Potato wart order

November 21, 2021, Ottawa

In the matter of a potato wart (Synchytrium endobioticum) infestation located in the province of Prince Edward Island

and

Pursuant to subsection 15(3) of the Plant Protection Act, S.C. 1990, C. 22

IT IS HEREBY DECLARED, THAT the province of Prince Edward Island which is comprised of the counties of Kings, Queens, and Prince is a place infested with potato wart (Synchytrium endobioticum)

AND IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

Interpretation

1. In this Order,

• "houseplants" means ornamental plants that are grown exclusively indoors in soil free growing media for personal use (plante d'intérieur)
• "infested place" means the place declared to be infested by the Minister under this Order (lieu infesté)
• "inspector" means a person designated as an inspector pursuant to section 21 of the Plant Protection Act (inspecteur)
• "land" includes public and private thoroughfares (terrain)
• "place" includes a conveyance (lieu)
• "potato wart" means the potato disease caused by the presence of the fungal pathogen, Synchytrium endobioticum (gale verruqueuse de la pomme de terre)
• "regulated thing" means (chose réglementée)
• (a) Synchytrium endobioticum, in all of its life stages
• (b) potato plants (Solanum tuberosum), including tubers or parts thereof
• (c) soil
• (d) plants or parts thereof (other than those referred to in paragraph (b)), including root crops, nursery stock, greenhouse plants, bedding plants, vegetable transplants and sod
• (e) machinery, implements and conveyances or
• (f) manure
• "restricted area" means land in which Synchytrium endobioticum has been found and includes land or a place that by reason of its agricultural history or its location is associated with land in which Synchytrium endobioticum has been found (lieu restraint)
• "soil" means the loose surface of the earth in which plants grow, in most cases consisting of disintegrated rock with an admixture of organic matter, including related matter such as clay, silt, sand, soil minerals, humus, compost, earthworm castings, muck, plant litter and debris, either individually or in combination (terre)
• "sprout inhibitor" means a substance that is applied to potatoes to suppress sprouting and is approved for use on potatoes by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. (inhibiteur de germination)

Prohibitions or Restrictions of Movement

2. No person except an inspector shall move or cause the movement of a regulated thing out of a restricted area or from one restricted area to another unless the person is:

• (a) authorized beforehand to do so by an inspector under and in accordance with a written authorization or
• (b) authorized to do so by an inspector following an on-site inspection.

3. (1) No person except an inspector shall move or cause the movement of a regulated thing out of the infested place unless authorized beforehand to do so by an inspector under and in accordance with a written authorization.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the following regulated things, unless the regulated thing is from a restricted area:

• (a) potatoes for consumption or processing that are:
  • (i) washed and free of soil
  • (ii) treated with a sprout inhibitor in accordance with the approved usage label or moved out of the infested area within 30 days of harvest and
  • (iii) moved directly to the retail market, the consumer or a facility for processing, repacking or packaging
• (b) hay, straw, seed, grain, pulses, cereals and oil seeds that are free of soil
• (c) fruits, seeds, mushrooms, vegetables, except potatoes, and other edible plant material that are free of soil
• (d) root crops, except potatoes, that are washed and free of soil
• (e) plants propagated in soil-free growing media
• (f) all above ground plant parts including wood products that are free of soil
• (g) machinery, implements and conveyances that meet the following criteria:
  • (i) they have only been used on land outside a restricted area and
  • (ii) most of the plant debris and soil have been removed prior to movement, so that only a negligible quantity remains
• (h) in-vitro plants
• (i) aquatic plants, moss or lycopodium
• (j) peat moss in sealed bags or unbroken bales and
• (k) houseplants

The Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food