New hemp law ushers in next era for industry

Kathy Davis
Communications

Action by the Washington Legislature this session is aimed at breathing new life into our state’s industrial hemp industry. 

As authorized by legislation signed on April 26, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will replace the industrial hemp research pilot begun in 2016 with a new commercial hemp licensing and regulatory program. 

Given hemp’s many potential uses, agricultural producers here have been seeking to expand production to compete with the many other U.S. states and countries around the world that legally grow and process hemp. 

The bill passed by the Legislature, E2SSB 5276, allows growing and processing hemp as a legal, agricultural product. The legislation requires that Washington’s program align with changes made in the 2018 federal farm bill, which removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. 

WSDA will continue the industrial hemp research pilot under the current rules, with three significant changes that take effect immediately under the new state bill:

• Eliminates requirement for a four-mile buffer zone between licensed hemp producers and licensed marijuana producers.  
• Allows licensed growers to acquire hemp seed directly, including from other states, without needing to use a Drug Enforcement Agency permit from WSDA. 
• Allows extraction of CBD (cannabinoid) from hemp for use in products such as oils, lotions, and tinctures. However, the federal Food and Drug Administration continues to prohibit adding CBD to food or beverages. 

WSDA will submit Washington’s state hemp plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as required by the farm bill, once USDA has issued its guidance. WSDA will also begin drafting rules for the new program. 

Under that rule making, WSDA will establish a process to license hemp growers and set licensing fees that will sustain the program, as well as procedures to test hemp for THC levels (must be under 0.3 percent), conduct inspections, and enforce on violations. 

Currently licensed hemp growers and processors will now operate under the provisions of the new law. And WSDA has now begun processing license applications that the agency had put on hold. The licensing fee structure has not changed, but it will likely be addressed in upcoming rule making. 

The Legislature also provided a one-time appropriation of $212,000 to maintain current hemp program operations and transition to a new commercial hemp program. 

Hemp is an agricultural product with many uses. It is used as a source of fiber in textiles, rope, paper, and building materials. Hemp seed is also used for food, feed, and oil. The oil may be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, inks, household detergents, and paints. The plants are also a source of livestock feed and bedding.

Email hemp@agr.wa.gov if you have questions or need more information.

Aplicadores de pesticidas son responsables de garantizar que no haya deriva de pesticidas

Ofelio Borges
Manejo de Pesticidas

This blog is also available in an English format

En un entrenamiento de WSDA para aplicadores de pesticidas,
 se practica la medición de flujo de las boquillas

A medida que la temporada de siembra y crecimiento de los cultivos llega a su pleno apogeo y las actividades que deben realizarse aumentan, el número de aplicaciones de pesticidas también aumenta en las áreas agrícolas del Estado de Washington. Los aplicadores de pesticidas son responsables de garantizar que no haya deriva de pesticidas.

El año pasado, la División de Manejo de Pesticidas de WSDA investigó 165 denuncias con acusaciones potencialmente verídicas de violación a las leyes estatales de pesticidas, y de este número de denuncias, 60 eran por deriva de pesticidas hacia propiedades vecinas.

En lo que va de este año, WSDA ha recibido cuatro denuncias por deriva de pesticidas y la mayoría involucran posible exposición a humanos. No se ha concluido la investigación de ninguno de los casos actualmente. Aunque hasta el momento, el número de casos es menor al de años anteriores, todavía quedan por hacer más aplicaciones de pesticidas durante la parte final de la primavera, con el potencial de crear deriva.

Para garantizar que no haya deriva de pesticidas más allá del área que se planea tratar, WSDA ofrece las siguientes sugerencias para reducir el riesgo:

• Lea la etiqueta de los pesticidas que va a aplicar y actúe de acuerdo con todas las precauciones y restricciones para el manejo seguro, el equipo de protección necesario, las zonas de amortiguación, el efecto en cultivos, etc.  Ponga atención especial a las áreas sensitivas como carreteras, casas, escuelas y viviendas habitadas o cuando haya trabajadores presentes. 
• Calibre adecuadamente su equipo usando las boquillas y presión adecuadas para mantener el rocío en el blanco de la aplicación.
• Basándose no solo en la cantidad de follaje que tiene el árbol, sino también en la altura y forma del árbol, configure su aspersor utilizando los volúmenes de agua y aire (del abanico) adecuados, así como la presión y el tamaño de boquillas correcto.
• Revise las áreas que bordean el lugar que se está tratando.
• Evalúe las condiciones climáticas tales como la velocidad del viento, la dirección del viento, y la temperatura. No haga aplicaciones durante inversiones de temperatura.
• Detenga la aplicación si las condiciones climatológicas cambian de manera que el riesgo de deriva aumente, o si alguien se acerca al área de la aplicación sin la protección adecuada. 

