Lorne Driscoll, Personal Communication

Leeman Campbell, Personal Communication

Robert S.P. Jardine, Personal Communication

Robert J. Jardine, Personal Communication

Allison Weeks, P.E.I. Dept. of Agriculture, Personal Communication Elizabeth Webster, P.E.1. Potato Marketing Board, Personal Communication Rod Nicholson, P.E.I. Potato Services, Personal Communication

Roland MacDonald, P.E.I. Marketing Board, Personal Communication

Robert Parent, Personal Communication Barry Stanfield, P.E.I. Dept. of Agriculture Library, Personal communication

David Mutch, Canada Dept. of Agriculture, Personal communication Submitted by Don Jardine and Phyllis Green

POULTRY INDUSTRY The P.E.1. Poultry Industry has had periods ofexpansion and then periods of contraction over the years. P.E.I. played a leading role in the developing of this great industry. Mr. T.A. Benson, Canada Dept. of Agriculture; Mr. W.A. Brown, Director; and Mr. Fred Nash were instrumental in bringing about many

changes.

A few years ago, the way of life was the small family farm with almost everyone having a few hens, the care of which was delegated to the women on the farm. Eggs were set under a broody hen for hatching to increase the flock. The poultry products in 1901 equalled two fifths of the average farm crop value. Prior to 1910, poultry products were very poorly marketed. This was greatly improved, due mainly to the efforts of Mr. W.A. Brown, Director of Canada Dept. of Agriculture. Cooperative Egg Circles were formed in 1913 with forty-eight members. By 1914, there were almost 4000 members, so rapid was the growth. At first, the Circles operated independently but combined in 1914 and marketed under one organization: The P.E.I. Co-op Egg and Poultry Association.

In 1903, eggs were 12c a dozen. By 1914 they were 23‘t a dozen. Best quality dressed chicken sold for 17¢ a pound, goose 12“ and turkey 18“ a pound. Nineteen thirteen saw the introduction of egg candeling, for quality control. By 1927, the demand was so great for P.E.I. eggs that the Association was barely able to cope with the business.

Kerosene incubators were in use before the electric ones now available. In 1919, two mammoth incubators were installed at the Co-op Producers Association with a capacity of 2,400 eggs each. Supply flocks were selected by ED. March, Poultry Division, Ottawa. Six thousand chicks were hatched the first year. There were 575,647 pullets and hens on P.E.I. that year. Bray chicks and Tweedle chicks were well known names. In 1925, 30,000 chicks were hatched under the management ofS.R. Pendleton. The first chick hatchery was that of Dillon and Spillet in 1930. In 1933, RE]. Approved Flock Association was formed. Sixty egg grading stations were then operating. Pullorum testing started on the Island in 1930. In 1938, there were five breeders with 700 birds under the R.O.P. testing program. Registration of egg grading stations took place in 1940. Previously, anyone could grade. A new Provincial Laboratory was set up, supplying a much needed service. By 1940, eggs were being shipped to England. By 1949, eggs were 63¢ a dozen, dropping to 25E by the end of the year due to loss of British market, and a developing egg surplus.

In 1942, the RBI. Poultry Management Association was formed. The period of 1945-1955 is the one of highest production and greatest returns. Most years reported a total of 1,000,000 birds on farms. The

next decade saw a reduction of 35%. The Egg Marketing Board was started in 1972. Big producers then got into the industry. Only producers having over 200 hens were allowed to sell eggs.

In 1985, Donald Burns has the largest poultry operation in Freetown, with 15,000 layers. Donald grades his own eggs and sells to stores. Walter Stavert and William Cairns also have poultry. They sell to a central egg grading station. Waldron Heffell and Colbourne Clow have some exotic poultry, mostly for exhibition purposes. They have won many awards.

COMPARISON OF FARMING (1934 vs 1983)

One Sunday afternoon last summer, I took my parents for a drive down a country clay road not far from where I grew up. On this road six or seven farm families once had comfortable homes and fine farm properties where they raised their families. Now, not one of those farms is operating as a family farm. The buildings have all been burned to the ground and nothing remains ofthe former farm homes and buildings. The land in this area is now all owned by large companies or corporations. When communities lose small family farms in such numbers the whole rural picture changes. Is that what we want for our Island?

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