The worm has also affected other crops produced by about 30 farmers in the region, l'Union des producteurs agricoles du Quebec, a group that represents Quebec farmers, told a news conference on Tuesday. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has imposed a quarantine that prevents the movement of the affected harvests.
The economic repercussions have been devastating. This year's crop will have to be destroyed and farmers won't be able to grow potatoes for perhaps a decade because the pests remain dormant in the soil.
Farmers want speedy action from federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl. They are seeking emergency assistance valued at $50,000 for small farms and $75,000 for locations exceeding 60 hectares. It would be followed by $4,000 per hectare, for an average of $240,000 per farmer.
The golden (G. rostochiensis) and pale (G. pallida) cyst nematodes have been confirmed in 65 countries, including the United States. In Canada, golden nematode is present in Newfoundland, Vancouver Island and now in Quebec.
OTTAWA, Ontario, November 2, 2006 – Jacques Gourde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, issued the following statement today on the action Canada's New Government has taken to respond to the detection of Golden Nematode (GN) in Saint-Amable, Quebec.
"We moved quickly to open the border for export to the United States and to control the spread of this pest through the implementation of quarantine measures.
"On August 16, 2006, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented temporary restrictions on certain Canadian products in response to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's confirmation of GN in Quebec.
"Six weeks later, an agreement was reached with the USDA that lifted virtually all of the temporary U.S. import restrictions from Quebec. The agreement normalized agricultural trade with our largest and most important trading partner, restoring trade access for all previously affected commodities in Quebec, except certain products originating from the regulated area where GN had been detected.
"Programs are already in place to provide producers with financial assistance for farm income losses, programs that we enhanced in our first budget. The Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) program could provide over $3 million in financial assistance for potato producers alone in the regulated area. Producers are encouraged to apply as advance payments are available and are being processed on a priority basis. "