| (a) Any disease or other condition seriously affecting seed potato quality, and its ability to sprout and grow normally that is not mentioned in these rules, may be cause for the department to reject a lot entered for certification. (b) Any lot of seed potatoes may be rejected by the department at any time such lot is found not to meet the certification standards. (c) The applicant is responsible for all laboratory virus testing. All laboratory virus tests must be from a laboratory approved by the department. (d) All potato fields in the farming operation that are eligible and entered for certification must be physically separated from those potato fields on the farming operation not entered for certification. In addition, all equipment and storage bins used in the farming operation utilized for the purpose of certified seed production must be cleaned and disinfected prior to being used to plant, harvest, cultivate, spray or store certified seed potatoes. (e) All potato fields entered for certification must be adequately isolated by a minimum of 60 feet from adjacent fields not entered for certification or lots rejected for serious seed-borne diseases during the current season. Potato fields entered for certification not meeting isolation requirements will be reduced in acreage accordingly. (f) Each lot of seed potatoes in storage must be adequately separated from other potatoes to prevent mixture or contamination. (g) Each lot of certified seed potatoes must be kept in an isolated storage bin that contains only potatoes approved by the department. Potatoes from seed lots rejected for certification due to bacterial ring rot will not be allowed under any circumstances. (h) New sacks must be used if seed potatoes are harvested, stored or marketed in sacks unless they are shipped in bulk. |
