Soil degradation by tillage erosion is of greatest concern in regions where intensively tilled crops, such as potatoes, are grown on topographically complex landscapes. Potatoes are a major crop throughout North, Central and South America. However, despite its global importance (and erosive nature), no research has been conducted on the potential for, and impact of, tillage erosion within potato production under steepland agricultural systems in Latin America. The primary objectives of this study were to: 1) measure tillage translocation and tillage erosion by the ‘arado disco’ (disc plough), the most common mechanized primary tillage implement used in Costa Rica; and 2) examine the relationship between tillage erosion and caesium-137, soil nutrient, and organic carbon distribution patterns. Preliminary results suggest that the arado disco is a highly erosive implement. Soil movement downslope was three times greater than that moved upslope, with large soil losses occurring at the boundaries of the field. A highly significant relationship was observed between the mass of translocated soil and slope gradient for both up and downslope cultivation and downslope cultivation only. We suspect that the threat of soil erosion to the sustainability of potato production in the volcanic highlands of Costa Rica has been greatly underestimated because only water erosion has been seriously considered to date.