Canada: Province of Alberta officially rid of Potato Cyst Nematode

The Canadian province of Alberta has been deemed free of potato cyst nematode (PCN). PCN is a destructive pest that lives in the soil. It is regulated under Alberta’s Agricultural Pests Act and is a federally regulated quarantine pest in Canada, as it has the potential to dramatically reduce potato yields.

Alberta is the largest exporter of seed potatoes in Canada. According to the Potato Growers of Alberta, 50 per cent of seed potatoes grown on 10,000 acres in the province are exported, with the majority earmarked for the United States and international markets. So, even the suspected presence of PCN can be a challenge for producers looking to export their products.

The province being declared free of PCN, is the result of a team effort between an affected farm, the Government of Alberta, Potato Growers of Alberta, Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) programming and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

More than $200,000 in Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) Surveillance Program funding was dedicated to restoring the disease-free status and helped cover costs for farm inputs, as testing requires a crop is grown and then verified disease-free.

This announcement will help Alberta regain its billion dollar industry through market access and will lead to fewer restrictions, as growers pursue new markets.