Potato blight outbreak in Red River Valley averted
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Officials say the threat of widespread potato blight in the Red River Valley appears to be over, at least for this year.
The Northern Plains Potato Growers Association and North Dakota State University say no new cases have been reported the past few days, though farmers are cautioned to continue to watch for the disease.
The disease was confirmed in August in northeastern North Dakota's Grand Forks County. Potato growers were told to scout their fields and to spray a preventative fungicide to head off an outbreak.
Officials say those efforts appear to have paid off, though blight could survive in seed, culls and volunteers and surface again next year.
A 1999 outbreak of blight in the Northern Plains destroyed $125 million worth of potatoes.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.