Weed Free Forage Standards

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Weed Free Forage Standards

• North American Weed Management Association
• Adrianne Peterson

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N A W M A

• NAWMA Is a Network of Professional Weed Managers
  Involved in Implementing Any Phase of County,
  Municipal, District, State, Provincial or Federal
  Weed Law.

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NAWMA Continued

• In the Late 1990S NAWMA Took Over the Weed Free
  Program and Created Minimum Standards.
• All Western States Were Asked to Be Involved With
  the Creation.
• Many States Came Together and Agreed to the
  Standards.

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Introduction

• There Is a Growing Demand in North America for
  the Use of Certified Weed Free Forage and Mulch
  As a Preventative Program.
• The Goal of This Standard Is to Provide a
  Guideline to Set Minimum Requirements for a
  Uniform Program.

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Why Is There a Growing Demand?

• Forest Service, BLM and Other Government Agencies
  Are Requiring Certified Hay.
• Department of Transportation in Many States
  Require Certified Hay and Mulch.
• Public Awareness Has Increased on Invasive Weeds.

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Current Restricted Areas

• Greater Yellowstone Area in Wyoming, Idaho,
  Montana
• All National Forest System Lands in the
  Intermountain Region and Rocky Mountain Region of
  Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
• South Part of the Butte BLM District
• Gallatin National Forests and Lolo National
  Forest in Montana

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Restricted Continued

• Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
• Nebraska and Wyoming D.O.T.
• Many Others

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Standards Are Designed

• To Provide Assurance to All Participants That
  Forage Certified Through This Program Meets a
  Minimum Acceptable Standard
• To Provide Continuity Between the Various
  Provinces and States in the Program.

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Standards Continued

• To Limit the Spread of Noxious Weeds Through
  Forage and Mulch.
• There Is a Disclaimer North American Forage
  Standards May Not Meet the Forage Quality by the
  Hay Marketing Task Force.

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Minimum Standards

• Field Inspection
• Inspection Certificate
• Transit
• Forage Tag
• Twine
• Weed List

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Remember!!

• These Are Minimum Standards. Your Standards Can
  and Will Most Likely Be More Strict and Complex.

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Field Inspection Minimum Standards

• Minimum of 2 Entry Points Per Field
• Minimum of 1 Entry Point Per 10 Acres
• Each Point of Entry Shall Be at Least 150 Ft Into
  Field Each Additional 150 Ft Traveled Shall
  Constitute an Entry Point.

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Field Inspection, continued

• Travel Shall Be Uninterrupted. Proceeding
  Through the Field Being Inspected.
• Entire Border Shall Be Walked or Driven.
• Field Inspected Within 10 Days Prior to Harvest.

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Field Inspection, continued

• Storage Area Shall Also Be Inspected and Meet the
  Standards.
• An Inspector May Not Inspect Fields of Which Said
  Inspector Has Ownership or Financial Interest.

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Inspection Certificate Minimum Standards

• State Agency Info
• County Agency Info
• Inspection Numbering
• Producer Name, Address, Phone
• Legal Description or Field
• Acres Inspected
• Package/Bale Size

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Inspection Certificate Continued

• Number of Bales or Twine
• Commodity/Forage Type
• Meets North American Standards Statement
• Inspection Date
• Inspectors Signature
• Comment Section

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Transit Certificate Minimum Standards

• State Agency Info
• County Agency Info
• Transit Certificate Numbering
• Transporter Name, Address, Phone
• Consignee Name, Address, Phone
• Specific Destination

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Transit Certificate Continued

• Reference to Inspection Certificate
• Comments Section
• Commodity/Forage Type
• Package/Bale Size
• Number of Bales or Tonnage

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Transit Continued

• Type of Certification Marking Used
• Issuer Signature, Title, Phone
• Issue Date
• Statement Only Original Copies Are Accepted

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Forage Tag Minimum Standards

• The Words North American Weed Free Forage
  Certification Program
• A Number System (Tracking Purposes)
• Province/State of Issue
• Province/State Phone (Responsible Official)

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Forage Tag Continued

• Statement That the Product Is Certified to the
  North American Standards

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Weed List

• There Are 54 Species on the North American Weed
  Free Forage List
• For a Copy of the List See Our Website at
  WWW.NAWMA.Org
• This List Is Comprised of a Combination of
  Several States Lists.

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MOU

• A Letter Was Sent Out to All the Dept.... of Ags
  in the Western US, Albert CA, British Columbia,
  and Florida Requesting Info on Their Program
• We Got Responses From MN, SD, ABCA, UT, ID, MT,
  WY, CO, KS, AZ, and OK.

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MOU

• We Now Have Signed MOUS From MN, SD, AB Canada,
  WY, KS, NE, NV, and Wallowa Co. OR. We Have
  Letters of Support From MT, ID and ND.

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MOU

• I Have Met With OR, CA, and Talked to People From
  WA. We Should Have Or and maybe WA in the
  Program Hopefully Soon. CA Is a Little Reluctant
  Because Their Standards Are Much Stricter Than
  NAWMA.

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Reason Im Here

• Can I Help With Anything?
• Do You Have Questions on the Program?

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How Does It Benefit You?

• Intra and Interstate Commerce
• Protect Natural Resources
• Protect Natural Habitat of Wildlife
• Preserve the Aesthetic Value of Our Natural
  Scenery
• Prevent Introduction and Spread of Invasives

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Who Should Promote or Buy Certified Forage?

• Producers and Consumers
• Forage Buyers
• Outdoor Recreationists, Hunters, Outfitters, and
  Sportsmen
• Federal and State Agencies

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Certification Program Provides

• Statewide/North American Wide Standards and
  Recommendations
• Representation in a Regional Program
• Opportunity to Move Forage Freely in Restricted
  Areas

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Certification Benefits

• Producer With a Quality Product to Market
• Producer With Management Education
• Buyer With a Marketable and Transportable Product
• State Involved in Weed Management and Clean Forage

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Benefits Continued

• State, Province, and Federal Agencies Managing
  Invasive Weeds Such As USDA Fs, National Park
  Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM, Bureau
  of Reclamation, Game and Fish, Dot, State Lands,
  Etc.....

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• Any questions on weed free forage?

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The End

• Thank You for Inviting Me!