Potato war heats up at conference

CARIBOU – A heated exchange between two scientists during a potato conference Wednesday illustrated the emotion surrounding the debate on allowing potatoes from the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, where potato wart has been found, to enter the United States.

Tensions have been high between the two countries since the U.S. border was closed to potatoes from PEI in October when the fungus was discovered. As a result, PEI farmers have not been able to move any of their produce off the island into U.S. markets.

The wart, which causes cauliflowerlike eruptions on the tuber and can last in the soil more than 40 years, can put an industry out of business.

At the close of a presentation made Wednesday by Dr. Steven Johnson of University of Maine Cooperative Extension, a man who didn’t identify himself stood up and said that U.S. officials have “grossly exaggerated” the PEI situation.

“We have to be careful how we present those issues,” the man said. “We don’t want to stop commerce.”

When approached later by a reporter, the man declined to give his name, saying only that he was from New Brunswick and not a potato farmer.

The man later was identified by several Maine potato officials as Yves LeClerc, an agronomist. A call later to McCain Foods Ltd. in Florenceville, New Brunswick, verified that LeClerc worked for the french fry processor.

LeClerc questioned Johnson about the potato wart found in 1918 in a home garden in Pennsylvania and how that was handled. Johnson responded that that region was quarantined and since then, the soil has been sampled regularly for the presence of potato wart.

The site has been turned into a “colonel’s parking lot,” Johnson said.

The UM scientist also was questioned about a 1987 finding in Maryland. Johnson said only a spore of the fungus was found, which is different from finding the disease at its full potential.

LeClerc also asked if all of PEI needs soil testing before potatoes are again accepted by the United States. Johnson responded that several questions need to be answered by the Canadian government, such as the type of wart it is and its origination.

“The risk is too great to let any dirty potatoes off that island,” said Johnson.

LeClerc, obviously irritated, muttered throughout the rest of the session while Johnson answered questions. LeClerc then left in apparent frustration.

Johnson and David Lavway, a County resident and governmental relations liaison for the National Potato Council, said after their presentations that behind closed doors, tensions have been high between potato officials from the two countries.

Johnson cited one example in which, according to press reports, PEI Agriculture Minister Mitch Murphy apparently compared Johnson’s claims to fertilizer, or what could be spread over island fields to ensure good yields during the next growing season. Johnson cited other personal attacks made by other Canadian potato officials.

“I’m not easily intimidated,” said Johnson.

Maine officials have contended that they are relying on the science of the issue and not politics.

“We have the science behind us,” Johnson said during his presentation on Wednesday. “We don’t have it [the wart], and we don’t it need it here.”

In a separate presentation, Lavway echoed Johnson’s comments, saying that Maine officials have worked to keep the issue out of the political arena, including keeping it out of the realm of the federal State Department and the federal Trade Representative’s Office.

If that is seen as political, Lavway said, “we will continue to be political if that’s what it takes.”

During his presentation, Lavway said only 80 days have elapsed since the wart was found. In other potato producing areas, it has taken years to test for and eradicate the fungus, he said.

Lavway showed a map of where the fungus was found and the location of the samples taken by the Canadian government in the vicinity of the fungus’ discovery.

Lavway said later that more samples are needed to see if the fungus has spread to other parts of the island. However, those samples can’t be taken until later this year because of the weather, he said.

PEI potatoes have been quarantined to the Canadian island province after the wart’s discovery last October, bringing PEI’s potato sales to a standstill.

Canadian officials have cried foul, claiming that the U.S. potato industry is using the wart issue in order to keep PEI spuds out of the American market in a record-breaking production year.

“The National Potato Council remains committed to keeping this a scientific-based issue no matter was time frame is needed to assure U.S. growers are protected,” Lavway said.