Weed Seed Free Forage Inspection Procedures

Medium
  1. Producer will request inspection by completing a Weed Seed Free Forage Certification Request to Inspect [SFN 59075] form and submitting a completed form to an inspector. The producer shall keep the yellow copy and send the white and pink copies to the inspector.
  2. After an inspector receives a completed SFN 59075, the inspector shall contact the producer within 24 hours to make arrangements for an inspection. At this time, the inspector should remind the producer that all listed weeds in the field/storage site must be controlled prior to inspection.
  3. The inspector will perform an inspection at the pre-arranged time and place following these procedures:
    1. The entire field border must be inspected, including 1 rod (16 ½ feet or 5 ½ yards) outside of the entire field border.
    2. There must be a minimum of 2 entry points per field or a minimum of one entry point per 10 acres. Each point of entry shall be at least 150 feet into the field. Each additional 150 feet traveled constitutes an entry point.
    3. Fields shall be walked in an “X” pattern or a similar scouting pattern. All unique features in the field shall be inspected, including lowlands, waterways, ridges, tree rows, rock piles, center pivot tracks, bin sites, etc.
    4. An inspector may not inspect fields if a conflict of interest exists.
    5. The inspector shall complete all pre-harvest information on the Weed Seed Free Forage Inspection Report and Certification [SFN 59074] form immediately upon completing the inspection(s). Also, inspectors should check the box near the bottom if the producer wishes to list their product(s) on the website.
    6. All areas where certified forage will be or may be stored must be inspected and approved of by the inspector. Inspector will record the result and the coordinates of the storage site inspection in the “Inspection notes/comments” section along with other remarks on SFN 59074.
    7. The inspector will notify the producer via phone or in person upon completion of inspection(s). The producer must harvest the forage crop within 10 days of the inspection. However, fields and storage sites not passing inspection should have the “has not” box checked, indicating that the land in question has not met the standards of the program.
      1. *Reason(s) for non-approval will be noted in the “Inspection Notes/Comments” section.
    8. After harvest, the producer must inform the inspector of the harvest date, bale type (large or small square/round bales), and the number of bales produced from each field. The inspector will record the information on SFN 59074 and send an invoice to the producer for the inspection service.
    9. The producer will mail a check along with a copy of the invoice received from the inspector. When payment is received, confirmation of payment and the specified number of Forage Certification Tags will be mailed to the producer from the NDDA. The number of tags issued for a field is recorded on SFN 59074 by NDDA.
      1. *If baling equipment is not cleaned prior to harvest, then the first 3 small square bales cannot be certified/tagged, and the first large round or large square bales cannot be certified/tagged.
      2. *Only the exact numbers of tags for certified bales are issued.
    10. After the inspection has been recorded, the inspector signs and dates SFN 59074. The inspector then mails the pink copies of SFN 59075 and SFN 59074 to NDDA and the yellow copy of SFN 59074 to the producer. 

Note: It is the responsibility of the inspector to invoice producers. Fees a producer may be charged: $30 per hour for travel time and inspection, $2 for each acre inspected, and mileage at the posted state rate.

NOTES:

  1. Forage Certification Tags shall also serve as transit certificates; there is no need to possess a separate transit certificate. Those transporting forage should carry a copy of the SFN 59074 as further proof of certification.
  2. Inspectors are not to make any remarks or comments on the possible forage quality of the crop being inspected. Restrict comments to the presence or absence of propagating listed weeds.