Japanese scholars explore the heart of Washington agriculture with WSDA

Daniel Schafer
Communications

Students practice apple inspection.

Students from Tokyo University of Agriculture visited Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) in Olympia on September 20th. The group of 23 students and two professors learned about Washington agriculture and WSDA’s work to connect Washington-grown products with the world.

Apples and international trade

The day kicked off with an engaging session led by Rianne Ham, the agency’s International Marketing Program manager. Ham spoke to students about WSDA’s international marketing efforts as well as Washington’s key international trading partners.

Inspection supervisor Olivier Silva.

Next, the visitors had the opportunity to learn about one of Washington’s most famous crops — apples. To begin, students and professors sampled several varieties, including Granny Smith, Fuji, Rockit, and more.

In addition to plenty of apple sampling, students had a hands-on lesson on how WSDA helps ensure the quality of its apple crops. Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Supervisor Olivier Silva taught students how to look for imperfections and damage on apples, and explained the process that apples are required to go through before leaving the processing facility.

Lessons in grain inspection

The Olympia visit concluded with WSDA’s Grain Inspection Program Manager Philip Garcia teaching students and faculty about grain inspection. Students received a hands-on lesson on gathering samples, spotting imperfections, and more. Following these demonstrations, Garcia also conducted a thorough question and answer session where students learned more about Washington’s export process and the wide variety of foods that are produced across our diverse state.

Students work with Grain Inspection Program Manger Phil Garcia to practice grain inspection.

A statewide tour

But the visit went far beyond the classroom. In addition to lessons held in the WSDA offices, the group from Tokyo University of Agriculture traveled to the Yakima Valley where they toured one of the orchards run by Allan Brothers Fruit. Our visitors then followed the course of the apples to an Allan Brothers packing facility in Yakima where they learned about food and safety guidelines at the facility, following the sorting, sizing, and packing process from start to finish.

During the tour and observation, WSDA fruit and vegetable inspectors Jose Briseno and Colton Denton performed quality control inspections, explaining the process to the group. Briseno and Denton also explained how inspections for exports to different countries require different plans.

Jose Briseno and Colton Denton demonstrate quality control inspections.

A successful visit

After their five-day journey, the students and professors from Tokyo University of Agriculture returned home equipped with valuable knowledge about Washington State agriculture. One student, Kazuma Matsuo, shared that he was surprised and impressed by the large scale of Washington’s apple production after visiting Yakima. Meanwhile, Professor Masao Takayanagi, who was the faculty member leading the trip, shared that he and his students were pleased with the experience, saying “The visit was very stimulating, and [students learned] a lot about what is happening in agriculture in Washington.”

Kosher harvest

Chris McGann
Communications

Every summer, when green wheat fields have turned to gold, the search begins. In the small town of Monroe, about 50 miles up the Hudson River from New York City, Rabbi Jacob Tyrnauer begins lining up the farms to make sure he can find soft white wheat in just the right condition to make Jewish matzah for his congregation.

Matzah is unleavened bread Jews eat during Passover to commemorate the time the Israelites fled Egypt, leaving in such haste, they had no time to allow their bread to rise.

Many years, Tyrnauer, or Rabbi Jacob as he calls himself, finds the wheat he needs in the places like Woodburn, Indiana. But this year, apparently because of wet weather, his quest took him farther, all the way to Eastern Washington.

New York rabbi Jacob Tyrnauer and his sons
 inspect wheat in Eastern Washington.

“We had a problem here this year, we could not cut the wheat before it sprouted,” he explained.

In order to meet the requirements and restrictions of kosher law, the wheat - and matzah milled from the wheat - must not be allowed to ferment before baking. Fermentation is the result of the natural microbial enzymatic activity caused by exposing grain starch to water. In the case of kosher wheat, if even a small portion of the crop is sprouted, it is rendered chametz or fermented and not suitable for matzah.

With harvest season upon him, the 71-year-old Orthodox rabbi needed to find enough clean dry wheat to mill for his 6,000-member congregation in Monroe and Brooklyn.

That’s when Tyrnauer reached out to WSDA for help and Laura Raymond stepped in.

Raymond leads WSDA’s Regional Markets Program, which aims to strengthen the economic vitality of small and direct marketing farms and increase availability of healthy, locally grown Washington foods.

Although the program does not act as a representative for any individual seller, Raymond provided a list of grain producers who sell directly to consumers and serve niche markets such as local bakers and craft brewers.

“Wheat is not typically sold direct to the consumer,” Raymond said. “But as consumer interest in farm to table connections continues to grow, we are seeing that demand from the market expand into grain. An increasing number of producers are interested in opportunities to sell grain directly. Our program helps support growers to build and connect with those markets.”

The clientele for the Regional Markets Small Farm and Direct Marketing program is often smaller scale with unique needs. Raymond said it makes the work more interesting. In the case of this kosher wheat request, she answered several of the rabbi's questions about Washington’s cropland to make sure all aspects of production met the kosher standard.

“On one occasion I had to confirm that the area is not considered a desert, which apparently is a concern,” Raymond said. “This is a fascinating process and I am learning a lot.”

With Raymond’s help, Tyrnauer connected with Shepherd's Grain, a Northwest grain growers’ group that espouses sustainable farming practices and cultivates direct connections between farmers and consumers. The 35 growers in the group package grain with tracking numbers so buyers can trace products back to the individual farms where they were grown.

Shepherd’s Grain Business Development Manager Tim McElroy helped find the right farm.

