$50,000 reward offered for information on P.E.I. potato tampering

CHARLOTTETOWN -- The potato industry in Prince Edward Island is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information on how needles ended up in potatoes that were distributed in the Atlantic region.

The P.E.I. Potato Board says the money is being provided by various potato growers in the province, who wanted to offer assistance in solving the highly unusual case.

The board says the reward amount would be determined by an independent panel if the information leads to a conviction in the case, which has seen seven needles found in potatoes over the past month.

Ryan Barrett, a spokesman for the board, says it's the first case that he's aware of involving needles in P.E.I. potatoes.

Police have looked into seven incidents of potato tampering throughout the Atlantic provinces, all of which can be traced back to Linkletter Farms in Summerside, P.E.I.

Linkletter Farms has recalled the potatoes affected by the tampering.

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  The RCMP in Prince Edward Island say another potato with a sewing needle inside has been discovered in Atlantic Canada, bringing the total number of such cases to seven.