Deal with Washington lifts U.S. ban on P.E.I. potatoes

OTTAWA -- The restrictions placed on Prince Edward Island's potato exports to the U.S. have been lifted, Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief announced yesterday.

Following a week of negotiations in Washington, all of the restrictions are gone and a new surveillance system is to begin immediately to detect any future cases of potato wart fungus.

"Together with industry and the P.E.I. government, the government of Canada has worked extremely hard to resolve this issue and ease access to U.S. markets," said Mr. Vanclief.

Last October, an isolated case of the fungus, which decreases yields but does not affect humans, was discovered in a corner of a single field. As a result, large sections of farmland were quarantined and the border was closed to exports for nearly seven months, crippling the P.E.I. potato industry.

On April 26, some restrictions were lifted, allowing limited access to U.S. markets. But this week's crucial deal puts an end to all export controls on everything but the 25 contact fields around last year's outbreak. Potatoes from those fields can only be exported if processed.

Mr. Vanclief also said yesterday that despite recent American proposals for billions of dollars in farming subsidies, Canada will not be following suit.