P.E.I. potato tampering leads off question period

What was being done to help stop the tampering of Prince Edward Island potatoes was the first question asked by the Oppositionat the first question period Thursday.

Progressive Conservative Opposition Leader Steven Myers wanted to know why Premier Wade MacLauchlan made no mention of the tampering in Wednesday's speech from the throne.

"The throne speech talked at length about the need to grow our exports in the primary industries here on Prince Edward Island. Does the premier not think that criminal sabotage to our potato industry will have an impact on this?" asked Myers.

MacLauchlan said his government was concerned.

"Yes indeed I do Mr. Speaker, and we are of course addressing the issue and we're quite seriously concerned about it and about the effect that it could have."

Potato farmers are being helped with a $1.4 million joint federal and provincial fund. The money is being used to install metal detectors at potato farms to help deal with the tampering.

Seven farms have applied for the funding and 20 more are interested.

"This is crucial, and we are working to see if we can get more of this equipment in place," said Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Alan McIsaac.

"It is a darn shame that we have to do this, but this is our major agricultural product. It makes up over half of the farm receipts from our agricultural economy and it is crucial that we get to the bottom of this."

In addition to the joint fund, the province has given $10,000 to a $100,000 reward fund that was set up to try and find out who was responsible.