Una ilustración de los pasos para calibrar una aspersora, extraída de una
presentación usada para un entrenamiento de aplicadores de pesticidas.

WSDA ha otorgado licencias a unos 28,000 aplicadores de pesticidas, distribuidores de pesticidas, asesore, e inspectores.

Estas personas con licencia están entrenadas para aplicar pesticidas de manera segura. Si ocurren problemas, WSDA investigará las denuncias de violación a las leyes de pesticidas del estado, incluidos los casos de deriva, exposición de los trabajadores o daños al medio ambiente.

Si necesita ayuda para calibrar y configurar su aspersora de ráfaga de viento (airblast sprayer), comuníquese con el Programa de Educación y Servicios Técnicos (Technical Services and Education Program) de WSDA al: (509) 249-6939 o envíe un correo electrónico a TSEP@ agr.wa.gov

Para presentar una denuncia, envíe un correo electrónico a compliance@agr.wa.gov o llame al número de llamada gratuita 1-877-301-4555. Tenga la mayor cantidad de información posible a la mano y proporciónesela al investigador que atenderá su llamada.

El Departamento de Salud del Estado (Washington State Department of Health) investiga casos potenciales de enfermedades por exposición a pesticidas. Visite su sitio web para más información.

Protect horses from herpes virus

Dr. Amber Itle
Washington State Veterinarian

Vaccination, close monitoring and biosecurity can help
keep your horse safe from EHV. 

Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) is an emerging, potentially fatal animal disease in the United States.

It not only has the potential to affect horse health but, because it's highly contagious and requires lengthy quarantines or cancellations of events like rodeos and fairs, the economic consequences can be equally devastating.

As we enter the time of year when horses are more active and travel to public events, it's especially important to observe appropriate biosecurity measures, vaccinate, and watch for signs of the disease.

A case in Washington

Just this month, a horse in Thurston County tested positive for equine herpes virus 1, resulting in a quarantine of the boarding facility where it was kept.

The 19-year-old Gelding Warmblood had developed ataxia and loss of tail tone. It was taken to the referral center in Oregon and diagnosed on April 19.

The horse will remain in isolation at the referral center until a plan for moving it to an isolated facility can be determined. WSDA quarantined the boarding stable where the horse was housed prior to laboratory diagnosis. The quarantine will last until 14 days after WSDA confirms no more signs of the disease.

The horse will remain in quarantine until two negative PCR tests can be verified. The facility has cooperated fully with the quarantine order and is working to ensure strict biosecurity measures are in place.

This equine herpes virus 1 or “wildtype” strain of horse herpes tends to be less contagious than the “neuropathogenic” type.  However, both strains can cause neurologic signs that cannot be differentiated without diagnostic samples.

Equine herpes comes in three forms;  respiratory, abortion, and neurologic. Neurologic is of most concern because it is potentially fatal to the animal.

Unfortunately, many owners don’t understand that both the non-neuropathic strain (wildtype or A Strain) and neuropathic strain (G Strain) can cause equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM).

This neurological disease presents itself as a result of damage to blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord associated with herpes infection. Interference with the blood supply leads to tissue damage and a subsequent loss in normal function of areas in the brain and spinal cord.

If the horse has neurologic signs and a positive test, we consider it as a case of EHM.

What to watch for 

Given the infectious nature of EHV-1, WSDA asks horse owners to follow these recommendations.

Watch your horse for signs of possible infection including:

• Fever of 101.5 F or higher.
• Discharge from the eyes or nose.
• Respiratory symptoms.
• Swelling of the limbs.
• Spontaneous abortions.
• Neurological signs such as unsteady gait, weakness, urine dripping, lack of tail tone and recumbency.

Check your horse’s temperature twice daily, ideally first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Also, check before administering medications since some can lower body temperature.

Notify your veterinarian immediately if you detect any of the symptoms above. Your veterinarian may want to take nasal swabs for virus detection or blood samples for evidence of exposure to EHV-1.

