Potato virus still an issue in United States, Canada

PRESQUE ISLE – There still was no word Friday on any progress being made between United States and Canadian agriculture officials regarding potato mop-top virus reportedly discovered by Canadian inspectors in samples of potatoes from nine states, including Maine.

The Canadian government put restrictions on potatoes imported from those states to prevent the spread of the disease after Canadian inspectors reportedly found 115 cases in samples of 2,500 loads taken over the past 18 months.

Mop-top virus does not pose a health risk to humans. Dark marks on the potato flesh and on the skin, however, make infected potatoes unmarketable for table use and unusable for processing.

Maine potato officials are wondering why it took so long for the Canadian officials to report their findings.

Last May, the virus was found in a test sample at the University of Maine Research Farm in Presque Isle. Once suspicions were confirmed in July, measures were taken immediately to control the spread of the virus.

It was only after the Maine findings were reported that Canadian officials reported this month what they had found.

John Cancelarich of Presque Isle, a member of the Maine Potato Board, said at this week’s board meeting that the Canadian delay was “unethical and raised a lot of questions.”

Board Executive Director Donald Flannery said officials in the United States never were told about the Canadian tests or why they were being conducted.

“This didn’t appear [suddenly] one day this spring,” he said.

Other states identified by Canadian officials are California, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia and Washington.

“This is not a Maine problem; it’s not a problem of the United States,” Flannery said. “This is a North American problem.”

For now, Flannery said, Maine farmers can live with the Canadian restrictions on table and processing potatoes, which include identification of the state of origin, a certificate of inspection and sprout inhibitor treatments after Jan. 1.

He said Maine ships few, if any, table potatoes to Canada. Restrictions on potatoes used for processing would fall on the Canadian processors who import potatoes from any of the nine states involved.

Restrictions on potatoes used for seed have yet to be developed. Compliance with those guidelines would be the responsibility of the grower.

“The conditions need to be reasonable and not put growers out of business,” Flannery said.