b'Minnesota Certified Seed Potato And Post Harvest Winter Test ReportBy Eric Byre, Plant Protection Program SupervisorSeedpotatogrowersinMinnesotaapplied to certify 6,267.41 acres forthe 2020 crop year, an increase fromthe 6,134 acres in 2019. A total of5,143.88acreswerecertified,with1,123.53acresrejectedforseveremosaic and not meeting eligibility.Russet Burbank was the variety withthe most acres planted.Theglobalcoronaviruspandemichas affected the farming communi-tyinMinnesota,promptingthestatetoprovideguidanceforeach (Photo of Minnesota PHWT Plot in Homestead, Florida courtesy of Flying HighProductions, LLC)farmtoimplementaCOVID-19Planensuringsafetymeasuresfor fall in the middle of June affected Julywaswarmwithidealgrowinggrowersandallwhoworkinthe some seed acres, resulting in some conditions,followedbyadryindustry.drown out. Other areas of the state AugustandSeptember.Theheatexperienced moderate rainfall, and duringthisperiodaffectedsomeThespringbroughtgoodweather as the summer progressed, growers qualityandyields.Thedrycondi-and near ideal planting conditions wereoptimisticoftheanticipated tionscontinuedintoharvest,butthroughout the state. Most growers harvest. The Minnesota Department somemuchneededrainprovedwere able to get in the field in late ofAgriculture(MDA)inspectors beneficial to most. Overall, growersApril to early May with most com- werebusy,withthreeinspections report the harvest produced averagepletingplantingbyearlyJune.In conducted on all certified seed pota- yields statewide with good quality. the Red River Valley, excessive rain- to lots. 18 POTATO GROWER MARCH 2021'