Linkletter is worried about the well-being of those who would normally be on the processing line but are off the job in light of the potato-tampering incident that has virtually shut down his company, Linkletter Farms, until recently.
It has been two months since the first of 10 sewing needles were found in potatoes originating from his Summerside potato-packing facility.
“A number of them have been laid off and haven’t been back yet and probably won’t be until after Christmas the way things are going,” said the company’s general manager. “For employees, in some ways, this has perhaps been a bigger hit for them than for ourselves. It is certainly something we are very sensitive to, that side of it.
“You like to supply at least a somewhat stable job environment, and the cash flow just stopped with no sales. It has been a challenge.”
Just who would target the family-owned business, which employs up to 55 people this time of year, is a question Linkletter has asked himself countless times.
It’s a question that unfortunately he — and the police — have been unable to answer.
A reward from the P.E.I. Potato Board (click here to read a related story), now at $100,000, has turned up few tips and no viable leads, said RCMP media spokesperson Sgt. Leanne Butler.
“We have had a few tips, very few actually, less than a dozen,” said Butler. “They were all very general in nature.”
Countless interviews have been conducted, with employees of Linkletter Farms, those in the potato industry and people living in its close proximity questioned.
The total of 10 affected potatoes does not include those discovered at the Cavendish Farms plant in New Annan, a number not being disclosed by the RCMP.
Spuds have also been sent for analysis to an outside lab that is assisting the major crime unit with what Butler described as a unique police investigation.
“They gave us an indication that we should have some of those results start coming in by the end of the month,” she said Monday, adding the investigative team is now seeing if anything has been missed. “Our hope is to gather all the evidence and follow up every possible lead so we can come to a good conclusion.”
Linkletter, too, wants to see a speedy conclusion.
“Maybe this person didn’t realize all they were doing. They’ve certainly jeopardized the consumers. They’ve jeopardized our own livelihood and they have jeopardized the livelihood of our employees. And for what gain?” he questioned.
“Whoever did this has a little problem and was not in control of all their faculties when they did this. At the same time, they have to take responsibility for it.”
Work has begun, slowly, at the Linkletter packaging facility. Workers are busy getting ready for two new pieces of machinery that will, hopefully, safeguard the business in future. Some potatoes are also being packaged and shipped.
Voluntarily recalling and destroying upwards of 800,000 pounds of potatoes and halting work has been costly.
“There is certainly a loss that way, but that’s fine. That’s the price we are paying for what’s happened,” said Linkletter. “The big thing is that we get back in operation. We are starting to get there with the equipment arriving and, hopefully, sometime early in the new year we can get our staff back and get back to normal.”
He’s overwhelmed with the outpouring of support. There have been calls, letters, emails and even people stopping by to offer even lend a hand, for free.
“It has been quite humbling. We received just incredible, incredible community support. It is impossible to tell people how much we appreciate that. It really, through the dark days, has kept us hopeful,” added Linkletter. “I grew up here and I know we are generous people, but just the goodwill and support, that side of it, we can’t tell people enough how much we appreciate that. And we would like to extend our thanks to them for that. It has been very meaningful.”
