Still no clear timeline for reopening U.S. mainland to P.E.I. potatoes

Island potato growers say they're getting more impatient as spring planting season approaches, and they continue to wait on a clear timeline for reopening the United States border to P.E.I. spuds. 

The U.S. market has been closed to P.E.I. potatoes since late November, following the discovery of potato wart in two Island fields. 

"It's unfathomable that we don't have an answer," said Boyd Rose, a potato grower and packer in eastern P.E.I.

"[Growers] are trying to make decisions about what they're doing in the spring, and how many [potatoes] to destroy. It's beyond frustrating."

Two weeks ago, after imports to Puerto Rico resumed, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said she was optimistic the mainland U.S. could follow suit in a couple weeks. 

Bibeau now says it may be as late as March 10th before American officials finish their risk assessment and make a decision. 

"Their regulatory agency is proceeding with their risk analysis with all the information we have been providing," said Bibeau.

"So we're still confident that with all the phytosanitary measures associated with our table stock potatoes, we're still very hopeful that they will come to the same conclusion as us, and reopen the mainland of the United States."

Destruction deadline looming 

Island growers have until the end of February to destroy potatoes that remain unsold because of the U.S. export ban and to qualify for government compensation for the lost sales. 

"So there's uncertainty with last season's crop that many still have in storage and what to do with that. They're faced with a deadline of next week," said Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board. 

He said growers are also trying to decide how much to plant in April — a tough call to make without knowing if they'll be able to sell to the normally lucrative U.S. market. 

"It's so important this year because producers are going to plant the most expensive crop they've ever planted," said Donald. "We're looking at production costs going up more than 20 per cent per acre.… That makes it an even more difficult decision because you don't want to over-plant when there's so much at stake."

 "If the U.S. market is not going to be open this spring or next year, that'll definitely have to come into our plans," added Rose. "Do we look for other markets, such as the processing market? Do we hope we can secure more of the Canadian market, which is usually done at a cost to all Canadian farmers?  As we try to push into the same market, prices get depressed and it doesn't help anybody."

Time to 'draw a hard line'?

If U.S. officials don't clear the way for reopening by next week, Donald thinks the federal government needs to change its tactic and act "more aggressively."

"They can't allow this to continue in technical discussions when there's no technical reason for the suspension," he said. "So they need to move it into a trade discussion. I believe to draw a hard line is to look at whether they should allow U.S. potatoes into Canada."

Minister Bibeau said Wednesday her government has no plans to take that approach. 

"Trade challenges are never easy and never quick," said Bibeau. "I strongly believe that the best way for us, the best path for us to resolve this issue, is to go step by step in a very systematic way, based on technical discussions, bringing additional scientific evidence to the table."