Potato World hosts annual awards gala
Over 100 of Carleton County’s potato farmers and industry leaders, along with their family and friends, gathered to celebrate the Potato World Hall of Recognition Awards Gala on Sept. 12.
Celebrating its 21st year, the annual event honours individuals who have made significant contributions to New Brunswick’s potato industry.
The gala opened with a social hour that included musical entertainment from local up-and-coming musician Iris Lloyd. A catered dinner provided by Rachel Lloyd of Smoyd’s Catering followed, along with the presentation of awards.
Cécile Toner and Marcel Ouellette acted as Masters of Ceremony for the night.
The 2026 gala saw two inductees added to the Potato World Hall of Recognition.
Mr. Terry Smith, inducted posthumously by Charlie McIntosh, got his start in the potato industry working part-time as manager of the New Brunswick Potato Shippers Association (NBPSA), gaining knowledge and experience that would serve him during his 30-plus years with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Smith also played a key role in developing the Canadian Partners in Quality (C-PIQ) Program, a voluntary inspection system for Canadian food exporters. Today, C-PIQ is recognized as an innovative program that supports the potato industry by helping producers and exporters market potatoes consistently and cost-effectively.
Mr. Gerald Gagnon, inducted by Fern Rioux, started as a machinist. Eventually, he began building custom potato equipment for local farmers. His first major innovation was developing a cultivator spade.
Today, over 50 years later, he still fabricates, designs, and develops equipment for farmers. A respected mentor, Gagnon has helped many young people build skills in welding and machining and go on to careers in the industry.
