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United States, April 7, 2009
 The
National Potato Council (NPC) and United States Potato Board (USPB) are
pleased to announce the US potato industry can now begin exporting fresh
potatoes to Russia. A market access agreement between the United States and
Russia was signed on March 17, 2009. The signed agreement provides for
market access from all US states.
This agreement is the first plant market access agreement ever to be
signed between the United States and Russia. Work began on establishing a
market access agreement for US potatoes to Russia in 2006. The US potato
industry worked through its Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Initiative,
jointly funded by the USPB, NPC and state potato organizations.
 The
final step in the process was a visit by Russian officials to the United
States. The officials went to Oregon where they met with state and national
officials and toured potato production and packing facilities. The Oregon
Potato Commission, Washington State Potato Commission and Idaho Potato
Commission helped to organize the visit and hosted this delegation. This
final effort would not have been so successful without their assistance.
The NPC and USPB would like to thank the USDA, Animal Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) for all of their work in securing this market
access agreement. Additionally, the Council and Board would like to thank
the USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) personnel in Russia and the US
for their assistance in laying the ground work for the agreement.
More on the National Potato
Council (NPC)
More on the United States
Potato Board (USPB)
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