Senator Olympia J. Snowe

SNOWE, COLLINS, MICHAUD URGE AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VENEMAN TO ACCREDIT SEED POTATO CERTIFICATION LAB IN PRESQUE ISLE

Contact: Antonia Ferrier/ (202) 224-5344
Friday, July 30, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After sending representatives to the Maine Potato Summit held earlier this week, U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins, and Congressman Mike Michaud have requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve accreditation of a laboratory in Maine for the certification of seed potatoes being transported between the U.S. and Canada. If accredited, the laboratory would be located in Presque Isle.

“We were pleased to hear in your letter of March 2003 that USDA supports an accrediting laboratory in Presque Isle, Maine. As you know, having an accredited lab in Maine is essential because of Maine’s proximity to the potato production areas of Maritime Canada and makes economic sense to the state’s potato seed farmers. We urge your efforts in gaining a prompt resolution that eliminates the problem of double testing for U.S. growers and thereby, reduces overall testing costs, and speeds the delivery of product to Canadian buyers,” a letter from Snowe, Collins, and Michaud to Secretary Veneman read.

Currently, U.S. seed potato growers wishing to export their product to Canadian markets must have the crop tested both in the U.S. and upon arrival in Canada. However, Canadian seed potatoes are exempt from this double-testing. Snowe, Collins and Michaud have been working with the Maine Potato Board, in cooperation with the National Potato Council, to secure the necessary accreditation by the USDA to satisfy the requirements of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) within U.S. laboratories, which currently mandate testing of seed potatoes entering Canada. In February 2003, the Senators and Congressman contacted Secretary Veneman in support of establishing the laboratory in Maine.

“Growers currently wishing to ship seed potatoes to Canada are required to have their seed potatoes testing in Canadian laboratories. The Canadian tests are required even after the grower has paid to have the seed potatoes testing in a United States laboratory. Since Canada is a market that is very important to Maine seed potato growers, with the Maine Potato Board indicating that Maine exports more seed to Canada than any other state, we support the proposed establishment of a USDA-accredited laboratory in Maine,” Snowe, Collins and Michaud said.

The Maine Department of Agriculture has committed the use of an existing facility in Presque Isle to conduct all of the tests required for shipment into Canada. In conjunction with state and local officials, the Maine Potato Board have committed to providing the staffing for the operation of the laboratory if accreditation is approved. Currently, the only accredited facility in the country is in Wisconsin.

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