FOOD SAFETY :  BACTERIAL RING ROT PREVENTION

Every effort is made to prevent contamination of seed stocks by ring rot bacteria. The following mechanisms each contribute to reducing the risk of Bacterial Ring Rot contamination and keeping Manitoba grown seed potatoes healthy:

1. Maintenance of pedigree records on all seed lots certified. (Records are maintained from generation to generation on all seed stocks produced in Canada. This enables a complete trace back of all seed sources when BRR is reported.)
    
2. All seed potatoes produced originates from disease free Nuclear Stocks.
    
3. Strict adherence to a limited field generation production system. (Flush-through production)
    
4. Inspections of the growing crop for Bacterial Ring Rot disease symptoms.
    
5. Tuber inspections at harvest or in the bin shortly after harvest.
    
6. Frequent tuber inspections at shipping point.
    
7. Investigations of seed sources of Bacterial Ring Rot disease occurrences in commercial potato production.
    
8. Bacterial Ring Rot testing in the laboratory of Elite 3, Elite 4 and Foundation seed lots before they are sold to commercial growers.
    
9. Total rejection of all seed produced on a farm when a seed lot is determined to be infected with Bacterial Ring Rot.
    
10. Seed grower diligence in preventing ring rot bacteria introductions. (This includes frequent cleaning and disinfection of all equipment and buildings used in the harvesting, handling and storage of seed potatoes.)