PRESQUE ISLE (AP) – Maine and New Brunswick potato growers are working together this year to curb late blight, a fungal disease that can destroy fields of growing potatoes late in the season.

The International Maine-Maritime Potato Action Team, a task force working on a coordinated plan to manage potato diseases, hopes to minimize the effect of late blight through better communication and standards to be used on both sides of the border.

“There was no consistent way to predict late blight because it was not being managed the same way on both sides of the border,” said Timothy Hobbs, director of development and grower relations with the Maine Potato Board. “We realized it would be better if it was done consistently on both sides of the border.”

Because of the new group’s efforts, information shared among farmers will be consistent across the border this year, he said.

Many Maine farmers blame Canadians for failing to do enough to stop the spread of blight, which has been a problem in Maine and northwestern New Brunswick for years. The airborne disease is easily spread across the border.

The task force, known as IMPACT, started meeting last November, after a late blight epidemic in the late summer and early fall of 2004. The group developed Web site materials, organized an information exchange process and established a coordinated weather station late blight forecasting system that is compatible on both sides of the border.

Hobbs said his group worked with Canadians to adopt software developed in Maine, but is based on weather data for the entire region. The Canadians agreed and consequently purchased 35 weather stations that will be installed on potato farms.

Aroostook County farmers planted an estimated 65,000 acres of potatoes last year. An estimated 500 acres of potatoes were lost to late blight and heavy rain late in the season.