Potato Harvest Labour Recruitment Hotline

The Province of New Brunswick and Potatoes New Brunswick will provide a Potato Harvest Labour Recruitment Hotline again this year for Carleton, Victoria and Madawaska counties.

The hotline is aimed at addressing labour shortage in the primary potato industry, particularly during the critical fall potato harvest.

"We are happy to continue our partnership with Potatoes New Brunswick on this labour placement support service," Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister David Alward said. "The potato industry in New Brunswick is a key component of New Brunswick's agriculture and food products industry, and an important link in our total development approach to the development of New Brunswick's natural resources."

"I am pleased that we as a government are able to support the Hotline for the fourth year in a row," said Supply and Services Minister Dale Graham. "We have been working closely with Potatoes New Brunswick to find a number of solutions to the labour situation in this region."

The Potato Harvest Labour Recruitment Hotline, provides Potatoes New Brunswick with information on interested and available applicants, including truck drivers, for the potato harvest in order to match potential employees to vacancies within the potato industry in Carleton, Victoria and Madawaska counties. The hotline will be in operation over the next three months.

"Labour shortage has been and continues to be a challenge for New Brunswick potato producers," Potatoes New Brunswick chairman Jean-Marie Pelletier said. "This hotline provides producers with much-needed co-ordination of the labour pool during harvest season."

The Potato Harvest Hot Line is available to both farmers and workers and helps find employment for interested individuals on participating farms. Inquiries can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 506-276-1825 in Carleton County and 506-475-9046 in Victoria and Madawaska counties.

The New Brunswick potato industry is a major contributor to the province's economy and is responsible for $1.3 billion in purchases of goods and services within New Brunswick, 5,627 person years of employment and $660 million in GDP contributions.