The Government of Canada is committed to restoring access to the PEI fresh potato market. in the United States and to support PEI farmers. affected by the trade disruption. To this end, the Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, today announced the creation of the new Federal Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Prince Island potatoes. -Edouard with the goal of improving coordination and collaboration across the federal government to address concerns and find solutions.

The committee will be an important forum for exchanging information and developing more strategies to address the problem, while minimizing the impacts of potato wart on the PEI potato sector. It will build on and complement the important work that has been done to date. The committee will consider a range of issues, such as updates on technical discussions to provide scientific assurance to the United States, implementation of programs to support farmers, progress of the industry-government working group on potato and advocacy efforts to access international markets. The first meeting will take place next week.

The Committee will be co-chaired by Minister Bibeau and the Honorable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages ​​and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Committee members include: the Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; the Honorable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development; and the Honorable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defense.

On November 22, the United States Department of Agriculture ordered its border services to reject all shipments of seed, table and processing potatoes from Prince Edward Island. The United States has called for clear scientific data on the CFIA’s investigation into recent wart warts detections, clear risk mitigation measures, and an ongoing monitoring plan for clearly defined quarantine areas. While the CFIA is currently redoubling its efforts to gather the requested information in order to reassure the United States, it cannot certify PEI potatoes. because they do not meet US requirements under plant protection regulations.

Since then, the government has: created an industry-government potato working group; announced up to $ 28 million in funding to help manage the potato surplus; made significant adjustments to the AgriStability program; completed the national wart scabies survey earlier than planned; and led extensive engagement with the US government at all levels to address this issue.

For more information:
Marianne Dandurand
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Phone. : +1 343-541-9229
Email: [email protected]

Media relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Phone. : +1 1-866-345-7972
Email: [email protected]
Web: agr.gc.ca