US - Canadian potato trade rules, size requirements, adjusted

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a final rule relaxing the rules for imports of smaller-sized Canadian potatoes.

The rule, published Dec. 10 in the Federal Register, exempts U.S. No. 1 grade potatoes imported in certain small containers from size requirements.

The U.S. action followed implementation of a rule in Canada during November that created more predictable access to Canadian Ministerial Exemptions for exporters of bulk U.S. potatoes, said John Keeling, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Washington, D.C.-based National Potato Council.

The two countries reached a technical agreement in 2007 that spelled out a phase-in of changes to potato trade rules.

In that agreement, Canada agreed to remove the preference given to potatoes from other Canadian provinces over U.S. potatoes.

Canada also said a 60-day forward contract between a U.S. grower and Canadian processor will serve as sufficient evidence of a shortage in Canadian potatoes and thus guarantee a Ministerial Exemption for bulk potato shipments.