For those who grow potatoes in the San Luis Valley, protecting Colorado's renowned spuds is a year-round commitment. The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is announcing critical updates to protect this vital $200 million industry, focusing on enhanced disease prevention measures against late blight (a potato disease) and a new disease standard for seed potatoes.

Potato Late Blight Prevention and Community Reporting

Potato Late Blight is a serious disease that can rapidly destroy potato and tomato crops under the right conditions. Since it has a significant impact on potatoes and incurs high costs to control and eradicate, preventing the introduction of late blight into Colorado's ag communities is an essential control method.

To aid in the early detection of potential state quarantine violations, CDA is unveiling a new primary method for reporting concerns through the Cull Pile Reporting App, which uses ArcGIS QuickCapture technology. This easy-to-use mobile application, available on both Android and iOS, allows anyone to quickly report concerns about potato cull piles.

Anyone can use this app to quickly and anonymously report piles of discarded potatoes. Reports can include concerns such as:

• Untarped trucks moving cull piles.
• Large, medium, or small cull piles (greater than a pick-up load, two sacks to less than a pick-up load, or two sacks or less, respectively).
• Other general concerns with cull pile management.

Users can take photos, confirm their location, and submit reports, making early detection crucial for improved management of cull piles and avoiding the risk of developing and spreading late blight.

To start using the tool, follow these two steps:

1. Download the ArcGIS QuickCapture app from the Google Play or Apple App Store
2. Add Cull Pile Reporting (arcg.is/OK1zH) to your set of tools, using the orange plus sign. You can also scan the QR code to add the tool.

About Potato Late Blight Quarantine

The San Luis Valley is a major potato-growing region that remains free of this disease, thanks to a state quarantine. Strict compliance with the quarantine is essential, as even one infected shipment could introduce the disease and lead to widespread losses and economic damage.

Another critical part of preventing the disease is the proper management of "culls," defined as any waste and off-grade potatoes, including volunteer plants. Late blight spores could develop in cull piles and spread to uninfected areas. Key rules for cull management include:

• From June 1 to September 10 annually, all cull potatoes must be destroyed or made non-viable within 72 hours.
• During this period, all cull potatoes must be transported in a vehicle that is constructed and tarped or covered to prevent any potatoes or spores from escaping.

New Health Standard Set for Potato Virus Y Threshold

In addition to preventing late blight, CDA has been tasked with setting a new disease standard that manages the risk of Potato Virus Y (PVY). This standard is set annually by the Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the Seed Potato Advisory Committee, as required by the Colorado Seed Potato Act. This regulatory action ensures that the plant-back potato used by growers meets a specific health quality threshold.

The Seed Potato Advisory Committee reviewed extensive technical data detailing the levels of PVY found in potato varieties across Colorado. After deliberation, the Committee recommended and the Commissioner approved a PVY level of 25 percent to be used as the disease standard for uncertified plant-back potatoes for the 2027 planting season. This requirement is vital for the long-term health and productivity of Colorado's potato industry.

Protecting Colorado's Crops

Protecting Colorado's valuable agricultural crops, from potatoes in the San Luis Valley and fruit trees on the Western Slope to the corn and wheat on the Eastern Plains, is a shared responsibility. CDA works with producers to adopt best practices, which include using certified seed stock and maintaining good field sanitation. Anyone can help by immediately reporting any signs of disease or potential issues. By working together, we can ensure the security of Colorado's food supply and protect the livelihoods of our farming communities.