We represent and support Ontario's seed potato growers.

Our goal is to promote the excellent quality of Ontario grown seed potatoes to growers throughout Canada.

Meet Our Registered Seed Growers

  • The principal purposes of the OSPGA include:

  • Support and utilization of the SPUD Unit of the University of Guelph through a contract with the University.

  • Promote the excellent quality of Ontario grown seed potatoes to growers in Canada and beyond through our various promotional outlets including this website.

  • Develop, collect and disseminate relevant seed potato certification information to our members.

  • Link closely with the relevant organizations supporting our OSPGA including CFIA, OMAFRA and the University of Guelph.

  • Protect Plant Breeders Rights for all privately held cultivars held by the SPUD Unit and our member growers.

Our Mission

OSPGA is an organization of Ontario potato seed growers and breeders who work collaboratively to support the SPUD Unit through the University of Guelph, liaison with CFIA inspectors regarding seed certification and with OMAFRA to promote the best quality Ontario grown seed with stewardly production practices.

Our Vision

Ontario seed potato production meets the total high quality seed requirements for all commercial growers in Ontario for a more economically and environmentally sustainable potato sector with a substantially reduced carbon footprint in accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Our Leadership Team

The OSPGA is managed by an elected Board of Directors

Duane Holm

President

Duane owns and operates Holm Potato Farms in Walkerton, Ontario on which he grows 300 acres of seed and table potatoes. Duane is also a partner in Sauble Creek Seed Co, which grows 250 acres of seed potatoes in Southampton.

Jamie Lynch

Vice President

Jamie is a partner in Lynch Ag Ltd. Their seed production farm is located just north of New Liskeard in a remote place to produce excellent quality seed.

Peter VanderZaag

Secretary / Treasurer

Peter co owns Sunrise Potato Storage Ltd with his daughter Ruth and son in law Nick Ploeg. The farm produces potatoes for the chipping sector. Peter is a private potato breeder and has developed numerous cultivars, some of which are also in the Ontario Seed production system starting with the SPUD Unit.

Jacco de Lange

Director

Jacco is a partner in Sauble Creek Seed Co., which is thriving seed production farm near the shores of Lake Huron.

Marc Atkinson

Director

Marc owns and operates Atkinson Farms Ltd near Shelburne Ontario. This seed farm is a multigenerational farm which started in 1920, including grand parents, parents and now a son, Carter.

Our Members

Aidie Creek Gardens

Charlie Warner

487413 Aidie Creek Gardens Rd,

Englehart P0J 1H0

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 705-544-2474

Home: 705-544-8440

Fax 705-544-2500

Cell 705-648-8239

Atkinson Farms Ltd

Marc & Carter Atkinson

OSPGA Vice-Chair

Melancthon, Ontario

[email protected]

[email protected]

Marc 705-790-0400

Carter 705-790-1899

Storage 519-925-6495

Phone 519-925-5588

Bailey Potatoes

Jane Bailey

8193 Main St., W. Box 1287

Everett ON L0M 1J0

[email protected]

705-435-3365

705-434-7737

Beaulieu Farms

Emile Mainville

71 David Street,

Chelmsford ON P0M 1L0

[email protected]

Home 705-855-4355

Fax 705-855-5644

Cell 705-670-4113

Ellenberger Organic Farm

Henry Ellenberger

Organic Grower

1607 The Ridge Road

Coe Hill, ON K0L1P0

[email protected]

Phone 613-337-8824

Fax 613-337-8824

Gogolin Farms

Mervin, Connie & Brittany Gogolin

Early generation seed grower

PO 145 Gogolin Rd,

228B Gogolin Rd,

Palmer Rapids ON K0J 2E0

[email protected]

[email protected]

Phone 613-758-2107

Fax 613-758-2107

Cell 613 312 9866

Gwillimdale Farm Ltd

John & Cristina Hambly

P.O. Box 1385,

2026 -11th Line

Bradford ON L3Z 2B7

[email protected]

[email protected]

Phone 905-775-2889

Fax 905 775-8135

Cell 905-953-6624

Holm Potato Farms

Duane Holm

OSPGA Chair

639 County Road 19,

Elmwood ON N0G 1S0

[email protected]

Phone 519-881-6190

Kevin Runnalls

Kevin Runnalls

2794 10 Milberta Road,

New Liskeard, On P0J 1P0

[email protected]

Phone 705-622-1870

La Patate Lac-St-Jean

Fred Tremblay

[email protected]

418-671-0420

418-374-2292

Lynch Ag Ltd

Paul Lynch & Jamie Reich

P.O. Box 503

Alliston ON L9R 1V7

Phone 705-435-8662

OMAFRA

Dennis Van Dyk

Vegetable Crop Specialist

[email protected]

Phone 519-766-5337

Parfitt Farms

Harry Parfitt

1800 Mile Lake Rd,

North Bay ON P1B 8G2

[email protected]

Phone 705-495-3158

P&K VanderZaag Farms

Kate VanderZaag

5919 County Rd 15,

Alliston, ON L9R 1V3

[email protected]

Phone 705-333-3121

Pinery Farms

Paul and Gerald Backx

9825 Lakeshore Rd,

Grand Bend, ON N0M 1T0

[email protected]

Paul 519-933-2268

Gerald 519-636-6155

Pommes de terre Laurentiennes Inc

Ginette Cardinal

148 rang Gustave,

Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, QC J0V 1P0

[email protected]

Phone 819-522-6111

Prairie Dome Seed Potatoes

Marlin Thiessen

[email protected]

Cell 204-362-6690

R&L Porter Farms

Rodger Porter

196 Porter Rd,

Pontypool ON L0A 1K0

[email protected]

Phone 705-932-3231

Fax 705-932-3231

Cell 705-312-3722

Sauble Creek Seed Potato Co.

