Some participants in Prince Edward Island’s potato industry say the time is ripe for a campaign in the United States to warn consumers that tariffs will hike their grocery bills.
Potato farmers are issuing their call as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods by Feb. 1, a move that could devastate the province’s major industry.
Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board, says over half of the Island’s potatoes are shipped to the U.S., bringing $250 million to the industry annually — and there isn’t any clear alternative if the U.S. market is no longer viable.
Jennifer Harris, owner of Island Growers Co., says Americans must be informed that the food supply chain can’t be replaced overnight, and that the short-term impact of tariffs would lead to price increases.
Harris — whose firm arranges potato shipments to U.S. wholesalers — says the prime minister and all the country’s premiers should unite and launch an advertising campaign in the U.S. on what will happen if Trump makes good on his threat.
She says a recent P.E.I. mission to New England delivered this message to retailers, but she adds “everyday U.S. citizens” who are struggling to pay bills must hear it as well.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2025.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
