If you talk to a group of potato growers, one issue is almost certain to come up: how to find seed potatoes free of disease, writes Carol Miller – editor of American Vegetable Grower. The U.S. potato seed industry can be difficult to navigate. Each region or state has its own rules for certifying seeds, which creates inconsistency, she writes.
“Seed potato programs differ because of the markets they serve. If a state has significant commercial production, [its] primary purpose may be to provide seed for their commercial farms,” says Nina Zidack, Montana State University (MSU), Assistant Research Professor, Seed Potato Certification.
Montana does not have a commercial potato industry, so its focus is on seed, Zidack says.
Miller reached out to several programs across the country, asking each what it takes to have a top-notch system. Read what she learned in this article published on the Growing Produce website.
