Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mitch Murphy is asking the federal government to compensate landowners whose fields have been quarantined indefinitely following the detection of potato wart in a small section of one field last October. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency placed an immediate quarantine on all fields within a 0.5 kilometer radius, a buffer zone involving more than 700 acres of land. Under the terms of the quarantine, no potatoes, tomatoes or related crops can be produced in the buffer zone until the quarantine is removed.
"I have contacted the federal minister Lyle Vanclief directly on this serious problem to seek compensation for landowners who have been adversely affected for reasons beyond their control" said Mr. Murphy. "Discussions on this issue between officials of my department and the federal agriculture department indicate there may be provisions to deal with circumstances such as this."
Mr. Murphy said landowners whose fields have been quarantined face a major disruption in their operations, and deserve to be compensated.
Mr. Murphy said other producers have been affected as well because of measures put in place on those fields where the same equipment was used last year on the infected field. Producers can only grow potatoes for processing, and all equipment must be cleaned and disinfected after each use.
"My department is working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to help affected producers deal with these measures," said Mr. Murphy. "I hope these restrictions are for the immediate term only, and that the federal government will be successful in negotiating a more reasonable agreement with the United States."
Mr. Murphy said that although the infected field will be permanently taken out of production, surrounding or contact fields do not pose any risk of spreading the potato wart.