6th generation P.E.I. farmer wins Atlantic award, now in running for national title

Morgan Smallman is very family-oriented.

A 6th generation P.E.I. potato farmer, he credits a lot of the farm's success to the generations before him.

That's why when he and his wife Karissa won Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers Program award for the Atlantic region, he called it a "team effort."

"I'm the first generation to be … nominated in this competition," he said.

"My father, obviously, he's been here longer than I have, he brought the farm to where it's at today."

The family runs J and J Farms Ltd. in Knutsford. 

Morgan and Karissa were nominated for the award earlier this summer and just found out they won last week.

"It's not just me that got the award, it's our team," said Morgan.

Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers Program is an annual competition that recognizes farmers for their dedication and contribution to agriculture.

The award is open to farmers between the ages of 18-39 years, who make the vast majority of their income from farming operations.

The program is divided into seven regions in Canada, with two national winners chosen each year. Morgan and Karissa won for the Atlantic region, and are now in the running for the national award in November. 

J and J Farms Ltd. started its operations in the 1800s as a small, mixed farm with pigs and potatoes.

Over the years, the market for pigs slowed down, and the farm focused solely on potatoes. Morgan said the farm now crops 300 to 400 acres of potatoes used to make potato chips.

For the last eight to 10 years, he's been working on the farm with his father Jeff, and uncle Jason.