State of Maine Foundation Seed Potatoes

Certification Program

A staff of 7 year-round seed potato specialists with years of experience in both field and tuber inspection conduct our certified seed inspection program. Each of our regular seed potato specialists have an area with which they are thoroughly familiar, and they work very closely with the 164 growers who produce Maine Certified seed potatoes.

Florida Test

All seed lots produced in Maine must successfully pass a post-harvest test for the seed to be certified. The number of samples from each seed lot submitted for testing depends upon the seed class and the number of acres grown. Specific requirements for the test may be found under Certified Seed Regulations. These tests are conducted by the Division of Plant Industry on a farm owned by the Board in Dade County, Florida, for a fee of $75 per sample for Foundation class seed and $85 per sample for Certified class seed.

Generation Program

In 1992 Maine revised its limited generation program to restrict production of seed potatoes to 4 generations after leaving the Porter Seed Farm or an equivalent program. This requires that Maine seed growers constantly update their source of seed in order to provide the most vigorous, disease free seed potatoes possible.

Maine Seed Potato Board

A group of six seed growers, one tablestock grower, one processing grower, and the Commissioner of Agriculture compromise this Board, which is responsible for guiding Maine's seed improvement work. For fifty two years at their isolated Porter Farm, the Board has produced foundation and nuclear seed for sale to Maine's Seed potato growers.

Seed Plot Roguing

This service is available at cost to seed growers. Trained crews rogue growers' seed plots to remove diseased plants and minimize the disease inoculums in their fields.

Rules Relating to Certification of Seed Potatoes

All regulations applicable to Certified Seed Potatoes are in the Department of Agriculture's "Rules Governing Certification of Seed Potatoes in the State of Maine". Copies are available upon request form the Division of Plant Industry, Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, State House Station #28, Augusta, Maine 04333.