Weed Seed Free Forage Inspection Procedure Reference

Medium
  1. Producer requests Weed Seed Free Forage Certification Request to Inspect [SFN 59075] form and returns completed form to inspector (inspection must occur within 10 days of planned harvest).
  2. Inspector, upon receipt of completed SFN 59075, contacts producer within 24 hours and makes arrangements for inspection. Inspector should remind the producer that he/she must have weeds controlled before inspection in order to receive certification.
  3. Inspection process:
    1. Inspect the entire field border and buffer (1 rod or 16.5 feet or 5.5 yards).
    2. 2 entry points per field (or every 150 feet counts as an entry point).
    3. Scout in an X pattern and all unique features.
    4. DO NOT inspect field(s) if there is potential for a conflict of interest.
    5. Inspect all storage sites where the forage is to be kept and record whether it passed or failed. If the storage site fails inspection, indicate reason(s) for failure.
    6. Complete pre-harvest information on Weed Seed Free Forage Inspection Report and Certification [SFN 59074] as soon as possible.
    7. Notify the producer of the results and remind them to harvest the forage within 10 days.
    8. Producer contacts the inspector with the harvest information; inspector records harvest information on SFN 59074 (date, bale type, number of bales per field) and invoices producer.
      1. NOTE: Inform producers that they can have their WSFF listed on the North Dakota Department of Agriculture’s website at https://www.ndda.nd.gov/divisions/plant-industries/weed-seed-free-forage-program
      2. The inspector must check the appropriate box on SFN 59074 indicating the producer wishes to share their contact information regarding the product(s).
    9. Producer mails pink copy of the invoice along with a check for payment to the NDDA.
    10. NDDA, upon receipt of payment, will finalize certification and issue tags to the producer.
    11. Inspector records tag numbers on SFN 59074. The reason for “HAS NOT” on SFN 59074 is given and recorded, if necessary. Copies of all forms are mailed or emailed to NDDA.
      1. NOTE: If the baling equipment is not cleaned prior to harvest, then;
         -First 3 small square bales cannot be certified/tagged
        -First large round or large square bale cannot be certified/tagged as a precaution against contamination.
  4. Tags are placed on bales by the producer at his or her convenience, unless certification is cancelled for any reason, in which case a re-inspection may take place at a later date if requested.

Minimum standards are those set forth by the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) and are followed by the ND Department of Agriculture for this program. The NAISMA list of noxious weeds will be referenced during inspection. NAISMA standards also include all North Dakota state and county-listed noxious weeds.