Prince Edward Island’s table stock potatoes are moving again. Not only was a load in transit to Puerto Rico on April 4, but at least one load to mainland U.S, according to the PEI Potato Board’s Facebook page. 

USDA-APHIS published a federal order on April 1, allowing the shipment of PEI potatoes to clients in the United States. Those conditions are: 

To prevent the introduction of S. endobioticum into the United States, APHIS will only allow theumportation of potatoes from PEI into the United States

1a)   Potatoes must not originate from any fields restricted by CFIA as index fields, adjacent fields,primary contact fields, and other contact fields for S. endobioticum as defined in Canada’s Potato Wart Domestic Long-Term Management Plan (CFIA, 2009).

b)   Certified seed potatoes which were planted to produce potatoes for consumption must notoriginate from fields CFIA restricted for potato wart as index fields, adjacent fields, primarycontact fields, and other contact fields for S. endobioticum.

c)   Potatoes must meet the requirements of the U.S. No. 1 grade standard1.

d)   Potatoes must be free of soil upon inspection at the port of entry. The potatoes must be washedwith a forced stream of water to eliminate adhering soil, including caked dirt. Other methods such as brushing and rinsing may be required, in addition to washing with a forced stream of water to ensure the potatoes are free of soil.

e)   Potatoes must be treated with a sprout inhibitor that is registered with the Canadian PestManagement Regulatory Agency.

f)   Consignments must be accompanied by a statement on the export documentation detailing thetreatment including the date of sprout inhibitor application and product used.

g)   All potato shipments must have traceability from production site to packing and export to allow a full trace-back and recall.

h)   Potatoes for consumption must be officially inspected for pest freedom prior to export. Thisinspection should take place after the potatoes are washed. Any suspect infected potatoes should be reported to CFIA.

i)   Each consignment must be inspected and accompanied by a certificate issued by CFIA andapproved by APHIS stating that potatoes for consumption are free of quarantine pests for theUnited States. The certificate must include an Additional Declaration that states: “The potatoes in this shipment were grown in a field where potato wart is not known to occur and meet allrequirements from the USDA Federal Order DA-2022-14 dated April 1, 2022.”

j)   Each consignment is subject to inspection at the port of entry into the United States.

2)   Seed potatoes for planting are prohibited entry into the United States.

3)   In vitro plantlets, micro-tubers and mini-tubers for planting are allowed entry but require a permit.

The PEI Potato Board’s Facebook page confirmed that the first load of potatoes was shipped to the mainland United States on April 4, 2022. 

Source:  USDA-APHIS April 1, 2022, PEI Potato Board Facebook April 4, 2022