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Does Washington State
have a weed-free forage program?
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Yes! This year the WA State Noxious Weed Control Board has been
working with county weed boards, the Washington Hay Growers
Association, and the Back Country Horsemen of Washington to
implement a voluntary, PILOT PROGRAM to certify hay and straw. It is
called Washington Wilderness Hay and Mulch (WWHAM) , and it
is North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA) approved.
Where can I purchase
WWHAM-certified hay and mulch?
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Click here
for growers contact information who have produced WWHAM-certified
hay and mulch during this growing season.
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Please keep in mind that this year's pilot program is in the
early phases of development. This is the first growing season where
processes behind field certification, product baling, and product
availability are being tested. We appreciate your patience
during the early stages of this pilot program.
How will I know if I am purchasing certified
WWHAM products?
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There are two ways to distinguish
certified WWHAM hay and straw bales. A bale can either have a
self-adhesive, tamperproof
WWHAM certification tag
attached to the bale twine, or it will have at least one strand of
purple and yellow twine
encircling the bale. For best assurance that you are purchasing a
WWHAM product, check our website to make sure the grower or feed
store is listed.
Who may certify fields
intended for WWHAM products?
How can a grower get his or her
crops WWHAM certified?
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Below are the general guidelines
for getting your field WWHAM-certified:
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An approved inspector must
inspect a field prior to, but no sooner than, ten days before
harvest.
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To comply with minimum standards,
at the time of cutting (hay) or harvesting (for grain, in the case
of straw), your field may not contain any mature seed heads
or propagating parts of any noxious weeds from the WA state list or
the North American list. To meet the standards, your field may not
contain any listed noxious weeds during inspection. To exceed
these standards, your field may not have any listed noxious weeds or
any annual or unlisted weeds.
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Any WWHAM-trained Inspector,
typically a participating County Noxious Weed Coordinator and/or
their employees will inspect the perimeter of the field and the
interior of the field for the presence of
North American and
Washington State Noxious Weeds, using various patterns depending on the field
shape and size.
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If your field passes inspection,
the Inspector will provide you with a copy of the inspection
certificate, as well as tags or twine for your product.
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If you are a producer of hay,
straw, or other mulching crop products and you are interested in getting
certification, please contact the Washington State Noxious Weed
Control Board at 360-902-2053 or at
noxiousweeds@agr.wa.gov.
We can provide you with more specific information.
What is the fee for
certifying a field?
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The
inspection fee will vary between county noxious weed control boards;
however, they are making every effort to keep the inspection fee as
low as possible. Many county weed control boards are providing this
service for free in 2008. During this
pilot year, the WA State Noxious Weed Control Board will be
providing a limited amount of NAWMA twine (while supplies last) as
well as the forage tags free of charge.
What
is guaranteed by WWHAM Certification?
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It permits entry of the certified products
into USFS land throughout the U.S.
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In other states, some jurisdictions have
custom rules that need to be observed. Always
contact the State Department of Agriculture for the state where
you plan to travel to confirm which states allow WWHAM
product. Please note - WWHAM products are for domestic use
only and WWHAM certification will not qualify a commodity
for export from the United States.
It provides assurance that the field was
inspected based upon a reasonable and prudent visual inspection,
and no noxious weeds were detected.
What is NOT guaranteed by WWHAM Certification?
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It does not guarantee a complete absence
of noxious weeds. It only certifies that the inspector made
a reasonable and prudent visual inspection and did not find
any.
It does not certify quality, protein
content, maturity, etc.
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The inspector may note on
the inspection certificate factors such as other
weeds, but certification is only for noxious weeds.
Where can I learn more about
WWHAM?
Why are weed-free forage
and straw now mandatory on Forest Service wilderness areas?
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Invasive plants, including
noxious weeds, are a serious threat to natural areas. They
outcompete native plants, degrade wildlife habitat, and reduce soil
and water quality. Invasive plants also cause economic losses in natural areas
by reducing aesthetics and recreational opportunities.
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While these weeds can be
extremely difficult to remove once they've established anywhere -
cropland, rangeland, yards, abandoned lots - they are especially
hard to detect and then eradicate in wilderness areas.
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The USDA Forest Service passed
this order [36 CFR 261.58(t)] to help prevent the introduction of
new weed seeds into designated wilderness areas.
What kinds of products
are included in this weed-free requirement?
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Hay, hay cubes, straw, grain, and
other crop or mulch products must be certified weed-free using North
American Weed Management Association (NAWMA) standards, regardless
of how they are used (livestock feed, erosion control, mulch,
etc.).
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Please note: Commercially processed feed
pellets and steamed, rolled grains are considered weed-free feed
and
do not need additional certification. The processes by which
they are made effectively destroy most viable seeds.
Are these weed-free products
required if someone is passing through National Forests?
Download the official
USDA Forest Service question and answer
PDF. It contains more detailed information about the new Forest
Service efforts to prevent the introduction of noxious weeds.
You can also go
visit the PNW Forest Service webpage on invasive plants
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Weed-free Forage on Forest Service Land