The USDA has published a draft report for public consultation assessing pathways of introduction for potato wart from Canada into the United States. The consultation closes November 14, 2022. This report evaluates the likelihood of introduction of potato wart via seed potatoes, potatoes for consumption and soil.

Canadian potato growers may be aware of statements from industry stakeholders regarding the report that have raised concerns about the movement of potatoes grown on Prince Edward Island (PEI). David Jones, manager, Canadian Potato Council, clarifies the intent of the report and the basis upon which the pathway analysis was conducted.

It is critical to understand that the report looks at potential ways potato wart could move into the U.S. with minimal risk mitigation in place to prevent movement via those pathways. USDA states in the report, “We did not consider any mitigation measures beyond minimal brushing and washing prior to export and visual inspection at ports of entry” and further on their consultation website page, “You will not find mitigations for pests shown in draft pest lists and risk assessments. Risk Management, including mitigations, is conducted after we receive stakeholder and country comments on each pest list or risk assessment.”

Land, soil and potatoes in PEI are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) under a management plan that outlines the restrictions and surveillance activities for potato wart in order to reduce the risk of spread of potato wart and to protect potato production and trade. The CFIA enforces restrictions on fields, depending upon risk, regarding crops grown, equipment movement/disinfection and requirements for soil testing, surveillance and monitoring.

These measures directly mitigate the risk of movement of potato wart, and were not considered in the USDA report. The April 2022 U.S. Federal Order does include mitigation measures that have been implemented to address potato wart pathway risks and allowed the resumption of PEI potato exports to the U.S.

“The Canadian Potato Council is disappointed that some industry stakeholders have not been transparent and open regarding their communication of the USDA pathway report without context and disclosure that the analysis is based on minimal risk mitigation, or mention the two-step process that USDA follows in their risk assessment consultations,” says David Jones. “Potato growers should be provided with accurate and fulsome information, without the intentional exclusion of key information that is essential to drawing meaningful conclusions.”

Source: Canadian Potato Council November 4, 2022