On this page
- What is a Ministerial Order? What does the Potato Wart Ministerial Order say?
- What are the potato-related activities affected by the Ministerial Order?
- Who does the Ministerial Order affect?
- Why was the Ministerial Order put in place on PEI?
- When will the Ministerial Order be lifted?
What is a Ministerial Order? What does the Potato Wart Ministerial Order say?
- The Potato Wart Order is a Ministerial Order under the authority of the Plant Protection Act (PAA). Ministerial Orders are science-based decisions to help control, contain, and prevent the spread of pests like the fungus that causes the potato wart disease.
- Under the Ministerial Order, some Prince Edward Island (PEI) seed potato farms can continue to operate and grow seed potatoes for use within the province. Seed potatoes may be allowed to be moved off of PEI on a case-by-case basis.
- With risk mitigation measures in place, table stock and processing potatoes from PEI can continue to move to other provinces and to countries where import requirements are met.
What are the potato-related activities affected by the Ministerial Order?
- This Ministerial Order restricts the movement of potatoes (seed, table stock and processing potatoes) and other regulated things (farm equipment, soil, sod, etc.) within the entire province of PEI and to other parts of Canada.
- Movement of potatoes and regulated things may be permitted with written authorization if certain conditions are met.
Who does the Ministerial Order affect?
- This Ministerial Order applies to anyone moving potatoes or other regulated things (farm equipment, soil, sod, etc.) within or outside of PEI.
- The Ministerial Order helps protect the agriculture sector of the Canadian economy by mitigating the risk of the spread of potato wart.
Why was the Ministerial Order put in place on PEI?
- The Ministerial Order was put in place to mitigate the risk of the spread of potato wart to the rest of Canada following two detections in October 2021 and subsequent related detections that implicated additional fields through traceback and investigation activities.
- One of the CFIA's core mandates is to protect Canada's plant life by preventing the importation, exportation, and spread of pests.
- The CFIA has been mitigating the risks associated with potato wart since it was first detected in PEI in the year 2000. The Ministerial Order helps to protect the agriculture sector of the Canadian economy.
When will the Ministerial Order be lifted?
- At this time, the Ministerial Order remains in place as the most appropriate regulatory tool to control the movement of potatoes and other regulated things in a manner that helps control, contain, and prevent the spread of potato wart within and out of PEI.