b"companies to set up in shop in Canada, it also allowed for smaller private breeders to start operating in Canada.THE CANADIAN PRIVATE POTATO Robert and Joyce Coffin have spent the better part of their livesBREEDERS NETWORK dedicated to the potato industry. The couple met while in school at the University of Guelph where they both were studyingThe Canadian Private Potato Breeders Network potatoesRobert plant pathology and Joyce plant breeding.(CPPBN) is an industry group of private potato Following university, the two found themselves working in thebreeders from across the country. The groups industry, first in Ontario and then in Prince Edward Island, and itobjective is to support each other in breeding new was while in P.E.I. after PBR passed that they decided to get intovarieties and find opportunities for them to be the potato breeding game. commercialized. The CPPBN has nine members who We had some happy days and sad days, but in the happyhave released numerous potato varieties over the days, we did get registration and commercialization of at leastyears.five different varieties of potatoes, Robert says. Check out the list below for more information on the The two have done potato breeding on top of their fulltimegroup members and the varieties theyve bred:jobs, and now in retirement are ramping down operations but are still involved in the industry. They have brought cultivars to Privar Farm in Ontariothe market including Prospecta french fry processing variety,oPotato breedersRobert Coffin andwhich they sold its royalties to Cavendish Farms.Joyce CoffinWith all of our varieties, we ended up selling the intellectualoVarieties releasedProspect, Arbor Globe, and property rights to the interested party. And that was for the bestLollipopbecause then we don't have to worry about seed production problems or anything like that, Robert explains.Cavendish Farms in Prince Edward IslandTheyve also been part of the Canadian Private Potatoo Potato breedersNewton Yorinori andBreeders Network (CPPBN) which was founded in 2008 toMaher Alsahlanyconnect private potato breeders from across the country. The groups objective is to support each other in breeding new Progest in Quebecvarieties and find opportunities for them to be commercialized.o Potato breedersAndre Gagnon and Samuel The members of the group support each others breeding workGagnonby testing varieties for them and sharing germplasm and clones.o Variety releasedAlliston It allows the breeders to have access to each others facilities and CRPTQ in Quebecequipment. The CPPBN also allows for the members to have ao Potato breederAnita Abedcollective voice to represent them.o Variety releasedEnvolRobert is the current president with there being nine members in total. The members range from small operations Dolbec in Quebecsuch as Robert and Joyces Privar Farms to larger companieso Potato breederPhillip Parentsuch as Cavendish Farms and Quebec Parmentier. One ofo Variety releasedDark Red Chieftainthe smaller breeders is Gaia Consulting, who started potato breeding in 2018.Mimosa Breeding and Research in OntarioGaia Consulting is owned by Darin Gibson and Debbie Jones.o Potato breederDuane FalkThe two run a contract potato research company in Manitoba. Through working with the industry on potato product trials they Sunrise Potatoes in Ontariobegan to realize there was an interest in having potatoes bredo Potato breederPeter VanderZaagin Manitoba for Manitoba conditions and issues. Through theoVarieties releasedSP213, SP241, SP326 and support from the industry, including Peak of the Market, GaiaSP327Consulting started their potato breeding operations.Gaia Consulting in ManitobaWere doing it because were interested, and it could turn intoo Potato breedersDarin Gibson andsomething someday. We can only afford to do it because we haveDebbie Jonesa research program that it can piggyback back onto, Gibson explains in a Microsoft Teams interview.Tuberosum Technologies in SaskatchewanThe two have a mix of crosses theyre evaluating currently,o Potato breedersJoel VanderSchaaf and including red and white fresh varieties and a few french fryNeeraj Sharmaprocessing clones. Their dream is to someday to commercialize ao Varieties released13 hybrid true seed red skin, white flesh potato variety with Peak of the Market. progenies for small potato productionDebbie did some selections last fall. Theres a few of them that look good and so hopefully they turn into something. Were SPUDSMART.COM Summer 202211"