Notice to industry – Canada and the United States update Potato Cyst Nematode Guidelines

August 14, 2019 – On May 17, 2019, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) amended the May 7, 2014 Canada and United States Guidelines on Surveillance and Phytosanitary Actions for the Potato Cyst Nematodes, Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida (PCN Guidelines). CFIA and USDA-APHIS have, at the request of and in consultation with stakeholders, updated Section 8 of the PCN Guidelines to facilitate field trials or other research while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

The following amendment reflects the requirements for the import or export of small non-commercial lots/samples of seed potatoes contained in Section 8 (Phytosanitary certification of seed potatoes):

Current text – Section 8, Paragraph 5 (to be removed)

"Shipments of seed potato samples consisting of 500 tubers or less for trials or research purposes are exempt from these requirements, provided the field has been previously surveyed and found negative for PCN."

Amended text – To be added to Section 8

"8.1.0 Seed potato samples for trials or research purposes

Shipments of any class of certified seed potato samples consisting of 500 tubers or less for trials (for example, post-harvest testing, variety evaluations) or research purposes are exempt from these requirements. The seed potato tuber samples must be harvested from an area not regulated for PCN. Both a phytosanitary certificate and a separate declaration stating the purpose for which the seed is being imported are required.

The shipments of seed potato samples must be accompanied by both:

1. A phytosanitary certificate with the following additional declaration:

   These certified seed potatoes were harvested from an area not regulated for potato cyst nematodes (Globodera rostochiensis and/or Globodera pallida).

2. A signed declaration from the grower, shipper, processor, dealer or importer, on official letterhead, stating:

   The certified seed potatoes in this shipment are for trials or research purposes, are not for sale, will not be used for increase purposes, and are limited in quantity to 500 tubers or less per lot."

The above amendments for shipments of samples of seed potatoes exported to the USA will be changed in CFIA's Export Certification System. The signed declaration in point 2 above is a requirement for exports to the USA only. The amendment for shipments imported from the US into Canada will be contained in CFIA D-98-01: Import Requirements for Seed Potatoes and Other Potato Propagative Material, section 2.2.2. For Canada, a permit to import is required for all seed potato imports and when applicable, the declaration indicated in point 1 above will be a condition of import.

For more information about the PCN Guidelines please contact your local CFIA office.