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SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201538 establishing a National Promotion and Research Agency NPRA for potatoes. This phase includes broader con- sultation on a province-by-province basis with a wide range of stakeholders including growers processors importers retailers and other interested groups. The purpose would be to provide stakeholders with facts regarding the establishment of an NPRA act as a forum for discussion and to determine areas of support or concern. Funding is currently being sought to partially support this next phase of the project. RESEARCH The CPC Research Working Group is responsible for co-ordinating research priorities and implement- ing research projects to address those identified priorities. Potato research projects totalling 8 million including an industry contribution of 2 million under the Canadian Agri-Science Cluster for Horticulture 2 program are ongoing for the period spanning April 2013 to March 2018. Interim progress reports for each of the six funded potato projects are now available on the CHC website at hortcouncil.ca projects-and-programsagri-science-cluster2.aspx. In addition to these research projects a new propos- al for work on late blight was submitted to AAFC by the CPC Research Working Group earlier this year. WIREWORM CONTROL The CPC continues to advocate for the continued use of phorate Thimet 15-G for controlling wireworm in potatoes. Activities include the submission of a ben- efits and current potato production package to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and meetings with senior agency officials. Since its March meeting the CPC has developed and distributed to provincial organizations a best management practices factsheet describing the identified environmental risks associated with Thimet 15-G use and application practices that can be adopted by growers to reduce and mitigate risks. The CPC also successfully requested that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency extend the last date of sale by retailers and distributors by 30 days to June 1 in order to accommodate planting dates that had been delayed by a late spring in Atlantic Canada. SEED TUBER INSPECTION Exports of seed potatoes to Canadas largest customer were jeopardized when the federal government announced CFIA would stop providing seed tuber shipping point inspection services by April 2014 prompting the USDA and American growers to respond that seed grower tuber inspection under a CFIA-audited process known as the Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program was not acceptable. The CPC continues to work toward resolution of seed potato tuber inspection at time of shipment for exports to the United States in co-operation with AAFC CFIA and provincial governments by con- sidering feasible options moving forward to ensure continued export of seed potatoes to the United States. We appreciate Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritzs assurance that CFIA will continue to conduct full shipping point inspection until an acceptable alternative can be found. PLANT BREEDERS RIGHTS The CPC representing Partners in Innovation a coalition of leading Canadian farmer and agriculture groups and the Potato Growers of Alberta presented to both the House and Senate Standing Committees on Agriculture in support of amendments to Plant Breeders Rights in Canada. The CPC is very pleased with the legislative chang- es now in force that grant extended protection of new varieties. Six potato varieties were among the first crop varieties to be granted extended protection under the standards established by the International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties UPOV91. Bulk Beds and Crop Carts Spudnik.com - Bulk Bed lengths from 20 - 26 feet - Fast unloading with the new max flow drive system - Increase harvest efficiency with a Crop Cart - 700 sack 35 Ton capacity use in multiple crops year round