From the Ground Up - McCain Foods Limited
From the Ground Up - McCain Foods Limited
From the Ground Up - McCain Foods Limited
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Just as <strong>McCain</strong> <strong>Foods</strong> had little expertise in food-processing technology when it<br />
started operations in 1957, so it possessed minimal expertise in agronomy. But it<br />
quickly became evident that <strong>the</strong> better <strong>the</strong> raw materials, <strong>the</strong> better <strong>the</strong> product, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>McCain</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>rs made it company policy to build up expertise in agronomy.<br />
The potato is far more complex than it looks. The quality of <strong>the</strong> potato that arrives<br />
on <strong>the</strong> processing line depends on many factors, including good seed, climate, soil<br />
chemistry, pests and viruses, and <strong>the</strong> conditions in which it is stored before processing.<br />
<strong>McCain</strong> conducts agricultural research and development at its various operations.<br />
In Canada, research is carried out at <strong>the</strong> <strong>McCain</strong> Research Farm at Florenceville.<br />
<strong>McCain</strong> <strong>Foods</strong> has a global virtual breeding program for developing new potato varieties.<br />
Its specialists look at hundreds of potential new varieties each year from breeders<br />
around <strong>the</strong> world. They also do contract breeding with specialized institutes.<br />
“If we were to start over again and travel <strong>the</strong> world to decide where we were<br />
going to start with a factory, I don’t think Florenceville would be high on <strong>the</strong> list,”<br />
says Ghislain Pelletier, vice-president of corporate agriculture. New Brunswick<br />
has a short growing season, which makes it difficult to grow Russet Burbanks,<br />
<strong>the</strong> potato of choice for french fries in North America. Moreover, <strong>the</strong> shorter season<br />
results in smaller yields than can be obtained in regions with longer seasons.<br />
134 f rom <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ground</strong> up<br />
<strong>the</strong> home front 135<br />
TOP LEFT: Trial field in<br />
Maine of organically grown<br />
potatoes.<br />
TOP rIGhT: Don Young,<br />
creator of <strong>the</strong> Shepody<br />
variety, and grower Pablo<br />
Serra in a field of elite-grade<br />
Panda potatoes near Temuco,<br />
Chile.<br />
FACING PAGE: A field of<br />
Shepody potatoes.