PCN-affected farmers file lawsuit

A group of Bingham County farmers have filed a lawsuit against the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Idaho Department of Agriculture.

In 2006, a crop disease known as pale cyst nematodes was discovered in eastern Idaho, and some farmers in the Shelley area were forced to quit selling their potatoes.

The disease causes no harm to spuds — though it can affect the growth of the potato plant itself — and has no known effect on people, the farmers said.

After years of coping with rules and regulations and trying to get the all-clear so they could grow potatoes again for market, they said they have no choice but to go to court.

Stephanie Mickelsen, co-owner of Mickelsen Farms, said the 18 landowners had tired everything.

“From meeting with APHIS to ISDA and the legislature, our congressional representatives, we’ve gone everywhere to try and get some relief.”

Mickelsen said the quarantined farms have been overly burdened by regulations, having to clean equipment non-stop even if the fields tested negative several times.

“Whether that be a motorcycle, a 4-wheeler, a pickup or a piece of equipment, everything needs to be washed going into and out of a field,” said Mickelsen.

She said year after year, trying to comply has been a roller coaster.

“You’ll reach a point and you think you’re all finished, so you have this sigh of relief that you’ve run the gauntlet and you’ve been able to get out of it,” said Mickelsen. “Then you find that you have to run through it again.”

In just the last six months, Mickelsen said her farm has spent $700,000 following what she calls an unworkable and unnecessary program.

“Between washing and cleaning, between having to hire attorneys which was our last resort, having to apply fumigants to our ground, it’s been expensive,” said Mickelsen.

She said the group wants a workable program that they can be involved in crafting.

“I don’t foresee that, if this continues, we’ll want to stay farming in Idaho,” said Mickelsen.

The ISDA said it hasn’t seen the lawsuit, adding that even if it had, the department wouldn’t be able to comment.

APHIS hasn’t returned our call.