When the virus is detected, WSDA and local veterinarians work closely with affected communities to ensure the best biosecurity standards are practiced. For more tips on keeping your own horses safe through good biosecurity practices, please see our previous blog post.

The time between exposure and illness from EHV-1 varies from two to 10 days. By self-quarantining animals with possible symptoms, practicing good biosecurity and contacting your veterinarian as soon as you suspect possible symptoms, you can help prevent the spread of this virus.

For more information, contact WSDA's Animal Health Program.

Don't let pesticides drift off target

Joel Kangiser
Pesticide Management

Para español

Measuring nozzle output, as practiced in a WSDA training
for pesticide applicators. 

As crop-planting and growing season gets into full swing, now is peak time for applying pesticides across Washington agriculture country. Pesticide applicators are responsible for assuring that pesticides do not drift off target.

Last year, WSDA’s Pesticide Management Division investigated 165 incidents involving potential violations of the state’s pesticide laws and 60 of those involved allegations of pesticides drifting onto neighboring property. So far this year, WSDA has received four complaints of pesticide drift and most involve potential human exposure. All are currently being investigated. Though this number is lower than previous years, the late spring will bring on more spraying with the potential of drift.

To ensure that pesticides do not drift beyond the intended treatment area, WSDA offers the following suggestions to reduce the risk.
• Read the label on the pesticides being applied and abide by all precautions and restrictions on safe handling, necessary protective equipment, buffers, the effect on crops and more.
• Pay special attention near sensitive areas such as highways, homes, schools and other occupied dwellings or where workers are present.
• Properly calibrate equipment, using the proper nozzles and pressure to keep the spray on-target.
• Based on the amount of foliage and tree size and shape, optimize your sprayer by using the appropriate volumes of water and air, and the correct pressure and nozzle size.
• Scout the areas bordering the place that’s being treated.
• Evaluate conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, and temperature. Do not spray during a temperature inversion.
• Stop applying immediately if conditions change in ways that increase the risk of drift to unsafe levels or if anyone approaches the area without proper protection.

Illustration of the steps to calibrate a sprayer, from a
WSDA training presentation for pesticide applicators.

WSDA licenses about 28,000 pesticide applicators, dealers, consultants and inspectors. Licensees are trained to apply pesticides safely. If problems do occur, WSDA will investigate complaints that allege the state’s pesticide laws have been violated -- including cases of drift, worker exposure, or environmental harm.

If you need assistance calibrating and configuring your airblast sprayer, please contact WSDA’s Technical Services and Education Program at: (509) 249-6939 or  by email.

To file a complaint, email pesticide compliance or call toll free to 1-877-301-4555. When you call, have as much information as possible ready to share with the investigator.

The state Department of Health investigates potential cases of pesticide illnesses. Visit their website for more information.

Grain inspections on the mighty Columbia

Chris McGann

Communications

Measuring out wheat for
inspection.

WSDA staffer Benjamin Baxter,
 parses out a sample of wheat. 

A few cups of wheat randomly spill into an orange plastic contractor’s bucket under one of four dusty pipes extending down from the ceiling at WSDA’s Longview office.

This small sample weighs just a few pounds, but it wields tremendous power.

It could validate a multi-million dollar contract. Or it could bring a 124-million pound shipment to a standstill.

Even more than that, the inspections conducted every day by the 75 commodity inspectors and technicians at the four Washington loading docks along the Columbia River carry the responsibility of protecting a large slice of the U.S. agriculture export economy.

Grain Inspection Supervisor Colleen Butcher explains WSDA
commodity operations. In the background are hundreds of
 samples saved as a record

Grain Inspection Supervisor, Colleen Butcher, oversees operations at the Columbia River field offices.

She’s there to make sure the quality of the grain going onto the ship matches the specifications listed on each load order.

Her teams inspect the grain for impurities, moisture content, and overall quality or grade, comparing those findings with the specifications on the load order. They also inspect the facilities for sanitation and proper handling.

It’s all about quality control and consumer confidence, she says.

“There have been issues in the past of selling product and what they are receiving on the other end is not what they thought they were going to be getting,” Butcher said. “This is the United States’ way of guaranteeing that the grain that is being requested is the grain that they will receive.”

A Panamax vessel bound for Asia is loaded at a Longview,
Washington grain elevator. 

