b'Science, Not Politics, Should Define PEI Trade Resumptionby Kam Quarles, NPC Executive Vice President and CEOOn February 9, potato growers fromNumerousmediaoutletshave Prince Edward Island resumed tradepainted their stories as a U.S. versus oftablestockpotatoestotheU.SCanadatradeissue,butthisdoes territory of Puerto Rico. We at thenot accurately reflect the current sit-National Potato Council welcomeduation. This is an issue of science, thenews,whichallowstheand it should remain so.provincesfreshgrowerstosafely markettheir2021cropoutsideofTheCanadianfederalgovernment Canada, since Puerto Rico does notremainsjustascommittedtopre-havecommercialproductionandventing the spread of potato wart as theriskfordiseasespreadthereisU.S. growers are in keeping the dis-minimal. ease off their farms. Canada unfor-tunatelyhasdealtwiththeconse-As part of the announcement thatquences of potato wart before in the NPCtrade would resume, USDA SecretaryprovinceofNewfoundland.Years Tom Vilsack said that the transship- ago, the disease was allowed to get ment of potatoes to the U.S. main- out of control there and today it is landwasstrictlyprohibited.so prevalent that commercial potato MessageEnforcing that commitment is nowproduction is impossible.essential, as that concession to assist the PEI growers was provided by theAfter their latest disease findsthe U.S. before the scientific process forsecondmajoronesinjust18 resumption of trade with the main- monthsCanadian authorities took land has been completed. action to restrict the movement of seed potatoes from PEI, both inter-U.S. potato growers and consumersnationally and domestically, to pre-who rely on PEI potatoes want nor- ventthespreadofwarttoother maltradetoresume;however,wepotato-producingCanadian arenotwillingtorisktheconse- provinces, the U.S and other coun-quencesintroducingpotatowarttries. They also halted shipments of intoU.S.agriculture.Allpartiesfreshtablestockpotatoestothe must allow the scientific process toUnited States until all parties could determine where the disease is pres- be certain that disease-free potatoes enttobeassuredthatthediseasewere crossing the border.threat is mitigated. 8 POTATO GROWER MARCH 2022'