in North America,[2] and the "largest private-sector employer" on P.E.I.[4] Prince Edward Island is known for its potatoes—the potato industry employs—directly or indirectly— about 12% of the Island's workforce, and contributes over $1 billion annually to the P.E.I.[6] which represents 10.8% of the province's GDP. In 2013 about 88,000 acres of potatoes were grown on P.E.I.[7] Of the three types of potatoes harvested table potatoes, seed potatoes, and processing potatoes, about 60% of P.E.I. are "manufactured into French fries, potato chips, and many other products."[6]

By 2020, about 80 P.E.I. farmers grew potatoes for Cavendish Farms.[5]

P.E.I.'s potato industry is the "biggest economic driver in the province".[5] In 2017, P.E.I. had the " largest potato crop in Canada", according to Statistics Canada."[8] "Processing potatoes into french fries and other frozen products represents up to 70 per cent of the industry."[5]

Prince Edward Island implemented a moratorium on deep well irrigation in 2002 to protect its ground water supply.[9] At an October 2015 P.E.I. Environmental Advisory Committee meeting to draft a Water Act, Leo Broderick with the Council of Canadians said that the Island needs to "legislate a ban on deep well irrigation to prevent long-term groundwater depletion".[9]

The Ministry of Environment provides an online—both historical and real-time—of groundwater levels (GWLs) with data from 14 groundwater level observation wells across PEI:[10] Baltic, Bear River, Bloomfield, Caledonia, Georgetown, Knutsford, Lakeside, New Dominon, New Zealand Road, Riverdale, Sleepyhollow, Souris Line Road, Souris River Road, St. Charles, Summerside GST, and York.[10]

The major source of water supplies in Prince Edward Island—both industrial and potable—is groundwater from 260 watersheds that are "relatively small and non-contiguous."[11]^:2–9[12] In the late 2010s, the agriculture sector's demand for supplemental irrigation, has presented several challenges for "water and resource managers". Because of the uneven topography of the island and its "relatively small and non-contiguous watersheds", "pumping groundwater has ... raised concerns for groundwater sustainability." In their January 2020 article in the journal Water, the authors write that an "inventory of groundwater is necessary for efficient water resource management, especially in relation to growing groundwater demands for agricultural use. It is neither feasible nor economical to install and manage monitoring groundwater wells in a place like Prince Edward Island, which consists of 260 watersheds for efficient water management."[12]

By 2016, yields for P.E.I. process growers were not increasing at pace with other North American regions, according to P.E.I. Potato Board.[13] In 2017, because of "limited availability of potatoes on the Island" the company imported 150 million pounds of potatoes in 2017 from New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta and Maine, according to Ron Clow, the General Manager of Cavendish Farms.[1]

CBC News reported on May 14, 2018, that "French-fry giant Cavendish Farms" had "reiterated its desire to see the end of a moratorium on new high-capacity agricultural wells" which Irving said would help P.E.I. potato farmers "stay competitive".[4] At the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce's annual general meeting, the company president, Robert K. Irving—who was the keynote speaker—said that without "supplemental irrigation" is needed when low rainfalls and drought-type conditions would mean below-average yields during potato growing season."[9]

Potatoes are sensitive to soil water deficits compared to other crops such as wheat, and need frequent irrigation, especially while tubers are growing. With climate change, reduced rainfall in many areas is predicted to increase the need for irrigation of potato crops. Potatoes require 8.4 gallons of water needed to produce 100 grams of each crop, which is quite efficient compared to corn.[14]

In July 2018, Cavendish Farms announced that because of a shortage of Island potatoes, they would be closing their fresh packaging facility in O’Leary and laying off 40 workers.[1]

The company's head office is Dieppe, New Brunswick with sales offices in Toronto, Montreal, and Boston. Cavendish Farms has potato processing plants in New Annan, Prince Edward Island, Lethbridge, Alberta, and Jamestown, North Dakota, and an appetizer plant in Wheatley, Ontario.[1]

Cavendish Farms partnered with Holland College's Culinary Institute of Canada to establish the Cavendish Culinary Creation Center.[2]

Yields for P.E.I. process growers were not increasing at pace with other North American regions, according to P.E.I. Potato Board.[13] In May 2016, Cavendish Farms, its process growers, the government of PEI's Potato Board and the Department of Agriculture began a three-year Enhanced Agronomy Initiative, which is led by the Potato Board's Ryan Barrett.[13] to "increase yields and profits."[18] All four partners are jointly funding the Initiative, which will cost $180,000 a year for the three years.[19] The growers funding is paid through a "special check-off on their processing contracts".[19] The Initiative's steering committee also includes Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture representatives.[19]

• Official website