Duane Holm & Jacco DeLange

Southampton, ON

[email protected]

[email protected]

Duane 519-881-6190

Jacco 705-333-1231

Squirrell Farms

Glen Squirrell

477081 Third Line,

Melancthon, ON L9V 1T5

[email protected]

[email protected]

Phone 519-925-5247

Sunrise Potato Storage

Dr. Peter VanderZaag

Secretary/Private breeder with SP Cultivars

5546 County Rd 15,

Alliston ON L9R 1V3

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Phone 705-435-8156

The Honest Potato Co.

Andre Gagnon

44 Chemin Principal

Pointe-aux-Outardes

Quebec

Cell 418-802-1671

WD Potato Ltd

Mark VanOosterum

Buyer of Potato Seeds

3644 Sideroad 10,

Beeton, ON L0G 1A0

[email protected]

Phone 905-729-2263

Valley Growers

Tami Reinville

2960 Martin Rd,

Blezard Valley ON P0M 1E0

[email protected]

MEMBERSHIP IN THE OSPGA (as per our bylaws)

Active Voting Member

  • Residents of Canada who are actively involved in the following in Ontario are eligible for membership: seed potato growers, dealers in seed potatoes, potato breeders and others who may utilize Ontario (SPUD unit) produced tissue cultured plants, greenhouse grown minitubers and field grown seed potatoes.
  • Such individuals must have their annual membership paid in full by January 31 of each year for eligibility to vote at the AGM. The membership fee is set at $300.00.
  • A voting member is eligible to run for a position on the Board of Directors and eligible to assist on a Committee(s).
  • A voting member is bound by these bylaws.
  • Only voting members may utilize the services of the SPUD unit.

Non-Voting Associate Member

  • Is defined as an individual residing in Canada, who is directly supporting the Ontario seed potato sector. Membership fee is set at $100.00.
  • A non-voting member is not eligible to utilize the services of the SPUD unit.
  • A non-voting member may assist on a committee and is bound by these By-laws.

** Contact the Secretary of OSPGA regarding membership application procedure and payment.

  • Our Growers
  • Our Growers
  • Our Growers

Our History

Historical synopsis of the Seed Potato development in Ontario from 1966-2016 and the role of Sam Squire.

This is my history, and I am still active in it at 84. I graduated from OAC ‘65, from the University of Guelph. Working with Campbell Soup Company as Agricultural Research Assistant , involved field testing of potato lines bred by future famous potato breeder Gary Johnston, including Yukon Gold. Gary asked me to present Yukon Gold to the National Potato Committee for registration in Ottawa as the first yellow-fleshed potato ever registered in Canada. In 2016 Yukon Gold was celebrated along with breeder Gary Johnston. Yukon Gold was one of the two most innovative discoveries at the University of Guelph in fifty years.

Our Growers

In 1977 as Provincial Potato Specialist my mandate was to improve the Ontario Seed Potato system. Isolation is most important to keep seed potatoes clean. The area along highway 11 from Huntsville to Cochrane was chosen. Dr. Bud Wright of Agriculture Canada, the father of understanding potato virus transmission had already proven isolation was the key in restricting virus infection. For many years we got seed potatoes grown in Pemberton BC to test in our isolated areas in Ontario. The seed was always vigorous and free of visual disease. The Ontario seed potato growers requested the Province to provide them with a seed potato farm, which was turned down. But when the national seed regulations changed to seed potatoes only from disease-free tissue culture, Ontario built the SPUD Unit (Seed Potato Upgrading and Distribution) which opened in 1985 at New Liskeard Agricultural College. I worked closely with the then Manager Becky Hughes to develop the best minituber seed production methods with assistance of several private Northern Ontario greenhouse owners. With tweaking, these are the same methods used today.

In 1988 the then Dean of OAC insisted Ontario Seed Potato Growers Association start financially supporting the SPUD Unit annually. The seed growers started their support with $4000 paid annually.

Subsequently, a binding contract was drawn up. The Seed Growers Association would sell minitubers ordered by the growers for $15/lb They would pay the SPUD Unit and the private greenhouses certified by CFIA to produce nuclear minitubers. Take 20% of total sales to run the Association and the balance was sent to the SPUD Unit each year. The Annual contribution soon rose to $15,000 annually. Also the OMAFRA provided the Association with an annual $40,000 grant for about 20 years.

Becky Hughes, who retired as manager of the SPUD Unit in Nov 2016, had done a masterful job of managing the SPUD Unit as well as adding other grower groups like berries, garlic and others. These new crops required different techniques in tissue culture. In 2016, after 31 years this certified tissue culture lab is judged by CFIA as one of the best in Canada. We have two isolated seed potato growing areas where planted potato minitubers can be kept free of visual virus for further increase with seed growers surrounded by commercial potato growers.

Dr. Peter  VanderZaag, a commercial grower as well as a private potato breeder uses the SPUD Unit to clean up his promising seedlings to disease free tissue culture and produce minitubers of promising lines. Some of these are now registered varieties and multiplied by theSPUD Unit.

The University of Guelph motto is: "Changing lives improving life". With my OAC degree, I could  walk in the footsteps of  great potato people and as they slowed down, encouraged me and taught me what they knew and to give me a hand up to serve the humble potato, which for me was a passion and privilege for 50 years.

 

Read Our Tribute to Sam Squire