PEI (Rural Roots Canada) – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has launched a public consultation on its proposed National Potato Wart Response Plan.
Potato wart is a plant disease caused by a soil-borne fungus that disfigures potatoes and reduces yield. It spreads via contaminated soil, farm equipment, and potatoes from infected fields. It poses no threat to human or animal health.
The CFIA is seeking feedback on its draft plan to bolster the processes used to contain, control, and prevent the spread of potato wart and refine its potato wart management strategies in line with contemporary scientific research, international standards, and innovative technologies.
The draft plan outlines several new measures designed to enhance the response to potato wart detections, including the adoption of resistant potato varieties, more rigorous soil analysis, and stricter cleanliness requirements for farm equipment. The strategies are set to be implemented following the detection of potato warn and subsequent investigations to curb the spread.
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In a release, the CFIA says it continues to engage with key stakeholders, including the Canadian Potato Council, the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, the province of PEI, and other industry participants as it develops its draft plan. The plan also reflects recommendations from the International Advisory Panel on Potato Wart in PEI and incorporates feedback from a recent consultation on three potato wart risk management documents earlier this year.
The CFIA says feedback collected during this consultation period is crucial to shaping the final response plan. Once completed, it will implement a transition process to help PEI growers affected by potato wart shift from the current Potato Wart Domestic Long Term Management Plan to the new response strategy. The finalized plan will apply to all new potato wart detections across Canada, except for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Potato wart is regulated under the Plant Protection Act and Regulations. Strict regulatory controls are in place in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, the only two provinces currently known to have occurrences of potato wart.
To submit feedback, you can visit the CFIA’s website. The consultation period ends July 26, 2024.
