November 21, 2021 - This is the second industry notice.
On November 2, 2021, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency informed the Canadian potato industry that the certification of shipments of seed potatoes originating from Prince Edward Island (PEI) to the United States (US) was suspended. The suspension was implemented to address phytosanitary concerns raised by the US.
To address additional phytosanitary concerns raised by the US, the suspension has been expanded to include fresh potatoes (table stock and potatoes for processing) that originate from PEI to the US as of November 21, 2021 (11 pm Eastern Standard Time). The suspension of certification of all potatoes originating from PEI to the US will remain in effect until further notice.
In addition, all used farm machinery originating from PEI and shipped to the US must be cleaned free of soil and disinfected prior to entering the US. This new US import requirement should be considered permanent until further notice.
The US has committed to ongoing technical discussions with the CFIA and details from the ongoing 2021 potato wart investigations will be shared. The CFIA will continue to work closely with the US to address their concerns and minimize the impact to trade.