Last week, the National Potato Council (NPC) provided comments to USDA APHIS on the recent pest risk assessment for the importation of potatoes from the United Kingdom to the U.S.
The NPC emphasized concern over six pests that would threaten the industry. The introduction of these pests into the U.S. would “substantially harm U.S. potato production and could cost the industry tens of millions in lost export revenue,” the NPC warns. The pests of concern are:
Dickeya solani (blackleg and soft rot),
Meloidogyne minor (root-knot nematode),
Synchytrium endobioticum (black scab),
Ralstonia solanaceum (brown rot),
Globodera pallida (potato cyst nematode), and
Globodera rostochiensis (golden nematode)
The NPC urged APHIS to approach the discussion with the UK with extreme caution. This public release of the pest risk assessment is a step in the process for considering whether these products can safely be imported into the U.S. The NPC says at this point, no determination has been made as to whether the pest and disease threats can be reasonably mitigated.
