Horace B. Willis

Prince Edward Island

Horace Bertram Willis, Kingston, P.E.I. has made an outstanding contribution to agriculture. H.B. as he is commonly known, while still a teenager, established his own farm and in 1935 began a truck gardening operation for the Charlottetown area. He later began marketing into the United States and in 1947 established the first registered warehouse in the Province.

His innovative spirit was demonstrated in 1947 when he began packaging potatoes in 15 pound paper bags for the US market. To promote this method he gave bags free of charge to anyone willing to take part in this marketing venture.

In 1960. H.B. Willis shipped his first boat load of seed and table potatoes to Venezuela which ultimately helped to open new markets in many countries and he also established a system of stevedoring and loading for export markets.

In recent years, Mr. Willis established the first single potato sizer; was the first to mechanically treat seed potatoes prior to planting; demonstrated and evaluated green sprouting of seed potatoes; and was one of the founders and original directors of Potatoes Canada.

A highly regarded breeder, owner, and driver in the Standardbred horse industry, he has maintained stables in P.E.I., Montreal and Florida.

Mr. Wllis married Annie MacEachern in 1943. They had two children. Subsequent to her passing, Mr. Willis married Ella Wood in 1986.

Nominated by the P.E.I. Potato Producers’ Association, The Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame is pleased to recognize the contributions of H.B. Willis.