Kentucky Seed Improvement Association

 Kentucky Seed Improvement Association 

Certified Noxious Weed Seed Free Hay and Straw Program

 

The North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA) is a network of professional weed managers involved in implementing any phase of county, municipal, district, state, provincial or federal weed law.  In the late 1990's NAWMA took over the weed free hay and straw program and created minimum standards.  Many states came together and agreed to the standards.

The demand is growing in North America for certified weed free hay and straw as a preventative program to limit the spread of noxious weeds and to add value.  The goal of KSIA's standard is to provide a guideline to set requirements for the uniform program. This voluntary certification program is designed to assure that hay and straw sold with proper certification identification meets minimum standards designed to limit the spread of noxious weeds.  Buyers are provided assurance that hay and straw certified though this program meets these minimum standards.

 There is a growing demand for several reasons:

  • Forest Service, BLM and other government agencies are requiring certified hay
  • Department of Transportation in many states require certified straw for roadside reclamation
  • Public awareness has increased on invasive weeds

 There are several groups who should promote or buy certified weed seed free hay and straw:

  • Federal and State agencies
  • Forage buyers
  • Buyers of waste bedding/muck
  • Outdoor recreationalists, hunters, outfitters, and sportsmen

Kentucky Seed Improvement Association (KSIA) has been designated as the official seed certification agency in Kentucky by the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture.  KSIA has also been designated as the agency to administer a Noxious Weed Seed Free Hay and Straw Program in the state by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

The preliminary steps to establish this program have been completed and the implementation of the program will take place in the spring of 2009.  If there are any questions or comments, please contact the Kentucky Seed Improvement Association, 3250 Iron Works Pike, Lexington KY 40511; phone (859) 281-1029; fax (859) 253-3119; email kyseed1@gmail.com or khunter.ksia@gmail.com.

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