ON JUNE 15, 2023, THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (WSDA) FILED A CR-102 WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CODE REVISER TO CONSIDER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 16-325, SEED POTATO ISOLATION DISTRICT, AND CHAPTER 16-485 WAC, SEED POTATO QUARANTINE

WSDA filed a CR-102 with the Office of the Code Reviser to consider amendments to Chapter 16-325, Seed Potato Isolation District, and Chapter 16-485, Seed Potato Quarantine in response to a petition received by the Washington Seed Potato Commission. The aim of the proposed changes is to strengthen protections in a portion of the Whatcom County seed potato isolation district.

Proposed amendments to the identified chapters look to:

Expand ‘seed potato’ definition,

Provide clarification of the certification program requirement that enrollment for program includes all plantings for commercial use and would add the option for certified seeds to be used in one acre or less plantings each growing season instead of requiring certification program enrollment,

Establish a mandatory requirement for all potato lots entering the isolation district for further sale or planting to be tested by an approved laboratory located at the potato lot’s origin and provide proof of a negative result for Bacterial Ring Rot (BRR),

Require shipments to be covered per specifications that safeguard pathogen dispersal in shipments entering or transiting the isolation district,

Include a violation section referencing potato lot dispositions in the isolation district found to be in violation of the chapter, and

Provide clarification in WAC 16-482-010, Seed Potato Quarantine Rule, stating that all potato lots entering the seed potato isolation district are also subject to the requirements under 16-325 WAC except for those lots intended for immediate human consumption.

Additional information will be supplied as the WSDA progresses through the rule-making process. The filed CR-102 and proposed rule language can be found here.

The department will hold a public hearing to receive oral comments regarding the proposed amendments on:

Date: August 1, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

Location: Microsoft Teams conference call.

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device: Click here

Meeting ID: 283 776 906 374 Passcode: rapv8N
Or call in (audio only):
+1 564-999-2000,,134043400# United States, Olympia
Phone Conference ID: 134 043 400#