b'P.E.I. Potatoes are Provably, Notably SafeP.E.I. has potato wart. Heres why that means the island just might have the safest spuds available.BY: MADELEINE BAERGPOTATO PRODUCTION MAKES upI live here. I would literally, for days andIn addition to extensive surveillance more than half of Prince Edward Islandsdays, run into people when I was stoppingby CFIA on the island (the investigation total farm revenue, but its importance goesfor gas or getting groceries, and the firstwrapped up in August 2023 after 50,000 beyond just dollars.thing theyd say is: You guys got that bordersoil samples), individual processors like For a lot of P.E.I. farmers, potatothing fixed yet? says Donald. PotatoesCavendish also do visual surveillance, as production isnt what they do, its whoare the number one contributor to ourdoes the provincial crop insurance program, they are, says PEI Potato Board generaleconomy here in P.E.I.: our total farm cashto which 90 per cent of the acreage on the manager, Greg Donald.receipts are approximately $800 million,island subscribes. There is also mandatory That identity extends beyond farmers intoand potatoes are half of that. Everybody waspost-harvest testing of all seed. the culture of the whole island. So, when aimpacted. Spread mitigation goes beyond testing. Ministerial Order shut the entire islandsBut P.E.I. farmers are a resilient bunch,To move potatoes off P.E.I. requires a borders to potato export following theandtogether with intensive efforts frompreventative control plan be in place with November 2021 (re)findings of potato wartindustry associations, the PEI Departmentstrict record keeping, management of any in P.E.I. processing acres (incidentally, inof Agriculture and the Canadian Foodassociated soil, and more. Every potato fields associated with previous detections),Inspection Agency (CFIA)have investedleaving the island must be washed and the whole province was understandablydeeply to ensure and prove the safety of thesprout nipped. devastated.islands most important export.The efforts are working. Testing to date 22SPUDSMART.COMSpring 2024'