U.S., Canada make deal on potato cyst rules

The U.S. and Canada have agreed on a new protocol to deal more effectively with future outbreaks of potato cyst nematodes.

Under the new protocol, dirt from fields in Canada and the U.S. that produce seed potatoes will need to be sampled using a full-field grid pattern. That replaces a protocol in which only the perimeters of fields were sampled.

In addition, all potato shipments between the two countries must include a phytosanitary certificate stating that the shipment originated from fields tested and found free of potato cyst nematodes