11 Apr Greg Donald named 2022 PEIIA Outstanding Agrologist
The Prince Edward Island Institute of Agrologists was pleased to present Greg Donald, P.Ag., with the 2022 Outstanding Agrologist award at our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, April 7th in Summerside.
Greg demonstrates his unwavering commitment to Prince Edward Island agriculture not only through his tireless efforts through his role as General Manager of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, but also through his volunteer efforts in his local community.
Greg was born in Southern Ontario to a family with Island roots which moved back to the Island when he was young. From a young age, he was always interested in agriculture, including working on the neighbor’s farm. He attended the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture (then NSAC), graduating with a degree majoring in plant protection.
Greg has been General Manager of the PEI Potato Board since 2009, after previous positions in the agriculture industry with both McCain Foods and Cavendish Agri-Services. Since joining the Board, Greg has exemplified professionalism and strategic thinking. Not only has he shown unwavering support for the potato growers that he works for collectively, he also has worked to build bridges with environmental advocates through his involvement with the Kensington North Watershed Association. Greg would accurately describe himself as an environmentalist, championing initiatives like 4R Nutrient Stewardship or the PEI Agri-Watershed Partnership that seek to combine environmental sustainability with short and long term profitability for Island farms.
Greg has also being involved at the ground floor of the establishment of Farm & Food Care PEI, continuing to serve as director of this cross-sectoral organization tasked with building public trust in Island agriculture. He has also held board or advisory positions with the Canadian Potato Council, United Potato Growers of Canada, and the World Potato Congress.
In 2015, Greg was named a Nuffield Scholar. Under this program, Greg travelled to Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom to experience first-hand the potato industry in Western Europe and to identify opportunities to take home innovative ideas to benefit PEI potato farms. Connections Greg established during those travels continue to pay dividends for the entire potato industry on the Island. Consequently, he has supported another PEI Potato Board employee, Mark Phillips, to be named a Nuffield Scholar for 2022.
Through the recent potato wart crisis, Greg has been steadfast in supporting farmers and working with all levels of government, putting in very long and stressful hours aimed at regaining access to markets for PEI potato growers. He is skilled not only in the language of diplomacy but also in holding feet to the fire to ensure that our industry is made a priority. His leadership during this challenging time has been first rate.
Notwithstanding all of his professional accomplishments, Greg is a great husband to his wife Becky and father to Abby and Jack. He enjoys time with his family, including time with their horses and dogs and days on the boat in the summer. Greg is also simply a great person to work for. He takes genuine interest in his employees and is a very supportive and empathetic manager. He prioritizes the physical and mental health of his colleagues and celebrates their efforts in his communications with potato growers.
Photo: Greg Donald, P.Ag. receives the 2022 Outstanding Agrologist Award from PEIIA Vice-Chair Ryan Barrett, P.Ag.
