The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced its third detection of potato wart as part of extensive testing of 3,500+ soil samples in its Charlottetown laboratory. It is from a field near the two October 2021 detections, on a farm that does not produce table stock potatoes and does not export to Puerto Rico. No seed potatoes produced in 2021 left this grower’s facility.

The CFIA announcement on March 8, 2022 of a potato wart detection in a soil sample taken as part of the 2021 investigation comes as no surprise to those who study and manage potato wart according to a PEI Potato Board statement. 

“This detection shows that the Long Term Potato Wart Management Plan is correctly identifying fields at risk and implementing the appropriate surveillance and testing measures,” the statement read. 

“While any finding of potato wart of unfortunate, our confidence in our management plan is reaffirmed. We are reassured that the management plan ensures PEI potatoes bound for markets anywhere in the world are healthy and safe,” the statement concluded.

For its part, CFIA says it is working diligently to complete testing of all soil samples collected in its ongoing PEI potato wart investigations and has plans for further sample collection when the grounds thaw in the spring. This will include investigating the latest detection of potato wart.  

Source:  Canadian Food Inspection Agency March 8, 2022 news release/PEI Potato Board statement