Seed Potato Act draws crowd questions

MONTE VISTA — A crowd of potato farmers gathered in Monte Vista Saturday to hear Sen. Gail Schwartz and Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp talk about the proposed Colorado Seed Potato Act.

The act, sponsored by Schwartz and Representative Ed Vigil, would require all potato growers who plant potatoes in lots of over one acre to use certified seed potatoes. The certifying authority within the state of Colorado would be Colorado State University. Seed potatoes bought outside the state would have to be purchased from an authorized seller of certified seed potatoes agency.

The purpose of the act is to control and minimize the spread of disease between plots of potatoes. The act would be repealed on September 1, 2019. Farmers would be allowed to plant uncertified seed potatoes every other year if the uncertified seed potatoes are only one generation from certified seed potatoes.

The act would set up a seed potato advisory committee, to be appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture. There will be nine members on the committee, and they will serve three year terms.

Four members will be from the Area No. Two of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee who do not grow certified seed potatoes; one member will be from Area No. Three of the CPAC who does not grow certified seed potatoes; two members will be pulled from the Colorado Certified Potato Growers’ Association with one of the two being the sitting president of the organization; one person will be a Colorado State University employee; and one person from the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

The advisory Committee will advise the Commissioner of Agriculture in terms of rules and recommendations.

The San Luis Valley potato growers had mixed views on a new regulation that tells them what seeds they have to plant on their land. Questions were raised about supply of certified seeds, and whether the cost of the seeds would go up.

The need for the act was questioned because crop insurance already requires farmers to buy certified seeds.

Corey Myers brought up the question of how pure the bill would be by the time it is passed.

“If it is something we are going to have to do, what is going to be added on to the bill?” Myers asked.

Schwartz said that anything added would have to fit the title of the bill, the “Colorado Seed Potato Act,” which was pretty narrowly focused.

“You see more ‘Christmas treeing’ on federal bills,” Schwartz said.

She said the bill had cohesive representation from all the rural areas.

The usefulness of the proposed advisory committee was also questioned.

“I have never known a Commissioner of Agriculture that has gone against an advisory committee,” Stulp said. “If a commissioner doesn’t agree with something, he will sit down with the committee and say “did you consider this” but then he will go along with the committee’s recommendation.”

Stulp said only 10 percent of the growers will be audited each year. The farmers are already keeping records of where they get their seeds and where their produce goes because of Homeland Security requirements, he said. The person selling the certified seeds will have to put more information on their labels.

“I hate regulations,” said Monty Smith. “I hate more regulations because you can find ways to pick it apart.”

Fewer people are eating potatoes in the United States, and the amount has decreased yearly. Mexico has become a prime market for Colorado potatoes.

Stulp said Colorado potatoes are already tested before they are shipped, but coutries are requireing imports to be grown from certified seeds.

Preston Stanley voiced support for the act.

“More and more the seeds must be certified to be allowed to be exported,” Stanley said. “I think this act is a must for us. It’s going to strengthen us.”

Stulp said in today’s economy farmers have to go for every advantage they can get.

The budget is very contentious,” he said. “It is a very difficult time for the state, it is a very difficult time for school districts, and it is a very difficult time for farmers. This act is just one thing that might give Colorado potatoes an edge.”

JULIA WILSON
Valley Courier