Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack | USDA
In an effort to guard against the transmission of potato wart disease from Prince Edward Island into the United States, Canada has suspended the transport of potatoes from the province.
Canada’s steps to initiate the plant health efforts to stem the spread of the disease have been lauded in a press release from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
“I appreciate Canada’s action to suspend the movement of all potatoes from Prince Edward Island to the United States,” Vilsack said in the news release. “Our risk assessment demonstrated that this action is necessary to protect U.S. potato producers from possible exposure to the Federally designated select agent Synchytrium endobioticum, commonly known as potato wart. We look forward to working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as they delimit the infestation and trace the sources so that appropriate mitigation measures can be imposed and trade restrictions relaxed.”
According to the release, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Nov. 21 put a halt to the certification of potatoes from Prince Edward Island following its detection of potato wart, initially last year and again in October.
Moreover, the release noted that the disease can reduce the yield of potato operations and makes the produce unmarketable. The release also noted that is one of the most serious diseases for potato crops around the globe, and with potatoes identified as the leading portal for the disease, the suspension proved to be a necessary step to protect crops in the U.S.
The release also noted that the restrictions are only in place for Prince Edward Island and are not in place for the other Canadian provinces. However, the release noted that any machinery, including tools and farming equipment, that may be imported from Prince Edward Island must be thoroughly cleaned and cannot contain any traces of soil.
