While efforts to resume full access for PEI fresh potatoes are underway, the Government of Canada is working on a plan to support potato growers impacted by this temporary market suspension. The industry has weathered many changes over the years and PEI growers have been strong partners in the Government of Canada’s efforts to manage potato wart in Canada. has committed to ongoing technical discussions with the CFIA and details from the ongoing 2021 potato wart investigations will be shared.ĬFIA says in its press release that PEI has a long history of producing the highest quality potatoes for Canadians and international consumers. The CFIA is committed to demonstrating that through strong risk mitigation measures, the trade of table stock and processing potatoes presents a negligible risk. to address their concerns with a view to minimizing impacts to trade. The CFIA says it will continue to work closely with the U.S.
The suspension does not apply to processed potatoes, such as frozen products. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), the CFIA has suspended the movement of fresh potatoes from PEI to the U.S., which includes table stock potatoes and processing potatoes. In response to these concerns expressed by the U.S. notified Canada that they would impose a Federal Order banning all imports of fresh potatoes from PEI for an undetermined period of time, unless Canada takes voluntary action immediately. This CFIA action will serve to reduce the immediate risk and provide the Agency and potato growers time to assess the risk, continue the ongoing investigation into the most recent detections and determine the way forward in support of the PEI potato industry.ĭue to the October findings, the U.S. At the same time, they will allow PEI seed potato farms to operate and grow seed potatoes for use within the province and to maintain the continued movement of table stock and processing potatoes to other provinces. These measures, which may include requirements such as brushing and washing potatoes to remove any soil, are expected to mitigate the risk of spread of potato wart. Specifically, the Order restricts the movement of seed potatoes from PEI and introduces new risk mitigation measures for PEI table stock and processing potatoes. was suspended.Ī Ministerial Order has since been put in place, reinforcing these decisions and supporting Canada’s international obligations to control potato wart and mitigate risk to prevent the spread of quarantine pests. On November 2, 2021, the movement of seed potatoes from PEI to the U.S. “The two detections showed high levels of potato wart, and made it necessary to take Canada’s strongest action against potato wart to date,” CFIA says in the press release. This follows previous detections in 33 fields across all three PEI counties since 2000.
In a press release issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) today, the agency says the CFIA Charlottetown Laboratory confirmed the presence of potato wart on two different PEI farms on October 1 and 14, 2021. Potato wart, a fungus that has been present in some continents for over a century, was first detected in PEI in 2000. Today, Canada’s Acting Chief Plant Health Officer, David Bailey, announced measures to prevent the spread of potato wart from Prince Edward Island (PEI).