Regulation 2(1)
1. On receipt of an application for certification of any seed potatoes, an authorised officer must—U.K.
(a)allocate to the person making the application a number to be known as the “producer’s identification number” (where one does not already exist for that person);
(b)following an official examination, determine in accordance with this Schedule and Schedule 4 the categories and grades at which the seed potatoes are capable of being marketed; and
(c)subject to paragraphs 3 to 11, issue a growing crop certificate in accordance with paragraph 2.
2.—(1) A growing crop certificate must state—U.K.
(a)the name and address of the applicant;
(b)the categories and grades at which the authorised officer has determined the seed potatoes are capable of being marketed in accordance with paragraph 1(b);
(c)the name of the agricultural unit on which the crop was grown;
(d)the producer’s identification number;
(e)the date on which the growing crop was inspected;
(f)the variety of the seed potatoes;
(g)the area of the seed potatoes; and
(h)the location of the field on which the seed potatoes were grown.
(2) In sub-paragraph (1), “agricultural unit” has the meaning assigned to that expression in section 109(2) of the Agriculture Act 1947(1).
3. A growing crop certificate may only be issued where an authorised officer is satisfied, in relation to the seed potatoes examined by that officer, that—U.K.
(a)the seed potatoes are of a variety of potato species entered in a National List or the Common Catalogue;
(b)the seed potatoes in any one crop are of a single variety;
(c)the seed potatoes are taken from a crop which is free from the following diseases or pests—
(i)Wart Disease (Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilb) Perc);
(ii)Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera species infesting potatoes);
(iii)Ring Rot (Clavibacter michiganensis (Smith) Davis et al ssp Sepedonicus (Spieck & Kotth) Davis et al);
(iv)Brown Rot (Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al);
(v)Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid;
(vi)Colorado Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)); and
(vii)Potato Tuber Eelworm (Ditylenchus destructor (Thorne));
(d)the land on which the seed potatoes are growing or were grown is not land which is demarcated under Schedule 13 to the Plant Health (England) Order 2015(2) as contaminated with Wart Disease (Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilb) Perc) or is within a safety zone demarcated under that Order;
(e)blanking in any of the growing crop of the seed potatoes is not or was not excessive;
(f)the growing crop has not been over-rogued; and
(g)all reasonable husbandry practices for the prevention of the occurrence, development or spread of diseases and pests have been effectively carried out.
4.—(1) No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as pre-basic seed potatoes of any grade unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the land on which the seed potatoes are growing or were grown—U.K.
(a)is land which, as a result of a soil test carried out by the Secretary of State prior to the planting of the crop, has been found not to be contaminated with Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera species infesting potatoes);
(b)is not demarcated under Schedule 14 to the Plant Health (England) Order 2015 as infested with a European population of Potato Cyst Nematode; and
(c)has not been used for growing potatoes at any time during the seven years immediately preceding the planting of the crop.
(2) But sub-paragraph (1)(a) does not apply in the case of seed potatoes grown in a soil-free medium.
5. No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as pre-basic seed potatoes of Union grade PBTC unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the immediately succeeding crop produced from the seed potatoes is not likely to contain—U.K.
(a)plants of a different variety; or
(b)plants affected by mild or severe virus.
6. No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as pre-basic seed potatoes of Union grade PB unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the immediately succeeding crop produced from the seed potatoes is not likely to contain—U.K.
(a)more than 0.01% by number of growing plants which deviate from variety and type or are a different variety; or
(b)more than 0.5% by number of growing plants which show symptoms of virus diseases where those symptoms are attributable to infection in the mother crop.
7.—(1) No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as basic seed potatoes of any grade unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the land on which the seed potatoes are growing or were grown—U.K.
(a)is land which, as a result of a soil test carried out by the Secretary of State prior to the planting of the crop, has been found not to be contaminated with Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera species infesting potatoes);
(b)is not demarcated under Schedule 14 to the Plant Health (England) Order 2015 as infested with a European population of Potato Cyst Nematode; and
(c)has not been used for growing potatoes at any time during the five years immediately preceding the planting of the crop.
(2) But sub-paragraph (1)(a) does not apply in the case of seed potatoes grown in a soil-free medium.
8. No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as basic seed potatoes of any grade unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the immediately succeeding crop produced from the seed potatoes is not likely to contain—U.K.
(a)more than 0.25% by number of growing plants which do not breed true to variety or are a different variety; and
(b)in the case of—
(i)Union grade S, not more than 1%,
(ii)Union grade SE, not more than 2%, and
(iii)Union grade E, not more than 4%,
by number of growing plants which show symptoms of virus diseases prevalent in Europe where those symptoms are attributable to infection in the mother crop.
9. No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as certified seed potatoes in the case of seed potatoes growing or grown in the protected region.U.K.
10.—(1) No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as certified seed potatoes unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the land on which the seed potatoes are growing or were grown—U.K.
(a)is land which, as a result of a soil test carried out by the Secretary of State prior to the planting of the crop, has been found not to be contaminated with Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera species infesting potatoes);
(b)is not demarcated under Schedule 14 to the Plant Health (England) Order 2015 as infested with a European population of Potato Cyst Nematode; and
(c)has not been used for growing potatoes at any time during the four years immediately preceding the planting of the crop.
(2) But sub-paragraph (1)(a) does not apply in the case of seed potatoes grown in a soil-free medium.
11. No growing crop certificate may be issued containing a statement that seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as certified seed potatoes unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the immediately succeeding crop produced from the seed potatoes is likely to contain—U.K.
(a)in the case of—
(i)Union grade A, not more than 0.5%, and
(ii)Union grade B, not more than 0.5%,
by number of growing plants which do not breed true to variety or are a different variety; and
(b)in the case of—
(i)Union grade A, not more than 8%, and
(ii)Union grade B, not more than 10%,
by number of growing plants which show symptoms of severe virus diseases prevalent in Europe where those symptoms are attributable to infection in the mother crop.
S.I. 2015/610, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.