Washington is one of only a few states delegated to conduct export grain inspections by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA).

WSDA staff inspects, logs and sets aside portions of the samples in case of a future dispute at the same time the trainload of grain floats down sealed, air-cushioned conveyor belts onto a giant Panamax freighter at the dock.

"This whole operation is functioning on receiving that grain, that way they can export it," Butcher said.

Mountains of wheat from Eastern Washington arrive by river barge and train each year, but the grain, mainly wheat, corn, soybeans and sorghum, comes from all over the West including Idaho, Oregon,  the Dakotas, Montana, Colorado and beyond.

For Midwest grain, Longview and the other grain facilities along the lower Columbia River are the gateway to Asia.

WSDA Grain Inspector Laura Gould monitors the pathways
of grain as it is unloaded and transferred to the ship. 

The Columbia River has multiple elevators and loading operations.

"We receive grain twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, all year long," Butcher said. "In most cases, the grain’s final destination will determine which part of the United States it’s exported from.”

A different kind of continental divide

Flowing much like water on divergent paths from the Continental Divide, grain heads in one of two directions from western grain country.

In most cases the grain goes east to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, bound for Europe and Africa, or West to the Columbia and the Pacific Ocean, with Asia and the Middle East as its likely destination.

For grain headed for Asia, “It will come through the Columbia River," Butcher said.

Linchpin for the industry

Benjamin Baxter, separates
 a wheat sample.

“We are quality assurance. We are making sure that the grain that is being loaded onto that export vessel is meeting contract specifications,” Butcher said.

A series of vibrating trays separate
wheat from other seeds, stems and
other impurities. 

Butcher says the inspections protect the buyers, but also, perhaps even more so, they protect the producers.

If a producer can’t assure the buyer that what they send is actually going to be up to the specification that the buyer wants and has agreed to, the whole market could be damaged, Butcher said.

More information about WSDA commodity inspections is available on our website.

Cross-training to stamp out a creeping menace

Karla Salp
Communications

Hurricanes. Wildfires. Floods. When these types of natural disasters occur, the entire community – often the entire nation and sometimes the world – knows that it happened.

But not all natural disasters command such attention, at least not at first. Sometimes the devastation is more insidious, like the quiet, unassuming introduction of invasive species.

There are many examples, some right here in Washington.

Take for instance Capitol Lake in Olympia. This iconic landmark used to be enjoyed by the community for a variety of activities. But an infestation of New Zealand mud snails, invasive pests the size of a grain of rice that were discovered in the lake in 2009, has rendered the water off-limits to the public.

The colorful spotted lantern fly nymph.
 (Photo credit, Pennsylvania Dept of Agriculture) 

And on the Eastern seaboard, there's kudzu. This prolific vine is swallowing up many areas of the South, not only choking out plants and trees and reducing habitat, but even ruining soil and air quality.

Then there is the gypsy moth, which was first introduced in the 1800’s in Massachusetts. Today it is permanently established in over 20 Eastern and Midwestern states. In 2016, gypsy moth damage in New England was so bad, in fact, that it could be seen from space. The news is full of stories of dead trees – including nearly three out of every four oak trees and more than a quarter of all hardwoods dying in Rhode Island.

The ecological and economic impacts will likely be felt for decades.

Cross-training for pest detection

Exotic Pest Workshop in Bellingham, Wa.

Several WSDA staff recently joined about one hundred natural resource managers from Canada, Washington, and other US states for the Exotic Pest Workshop in Bellingham in an effort to try to avoid this kind of natural disaster. The purpose: to cross-train one another on invasive species currently present or likely to be introduced into the area in the near future.

Recognizing that invasive species have no respect for county, state, or international borders, the goal is to have more professionals in the field trained to recognize a wide range of invasive species – including animals, plants, and diseases – even though it may not directly involve the work they are doing.

For example, an aquatic weed management program may notice invasive muscles. Properly trained professionals can identify and report these pests and potentially stop or mitigate an ecological disaster.

Topics of discussion included information about how invasive species get to the area, public outreach, decontamination, and effective eradication programs. Presenters covered a wide variety of pests, including:

European green crab
 (Photo credit: Alison Fox, University of Florida)

• Spotted lanternfly
• Japanese beetle
• Invasive mussels
• Knotweed
• European green crab
• Sudden oak death
• White nose syndrome
• Feral swine

Deploying technology

While cross-training professionals in the field is a great step in the right direction, it only provides a limited number of eyes in the field. As with any natural disaster, a whole-community approach is critical to the successful response and recovery from invasive species introductions.

