The Maine Potato Board learned of a plan to expand local agricultural education at the university level and gave a green light to a new potato variety tentatively called the Caribou russet. Meeting Wednesday in Presque Isle, the group also discussed the need to intensify post-harvest virus testing for seed potatoes.
John Rebar, executive director of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was joined by Jason Johnston, professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, to discuss plans to add an agronomist and a sustainable agriculture curriculum at the local campus.
“We want to end the brain drain of young people leaving Aroostook,” Rebar remarked. “Getting young people onto the campus and then out into the community — that’s a win-win.”
Sustainable agriculture is a new concentration within the environmental sciences program, explained Johnston. He said Orono remains the best place to go for a four-year agriculture degree, but the demand for more education locally has been so great officials wanted to expand the curriculum.
“We wanted to do something,” Johnston commented. “We’re at a time in the system when we’ve all got to work together [and] we have enough resources in The County to be able to pull this all together.”
The course material would include such topics as animal science, plant and crop science, principles of sustainable agriculture, integrated pest management and soil biology, as well as aspects of business, statistics and the like.
MPB Executive Director Don Flannery asked if internships would be available to give students valuable hands-on experience. “That’s what we really want,” Rebar responded. “We welcome that.”
“We are blazing a trail,” he noted. “This is the first of its kind in the university system.”
At meeting time the Ph.D./assistant professor position had passed two stages of a five-step approval process.
The new russet potato variety, currently listed as AF3362-1, has performed well in McCain french fry trials and has been used as a fresh potato in Michigan, explained Flannery. He described is as having a uniform size, with a good yield comparable to that of the Shepody.
It has done so well that developers have decided to name it and release it, Flannery said, noting the new spud may be called the Caribou russet. “I am a fan of it. It’s a nice potato and I think it has potential.”
He recommended the board move to secure rights for the new variety, estimating it would probably cost between $7,000 and $8,000 to obtain Plant Variety Protection (PVP) in both the U.S. and Canada. Members voted unanimously to go ahead with the licensing process.
A report from the Maine Seed Potato Board (MSPB) spurred considerable discussion on virus analysis methods and the need for more intensive scrutiny, due to a high percentage of potato virus Y, strain N (PVYN) infection found in this year’s Florida testing.
According to information from the Seed Potato Program at the Porter Seed Farm in Masardis, “All seed lots produced in Maine must successfully pass a post-harvest test for the seed to be certified.” Testing is done at a farm owned by the MSPB in Dade County, Fla.
Flannery said testing done on current-season specimens indicates 75% of positive samples tested positive for PVYN.
The prevalence of the virus could suggest a change in the pathogen, offered Jim Dwyer, crops specialist with the Cooperative Extension. Members discussed at some length the results, current testing practices and need for further action.
“There needs to be an effort to have a real discussion and find out where we are,” suggested Flannery.
“Those numbers are speaking for themselves,” said MPB member Brent Buck. “We need to change.”
The issue will be revisited at the board’s March meeting.
Director of Development and Grower Relations Tim Hobbs reviewed recommendations of the research committee. Of a total of $95,000 budgeted for research, $43,312 has been approved at this time, he said. The proposed projects focus largely on disease screening and resistance, virus and pest management, as well as $12,200 designated for soil compaction and crop rotation research.
Next, Bart Bradbury and MBP President Gregg Garrison shared slides and commentary on their recent trip to Argentina with a McCain delegation. The travelers, including seven from Maine and 13 from New Brunswick, along with company representatives, visited McCain facilities in Buenos Aires and other sites.
The South American plant is comparable in size and setup to the Easton facility, Bradbury explained. Receiving is done in a similar fashion, and though the company’s acreage there is about the same, the yield is greater. Additionally, the use of drones is employed to scout and map fields and take photographs.
“They put a lot of effort into the quality of their seed,” Bradbury said, pointing out cutting blades are being disinfected constantly via a drip setup, and all seed is boxed, not stored in bulk.
Flannery updated the group on bills coming before the Maine Legislature, including proposals on raising the minimum wage and a merger of the agriculture, conservation and forestry departments, which the board opposes, as well as a bill to remove the reference to “light” tractors from an article involving over-width tractors on public ways, which the board favors.
Of particular interest were two bills concerning the Board of Pesticides Control. LD 202, regarding standards for outdoor application of pesticides by powered equipment, and LD 203, involving notification provisions for outdoor pesticide applications.
“These are two really hot-button issues,” said Hobbs. “We really need to be there and monitor them.”
In other business:
• Flannery gave the MPB financial update. Halfway through the fiscal year, the only item over its allocation has been trade meetings, which was over budget by approximately $1,400, likely due to Big E expenses. The board will hold its budget meeting next month.
• Juan Hernandez, state conservationist with the Maine National Resources Conservation Service, discussed a grant award for the Regional Conservation Partnership Project. The MPB is among the list of partners the service will work with; the next step is delineating what conservation practices will be included in the project, for which $450,000-$500,000 has been allocated.
• Hobbs and Flannery recounted interviewing four candidates for a co-manager position at the Big E in Springfield, Mass.
• Flannery noted that Dominic LaJoie of Van Buren was recently elected vice president of the National Potato Council’s Environmental Affairs Committee.
The board’s next meeting will be held Wednesday, March 18 at 3 p.m. at the Presque Isle Agricultural Center.
