ICIA Certified Noxious Weed Free Certification Program
Hay and straw can contain viable weed seeds if
harvested from fields where weeds are allowed to develop seed. When fed to
livestock or spread as mulch, these “contaminated” hay and straw lots can spread
noxious weeds into new areas. To address this important issue, a program has
been developed to verify that forage-based animal feed and straw is free from
noxious weed seed. This prevention program is much cheaper and more effective
than eradicating weeds after they are established.
ICIA has developed such a program for Indiana. This voluntary Certified Noxious
Weed Seed Free Forage & Mulch Program is designed to assure that forage (hay,
cubes and pellets) and mulch (straw), sold with proper
certification identification, meets minimum standards designed to limit the
spread of noxious weeds.
The general standards in the United States for the Weed Free Forage and Mulch
Certification are maintained by the Regional Weed Free Forage Committee of the
North American Weed Management Association
(NAWMA). This organization does not carry out programs directly, but looks
to agencies like ours to provide the service. Currently there are 15 US states
and 2 Canadian provinces conducting weed free programs.
The various field and storage site inspections that are an integral part of this
program provide the basis for the delivery of
certified products to the end users. The federal government currently requires
that forage and mulch carried into many federal parks be
officially certified noxious weed free. This makes sense as there is increasing
concern with invasive species and the control of noxious weeds on both public
and private land. In addition, grass seedings
mulched with straw containing noxious weeds can create long term control
problems.
Since many producers’ fields are already free of noxious
weeds, it is not difficult for these growers to produce and market a certified
weed-free product that potentially has higher value in the marketplace than
uncertified material. For straw, this program can tie in nicely with wheat seed
production. ICIA will make the weed free inspection at the same time as the QA
seed inspection making it economical for the producer. Hay fields are also
inspected prior to cutting to assure compliance. When fields meet the weed free
standards, producers order certified tags which are attached to the bales of hay
or straw identifying them as certified weed free. In all cases, fields and
storage sites must be inspected within 10 days of harvest or use.
For questions or further information call us at 866-899-2518 or email us at
icia@indianacrop.org.