IMMPACT

International Maine Maritime Potato Action Team

News Release

FOR RELEASE: April 20, 2005

Maine Potato Board and Potatoes New Brunswick Form International Industry Working Group to Address Disease Issues Facing the Maine and Maritime Potato Growing Region

On November 19, 2004, Maine (USA) and New Brunswick (Canada) industry group met for what would be the first of several meetings to plan a coordinated approach to potato disease management.  The motivation behind these meetings was that potato late blight was present on both sides of the border during the 2004 growing season.  The primary goal of the task force IMMPACT, which stands for International Maine Maritime Potato Action Team, was to establish cooperation and sharing of information across the border on strategies to minimize late blight inoculum for the 2005 growing season.

A plan of work was developed and implemented.  Steps implemented included: development of website materials, development of an information exchange process, re-establishment of a New Brunswick weather station/late blight forecasting system compatible with the existing Maine system.

Growers and consultants on both sides of the border will hear a common message, and be kept updated on information such as seed selection, seed testing and handling, and cull pile management. Blightcast, a daily feature on WAGM television during the morning and evening weather forecast, will also keep growers informed on late blight conditions.  Other media contacts from New Brunswick and Maine will be asked to help spread the message to industry stakeholders and to home gardeners.

“The creation of IMMPACT is long overdue,” said Jean-Marie Pelletier, Chairman of Potatoes NB, “we have so much in common and our crops are all threatened by the same pests and weather conditions that it only makes sense to work cooperatively.”

“ In a lot of places Maine and New Brunswick are separated by a field road or a small piece of woods, it only makes sense to tackle pest problems as a region.” Said Donavan Todd, President of the Maine Potato Board.

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