Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as The Seed Potatoes (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 and shall come into operation on 16th November 2011.

Amendment to the Seed Potatoes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010

2. The Seed Potatoes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010(6) are amended in accordance with regulations 3 and 4.

Amendment of Schedule 2

3. In Schedule 2 (Classification: source material for planting, requirements and tolerances for the growing crop)-

(a)In Table 1 (pre-basic seed potatoes) for the entries in relation to "Pre-basic TC (Tissue Culture)" and "Pre-basic 1" in Column 4 (Tolerances), after "(v) Blackleg - nil" insert "(vi) Dickeya spp.-nil"; and

(b)In Table 2 (basic seed potatoes)-

(i)For the entry in relation to "Super Elite Seed (SE) SE 1" in column 4 (Tolerances), after "(iv) Blackleg-0.25%" insert "(v) Dickeya spp.-nil";

(ii)For the entry in relation to "Elite Seed (E) E" in column 4 (Tolerances), after "(iii) Blackleg-0.5%" insert "(iv) Dickeya spp.-nil"; and

(iii)For the entry in relation to "Class A Seed A" in column 4 (Tolerances), after "(iii) Blackleg-1.0%", insert "(iv) Dickeya spp.-nil".

Amendment of Schedule 6

4. In Schedule 6 (Tolerances for diseases, pests, damages and defects in seed potato tubers) -

(a)In Table 1 (pre-basic tissue culture class), Group 2, insert the following new row under "Blackleg (Pectobacterium spp.)-NIL"-

(b)In Table 2 (pre-basic 1 to pre-basic 4 class and equivalent (Northern Ireland) and other parts of the UK), Group 2, insert the following new row under "Blackleg (Pectobacterium spp)"-

(c)In Table 3 (basic seed potato classes and equivalent, including test and trial seed potatoes and conservation variety seed potatoes (Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK)), Group 2, Column 1 for "Blackleg (Erwinia carotovora (Jones)) Bergey et al. ssp. atroseptica (Helmers & Dowson) Dye) or Dickeya dadantii (Erwinia chrysanthemi)", substitute "Blackleg (Pectobacterium spp.)", and insert the following new row under "Blackleg (Pectobacterium spp.)"-

(d)In Table 4 (basic seed potatoes produced outside the UK), Group 2, insert the following new row under "Dry Rot (Fusarium species) and Wet Rot"-

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 6th October 2011.

Keith Morrison

A senior officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Seed Potatoes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010 No. 350) "the principal Regulations").

Regulations 3 and 4 amend Schedules 2 and 6 to the principal Regulations to introduce zero tolerance of Dickeya spp. for all grades of seed potato.

Regulation 4 also introduces new Latin nomenclature for some pests and diseases, now currently in use internationally, in, particular Dickeya spp. (Schedule 6).

A regulatory impact assessment has not been considered necessary for these Regulations as any impacts are considered to be negligible.