“Oldfield Dairy, Glasgow Glen farms and Gerrit Visser Sons have taken our province’s traditional strength in agriculture and added value to that work by developing new products to meet customer demand and by producing traditional goods at the highest level. It is this commitment to excellence and customers service that will propel our Island economy forward,” said the minister. “My department, through Innovation PEI, has been pleased to partner with these producers as they refine and expand their production capacity in order to pursue new market opportunities.”

Oldfield Dairy – the brand-name for cheeses produced at EZ Farms in Oyster Bed - competed in a number of categories in the Goat and Sheep Milk Cheese Division and recorded a second place finish for its feta cheese, a third place finish for its chive-flavoured fresh cheese and a fourth place finish for its cream cheese.

Innovation PEI has assisted Oldfield Dairy with $10,000 in capital assistance for the acquisition of a cheese production vat and soap production equipment.

Glasgow Glen Farms nabbed a fourth-place finish in the Interior Ripened Cheese for its Gouda “Extra Old Plain.”

The Government of Prince Edward Island through the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and Innovation PEI provided an additional $34,500 for expansion of Glasgow Glen Farms. Finance PEI provided a term loan of $150,000 to support this expansion.

Gerrit Visser Sons’s Goldrush potato finished first in the competitions for Champion Table Stock and for Norland, red maria or other Red or Rose-Skinned potato. Their Krone potato finished first in the categories for Reserve Champion Table Stock and for Yukon Golf, Fabula or other Yellow-Fleshed potato,

“Prince Edward Island is fortunate to have many small businesses producing top quality products and services. Innovation PEI, and government as a whole, are ready to help these businesses reach their full potential,” said Minister Roach.