“They have a lot of requirements, but Rabbi Jacob was a pleasure to work with,” McElroy said. “We enjoyed doing business from someone across the country and finding new markets for our wheat.”
McElroy said the whole thing happened fast.

“He wanted to see the moisture levels on the wheat. We got it and when we gave it to him, he came right out,” McElroy said.

Rabbi Jacob and his sons discuss
 the wheat harvest.

Within a few weeks of contacting WSDA, the New York rabbi was in the Palouse rolling down wheat field rows in the cab of a combine. Kosher rules require the rabbi to cut the wheat.

“I was sitting in the combine. Every time he went to lower the knife arm, I pulled the lever,” Tyrnauer said. “I have to pray while we are cutting. The prayer is, ‘I’m cutting it for matzah.”

In addition to inspecting the grain and engaging the cutter bar, a rabbi must also make sure the machinery is properly cleaned and supervise the entire process from harvest to baking.

In the end, the work paid off. Tyrnauer bought five truckloads – 3,500 bushels – of wheat to send back to New York.

“(WSDA) took care of me,” said Rabbi Jacob. “(Raymond) was very nice and very good.  And Tim, too! The main thing is we have wheat! That means you did very well.”

Visit WSDA's Regional Markets webpage or our Small Farm Direct Marketing page for more information.

Director Sandison recognizes longtime WSDA manager for excellence

Kathy Davis
Communications 

WSDA Derek Sandison last week handed out the first Director’s Citation Award of his administration, selecting as the recipient Don Potts, Eastern Region manager of the Grain Inspection Program.

The WSDA Director's
Citation Award

The agency’s Grain Inspection Program serves the industry and the public by assuring quality grain products are sold and exported. The program provides sampling, weighing, testing and inspection services on a 24/7 basis. The Spokane office, where Don is based, is one of the nine program locations around the state.

WSDA grain inspection
office in Spokane

Along with leading the program in his region, Don is well known for his outreach to the industry and community. He makes presentations at many industry conventions and trade shows, and regularly leads tours of the Spokane office. Don is also a regular guest on a local radio show highlighting agricultural issues and has been featured in “Wheat Life” magazine.

A recent accomplishment really made Don stand out. A corporation comprised of five large grain companies asked Don’s office to provide commercial official inspections. As a hybrid inspection service that incorporates U.S. grain standards and factors used for marketing, this commercial official inspection is not a service that had ever been done in Washington.

Furthermore, private inspection businesses were competing with WSDA for the contract, which makes up about 60 percent of the Spokane Grain Office’s work.

Don Potts, left, receiving his award.
Director Sandison is on the right.

Thanks to Don’s creativity and tenacious effort, his office was able to secure the contract. In recognizing Don with a Director’s Citation Award, Director Sandison noted that Don had embraced change and brokered innovative solutions.

The Director’s Citation Award is handed out by WSDA directors at their discretion and was created to recognize achievements that benefit the agriculture industry or the agency. The last award was issued in June 2014 by former Director Bud Hover to the Washington State University Extension Service in recognition of their centennial year.

Director's statement on reauthorization of the Grain Standards Act

Derek Sandison
Director of WSDA 

I am gratified to learn that President Obama has signed the reauthorization of the U.S. Grain Standards Act, without which WSDA’s Grain Inspection Program would not be able to continue. I want to thank both the President and our leaders in Congress for acting before the authorization expired.

An inspector at WSDA's
Spokane grain inspection
office

Washington has a robust wheat industry which depends upon reliable and credible inspections that ensure product quality and market confidence. WSDA’s Grain Inspection Program offers this, providing high quality, third-party inspections of grain for both domestic and export markets. The reauthorization of the Act ensures that this service will continue.

But reauthorization of the Act means more than the continuity of business for WSDA. It also means that domestic grain inspection services can continue in 45 other states across the country.

I recognize the importance of the uninterrupted movement of grain for both domestic and export markets, and I'm pleased that the Act as reauthorized provides additional measures to support consistent inspection services without interruption.

I want to thank all of those who worked so hard to get this important piece of legislation approved. We look forward to continuing to provide excellent service to the grain industry.

Grain inspection shifts to environmentally friendly testing

Kathy Davis

Communications

Our Grain Inspection Program is moving toward a grain testing method that does not use hazardous materials. If the pilot project using water-based testing kits shows consistent results, the new method will have benefits for the environment and worker safety.

Craig Hoyt testing grain at
WSDA Longview office. 

WSDA provides important services to Washington’s grain producers and exporters. For instance, foreign buyers require testing for mycotoxins as a contract requirement. Most of this testing has been done with kits that include methanol.

The presence of methanol makes the program a generator of hazardous material under state and federal regulations for storage and disposal. Methanol is flammable and can produce health effects in people exposed to it.

Piloting water-based testing

As the first step in transitioning away from chemical-based testing, the southwest regional grain office – which includes Vancouver, Longview and Kalama – is piloting water-based kits. Manager Philip Garcia said it’s important to conduct side-by-side comparisons for solid data showing consistent test results.

“We want to be sure our customer’s operations are not disrupted and the testing results are accurate and repeatable,” Garcia said.

Program managers anticipate several advantages to the new process. Virtually eliminating handling and disposing of a hazardous substance would be better for the environment and for program staff by reducing exposure.

Mycotoxins are created by molds that affect the quality of grains. Inspection services monitor for mycotoxins to assure that contaminated grain products do not enter the food supply chain.

Protecting the food supply, maintaining high quality customer service and being good environmental stewards are the goals of this project.