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Ferme Givskud Farm Inc. was founded in 1928 when Hans
and Elizabeth Givskud bought 200 acres of land. This marks the beginning of this Danish family in a new world:
Drummond, NB.
Since Mogens constantly worked with his father on the farm, he learned the tricks and the trade
of operating this business without any major problems. In 1964, Mogens bought the farm from his father and worked the
field to produce potatoes and grain. In the first years, Ferme Givskud Farm cultivated around 125 acres of potatoes
and 75 acres of grain.
Since this acquisition, the land owned by Mogens and his son Mike has grown into a successful
business. They now own 1,500 acres of land, cultivated as follows:
CROP
# OF ACRES in 2000 & 2001
Potato
¨Frito-Lay (7 varieties)
420 500
¨Red Pontiac
40 40
¨Chieftan
100 100
¨Atlantic
40 40
Seed barley
500 600
Vegetables
7 4
Total
1107 1284
Mogens and his son Mike are a part of three different companies: "Salmon River Seed Farms", formed for
the exportation of potatoes to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay; "Mogens Givskud Company Ltd." buys and sells potatoes
and finally, "Ferme Givskud Farms Ltd. " which produces the different products offered by the Givskud family.
Job Creation
In 1964, when Mogens bought his father's farm, he worked alone in
the different tasks involved with farming potatoes and grain. Now, the business employs 6 full time employees, 1 part-time
and around 30 seasonal employees.
Markets
They market their potatoes in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward
Island and along the Eastern Sea Board. A portion of the crop is contracted to McCains for processing and to Frito-Lay
for seed.
Mogan and Michael said that they have seen major change in the potato Industry
since they have been farming. There are fewer farmers, the farms that
do exist are much larger and the equipment is much bigger faster and better.
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