People enjoying parks, gardeners, hikers, hunters and fishers, campers – anyone enjoying nature – can educate themselves about invasive species and report anything that looks suspicious. For more information about invasive species, visit the Washington Invasive Species Council.

Reporting possible invasive species is as easy as snapping a picture with your phone and uploading it either to the council’s website or using the Washington Invasives app.

Keeping African Swine Fever out of the United States

Chris McGann
Communications

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) took to the internet with a nationwide call to arms against a looming threat to the U.S. pork industry: African Swine Fever (ASF).

There is no cure for African Swine Fever, preventing it from infecting pigs in
the United States requires vigilance and strong biosecurity measures. 

“African Swine Fever has never been detected in the United States. However it is a very real threat,” said Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in a video message. He said the disease is "spreading around the world right now and affects both domestic and feral pigs.”

ASF is a devastating, deadly disease that would have a significant impact on U.S. livestock producers, their communities and the economy if it were found here. There is no treatment or vaccine available for this disease. The only way to stop this disease is to depopulate all affected or exposed swine herds.

Not a health threat to humans

Along with the strong warning, Perdue emphasized that humans are not affected by ASF and it is not a threat to our food supply.

“Within the U.S. we are working with many partners including states, veterinarians, and industry organizations to raise awareness of this deadly disease and how it spreads,” Perdue said.

WSDA’s role

WSDA is joining the effort to raise awareness.

Even though our state is not thought of as a big pork producer, Washington is the home of 3,000 breeding sows on approximately 376 farms, according to NASS.

Interim Washington State Veterinarian Dr. Amber Itle said ASF is highly contagious and it’s incumbent on us to be on the lookout for it, practice effective biosecurity measures, and help prevent the disease from infecting  both commercial and feral swine populations.

“ASF is only a plane ride away,” Itle said. “We are asking for everyone’s help in preventing it from getting here to begin with.”

A global threat

The disease has been a persistent and costly problem for pork producers in other countries. Since 2007, active ASF outbreaks have been reported in multiple countries across Africa, Asia and Europe, in both domestic and wild pigs.

The ease and speed of international travel combined with the potential for this disease to cause animal suffering, economic losses, and food supply interruptions makes ASF a serious concern for both farmers and consumers.

In the video released with the announcement, Secretary Perdue said a U.S. outbreak of ASF could cripple the pork industry.

“We want everyone who comes in contact with pigs, from the large farm owners to the owners of a single teacup pig and even international travelers and petting zoo visitors, to understand how easily this disease can spread and the importance of keeping our U.S. pigs free of this disease," Perdue said.
“The U.S. pork industry supports more than half a million jobs, the majority of those in rural areas,” he said. “We know what’s at stake and we are determined to keep African Swine Fever out of the United States.”

How the virus spreads

• Direct contact with feces, urine, discharges, blood, or tissues from infected pigs
• Carrier swine and their relatives, especially wild boars, warthogs, and feral pigs
• Feeding raw, undercooked or smoked pork products to swine
• Contaminated equipment, footwear, clothing, food, vehicles, and facilities
• Fly, lice, and mosquito bites
• Soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros (a host for the ASF virus)

Signs of ASF

• Sudden death or chronic illness
• Abortion
• High fever
• Weakness
• Depression
• Poor appetite
• Red or blue-tinged skin
• Skin hemorrhages
• Diarrhea or constipation

Treatment and prevention

ASF cannot be treated. Efforts focus on containing the disease to limit the affected outbreak area, euthanizing all pigs on affected farms, and investigating the outbreak to identify the source. Prevention measures include close monitoring of animal health, effective biosecurity measures, animal movement regulation, proper feeding practices, control of wild hogs, and tick-vector control.

If you raise pigs, monitor all animals daily for signs of illness. Call your veterinarian immediately if you see unusual signs of illness such as high fevers, skin discoloration, or sudden death. Report any high mortality or morbidity event to the State Veterinarian’s Office.

Obtain a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for interstate movement of livestock. Quarantine herd additions for 30 days or keep a closed herd.  If you travel internationally, take extreme biosecurity precautions when you return.

For more information about ASF, visit WSDA’s Animal Services Division web page.