The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on its Review of the Plant Health (Export Certification) Fees. The consultation document can be found at – http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/12/2001/downloads#res529265 and you can respond at https://consult.gov.scot/plant-health/review-of-plant-health-export-certification-fees.
The Scottish Government has published on its website a short report confirming the continued absence of Dickeya from Scottish potato crops. A link to the Report is below
The Scottish Government has published on its website a short report confirming the continued absence of Dickeya from the Scottish seed potatoes. A link to the Report is below
Defra has published a Plant Pest Factsheet on Monitoring and control of the potato brown rot bacterium in irrigation water. This follows findings of Ralstonia solanacearum in river water in parts of Cambridgeshire in 2016. The factsheet can be found here – https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/assets/factsheets/irrigation-guidelines-factsheetformat-2017-final.pdf
The UK Plant Health authorities have reminded the potato industry of the statutory requirements for importing potatoes from mainland Spain. Please see letter below:
Epitrix – UK statutory requirements for potatoes imported from Spain
Europatat, BPTA’s umbrella organisation, has recently prepared guidelines on the pest Epitrix. To view follow the link below.
20151020 – Europatat Guidelines Epitrix
The Scottish Government has published on its website a short report confirming the continued absence of Dickeya from the Scottish growing crop. A link to the Report is below
The BPTA AGM 2015 was held at SASA, Edinburgh on 1st July 2015 with 10 member companies in attendance and another 10 member companies voting by proxy. President Russ Kelsey welcomed Miriam Doe (WCF Horticulture Ltd) onto Council and paid tribute to Tony Barnes who has stepped down. The AGM approved all 3 motions – to accept the 2014-15 accounts; to re-appoint Henderson Loggie as the Association’s accountants and to maintain 2015-16 membership subscriptions at 2014-15 levels..
Russ Kelsey delivered his address to the AGM and a copy can be accessed by following the link below. Following the AGM John Speirs of the Scottish Government delivered a presentation on Plant Health. A copy of this presentation will be posted on the BPTA website shortly.
President’s AGM Report July 2015
“Potatoes: what are the threats they face and what can we do to save our spuds?” On Monday 22nd June sense about science is running a live Q&A with a panel of scientists who are all researching different ways to protect our potatoes. More information can be found by following the link below.
Good news! Scotland remains free from Dickeya spp. See http://www.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/plant/18273/PotatoHealthControls/PotatoQuarantineDiseases/Dickeya/2014-15TuberTests
The UK Plant Health Services have issued a letter updating the position with findings of Epitrix on potatoes imported from previously non-demarcated areas of Spain. The letter and accompanying leaflet are reproduced below.
Epitrix is a very damaging pest of potato from North America that is now established in Spain and Portugal and imported potatoes from these countries represents a real and present threat to the UK potato industry. The threat posed by this pest and measures that are being taken and possibly proposed in the future should be of grave interest to all those who make a living from potatoes in this country. Please take time to consider this matter.
Notice is given of the BPTA AGM 2015 on 1st July 2015 and an Invitation extended to the associated buffet luncheon at SASA, Edinburgh. Luncheon from 1pm and AGM commences at 2pm. Following the AGM there will be a presentation on EU Plant Health proposals. For more details and an application form see Flyer below.
Follow the link below to the Flyer and Application Form for Potatoes in Practice 2015 which takes place near Dundee on 13 August 2015.
Details of the SSCR Annual General Meeting and Lecture on 20 May 2015 can be found by following the link below.
SSCR Annual General Meeting and Lecture 20 May 2015
BPTA in association with SASA is running a Tuber Classification Training Refresher Course on Tuesday 4th November 2014 at Gogarbank, Edinburgh. The delegate fee including lunch, refreshments and Vat is £240. If you are interested please contact the BPTA Secretariat at charlie.greenslade@bpta.org.uk 0131 623 0183. Further details and an application form can be found in the links below.
BPTA Tuber Training Course 2014 membership letter – 021014
BPTA Tuber Training Course 2014 Provisional Course Programme 2014 (Tuber)
BPTA Tuber Training Course 2014 Application Form
Follow the link below for a summary of SASA’s 2014 Scottish potato growing crop survey for Dickeya. The good news is that there were no positive findings again this year. SASA comment that these results reinforce the view that if industry continues to purchase Scottish-origin seed freedom from this damaging pathogen can be maintained.
Dickeya 2014 GCI Report by SASA
The Scottish Government hosted a Plant Health Workshop on 18th March 2014 at SASA, Edinburgh at which BPTA attended along with other stakeholder organisations. The event was opened by Paul Wheelhouse, MSP, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, who announced the development of a Scottish Plant Health Strategy.
Please follow the link below to access the programme and presentations.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/plant/PlantHealth/PHWPresentations
The Scottish Society for Crop Research (SSCR) Potato Sub-committee is pleased to invite you to attend the Potato Winter Meeting at The James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA on Monday 24 March 2014.
The programme can be found by following the link below.
Please note that this meeting is free for SSCR members but there is a £15 attendance fee for non-members. Membership of SSCR costs £15 a year and there will be the opportunity to join at the meeting.
Attendees are requested to pre-register.
Please confirm your attendance to: Sharon Neilson, Events Co-ordinator, The James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA Tel: 01382 568 750 Email: events@hutton.ac.uk BASIS points have been applied for and will be available to attendees on the day
The link below will open up a letter from Defra launching a UK Plant Health Risk Register. The Register is a tool for government, industry and stakeholders to prioritise action against pests and diseases which threaten our crops, trees, gardens and countryside. Your Association was one of the stakeholder organisations that were involved in the construction of the Register.
Please click on the link below to read Defra’s letter of 23rd December 2013 on retail sales of seed potatoes
Defra and the Scottish Government have separately issued letters to remind the UK potato industry about the requirements pertaining to the import of potatoes into the UK. The letters are reproduced below.
Potato Ring Rot – Update Fera has published on its website an update on the suspected Ring Rot outbreak, as follows:”Fera has made good progress in following up this suspect outbreak. No ring rot has been detected in one of … Continue reading
Potato Ring Rot – suspect outbreak in the East of England Fera announced on 18th January 2013 that it is investigating a suspect outbreak of potato ring rot in the East of England.This follows notification by the Dutch Plant Protection Service … Continue reading
Potato Ring Rot – Ware Potatoes from Poland The following message has been received from FERA:”Fera has confirmed the presence of ring rot in ware potatoes imported from Poland and processed in Wales. The potatoes were targeted for testing during … Continue reading
SASA PCN Explanatory Leaflet SASA has posted an updated PCN Explanatory Leaflet on its website.Please click on the link below:http://www.sasa.gov.uk/pcn-soil-testing-documents
