The potato program provides seed potato certification through field inspections, post-harvest winter testing and laboratory evaluations, in addition to shipping point and processing inspections of potatoes.
The activities of the Minnesota Potato Program are:
- Documentation and trace-back for in state and imported seed potatoes
- Field inspection and certification of seed potatoes
- Post-Harvest Test, Grow-Out and/or laboratory tests.
- Grade inspections for seed potato growers, commercial growers, and processors
- Potato Program Laboratory:
- Disease diagnostics
- Disease and pathology testing
- Disease test grow-out
Seed Potato Certification
To be eligible for sale, seed potatoes grown in Minnesota must undergo an inspection and certification program to restrict the spread of diseases to other farms and areas. Planting certified seed potatoes from Minnesota meets minimum disease standards and prevents the spread of plant diseases and pests.
Post-Harvest Test
In order to detect certain pathogens, samples from all classes of seed potatoes grown and certified in the State of Minnesota shall be winter tested. In the event of serious malfunctions of the winter test, classification of lots in the certified classes must be based on the previous summer field inspection readings.
Shipping Point and Processing Inspections
Shipping Point inspections are mandatory to verify the certification and quality of seed potatoes. These inspections, upon request, also determine grades for fresh, processing and seed potatoes.
Fee Schedule
| Certified Seed Potato Tags | $0.035 per tag plus shipping cost |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Origin | $50.00 per certificate |
| Laboratory Testing: ELISA, virus | $50.00 minimum and $2.00 per well |
| (16) Wells, ELISA, BRR | $60.00 minimum and $2.50 per well |
| (16) Wells IFA, BRR | $90.00 first sample and $10.00 per additional sample submitted at the same time |
| PSTV | $60.00 for the first sample $11.00 per sample for the second through the twenty-second (22) sample $3.00 per sample from twenty-three (23) through ninety-five (95) |
| Enrichment, tissue culture, BRR, Erwinia | $35.00 minimum and $3.00 per tube over ten tubes |
| BRR (Random tuber assay) | $185.00 |
| Supply of growth media | $2.00 per 100 ml tube $1.00 per liter bottle. Minimum $25.00 |
| Field Inspection | $28.00 per acre |
| Hourly fee for work other than field inspection | $87.00 |
| Mileage charge for work other than field inspection | IRS Rate |
| Winter test | $50.00 minimum or $11.00 per acre, whichever is more |
