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Home > Maine Seed Potato Board

Maine Seed Potato Board

Photo of potato field by Vikram BishtIn 1945, an act of the Maine Legislature established the Maine Seed Potato Board to ensure an adequate supply of foundation seed potatoes for the state's commercial seed potato producers and ultimately for the Maine potato industry. The commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture serves on the Board along with eight potato producers who represent the seed, tablestock and processing industries in the state.

In 1947, the Board purchased an isolated farm in Masardis, now known as the Porter Seed Farm, enabling it to better control and manage the production and quality of foundation seed stock. The facility is equipped with tissue culture production and disease testing laboratories, seed storages with climate control systems, greenhouses, and an irrigation system, to support the production of nuclear and foundation seed.

The facility provides tubers grown in vitro (microtubers), greenhouse grown tubers (minitubers) and transplants, and foundation seed potatoes to Maine seed growers. Production of field-grown nuclear and foundation seed is based on seed requests from Maine growers. The Board makes a serious effort to match production volumes and varieties produced with contract requests; however, some years the farm may have additional seed for sale.

During June of 2009, the 124th Maine Legislature enacted a bill that transfers all assets and oversight of the Maine Seed Potato Board from the Maine Department of Agriculture in Augusta to the Maine Potato Board in Presque Isle. The intent of the legislation was to improve efficiencies that could not be easily or quickly accomplished under the rules and procedures of state government. Implementation of this law will not fully take effect until January 1, 2010, but during this transition period, questions about the operation of the Porter Farm should be directed to Don Flannery at the Maine Potato Board at 207-769-5061 or e-mail to flannery@mainepotatoes.com.

 

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