The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committing USD400k in federal funding to the Nematode Quarantine Laboratory at Cornell University, to help protect the vegetable, including potatoes and other crops that could be harmed by invasive nematode species.

The USDA has made a verbal commitment to provide the funding for a new growth chamber, which includes plans for new equipment and blueprints at the new facility.

In October 2016, the facility received USD1.2m for upgrades from the state.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (pictured) sent a letter to USDA Administrator Chavonda Jacobs-Young in June requesting new funding.
Schumer and university personnel spoke of the critical importance of funding and how it would affect the potato industry, according to ithacajournal.com.

CornellUniversity scientists conduct research to prevent epidemic from happening in New York and elsewhere.

Schumer said 20,000 acres across 1,207 farms in New York are used for the cultivation of potatoes and the industry in this state values USD65m.

“When you hear that our nation’s potato supply is at risk you know how devastating that would be for those of us who like potato products. The Nematode Quarantine Lab, the only one in America is the front line of defense, the main line of defense against this terrible infestation,” Schumer said. “The federal funding for new equipment will improve the facility’s ability to protect the potato industry by building on more than six decades of research and prevention done here … I want to thank Cornell because a world without French fries is a sad world.”

Photo source: ithacajournal.com