Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has joined forces with McCain Foods Canada and New Brunswick’s potato growers in a major project to improve potato yields in the province by improving soil health. According to AAFC, potato yields in New Brunswick have been lagging behind other North American potato production regions, and it’s believed one of the culprits may be declining soil health. AAFC and industry are collaborating in research to increase potato productivity in the province and across Atlantic Canada by improving soil health through compost application. Compost returns stable organic matter to the soil and can help retain nutrients, improve soil structure and water holding capacity, and reduce soil compaction caused by farm equipment. Because of the inherent variability of compost products, researchers aim to identify which kinds provide the most beneficial effects on processing potato production.
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