Preventing and Managing Invasive Plants Final Environmental Impact Statement April 2005 

Appendix O-1 

NORTH AMERICAN WEED FREE FORAGE PROGRAM 

(Formerly REGIONAL WEED FREE FORAGE) 

MINIMUM CERTIFICATION STANDARDS

Revised 1-24-97, 9-16-97, 8-9-99, 10-30-02, 10-20-03, 9-21-04 

INTRODUCTION

There is a growing demand in North America for the use of certified weed free forage and 

mulch as a preventative program in integrated Weed Management Systems to limit the spread 

of noxious weeds. The goal of this standard is to provide a guideline to set minimum 

requirements for uniform participation of the various provinces and states in the program. 

The standards are designed 

• to provide some assurance to all participants that forage certified through this program 

meets a minimum acceptable standard. 

• to provide continuity between the various provinces and states in the program. 

• to limit the spread of noxious weeds through forage and mulch. 

MINIMUM STANDARDS

Forage shall be free of those noxious weeds or undesirable plant species identified in 

Appendix A and those weed declared noxious within the state of origin. 

1. Forage shall be inspected in the State/Province of origin by proper officials or authority. 

2. Forage shall also be inspected in the field of origin (field shall include surrounding ditches, 

fence rows, roads, easement, rights-of-way, or a buffer zone surrounding the field.) 

3. Field shall be inspected prior to cutting or harvesting by the proper officials or authority. 

4. Forage which contains any noxious weeds, or undesirable plant species, as identified in 

Appendix A, may be certified if the following requirements are met: 

 a. Field upon which the forage was produced was treated to prevent seed formation or 

seed ripening to the degree that there is no danger of dissemination of the seed, or any 

injurious portion thereof from such noxious weeds, or undesirable plant species, or the 

propagating parts of the plant are not capable of producing a new plant. 

 b. Noxious weed(s) or undesirable plant species was treated not later than rosette to bud 

stage, or boot stage for perennial grass species classified as weeds, prior to cutting or 

harvesting. 

 c. Treatment method can include but is not limited to: 1) burning, 2) mowing, cutting or 

rouging, 3) mechanical methods, or 4) chemicals. 
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Appendix O-2 

5. An inspection certificate (Appendix B) shall document that the above requirements have 

been met (1..4) based upon a reasonable and prudent visual inspection as outlined in 

Appendix E 

6. Interstate shipment of forage shall be accompanied by an original transit certificate 

(Appendix C) issued by proper officials or authority in the state/province of origin. 

Shipments into restricted areas not accompanied by the proper transit certificate may be 

rejected. Use of the standard North American certification marking is recommended 

(Appendix D). 

7. Pellets and pelleted milled feeds may be certified in the field or may be certified based on 

official testing by a state/province seed lab for weed seed viability. Proof of results shall be 

submitted to the State/Province Department of Agriculture. 

8. Using a transit certificate or certification marking for forage from fields other than the one 

specified shall constitute a violation of the North American Weed-Free Forage Standards 

and local authorities may take actions. 

Disclaimer: North American Forage Certification Standards may not meet the forage quality 

standards adopted by the Hay Marketing Task Force of the American Forage and Grassland 

Council. 

 

Attached as part of the North American forage certification standards is the North American 

Designated Noxious Weed list (Appendix A). For additional information, contact the 

North American Weed Management Association, Phone: 970-8871228; Fax: 970-

8879560.

Appendix A: North American Designated Noxious Weed List or Undesirable Plant Species 

List 

Appendix B: Inspection Certificate Standards 

Appendix C: Transit Certificate Standards 

Appendix D: Certification Markings 

Appendix E: Field Inspection Standards 

Appendix F: Definitions 

Appendix G: Amendments To The North American Weed List 
Preventing and Managing Invasive Plants Final Environmental Impact Statement April 2005 

Appendix O-3 

Appendix A: North American Noxious Weed List 

Revised: 1-24-97, 4-20-97, 9-16-97, 10-30-02 

North American Weed Free Forage Certification Standards 

 Designated Noxious Weed List or 

Undesirable Plant Species List 

Absinth wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) ND, WA, [P] [F] 

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) UT [P] [F] 

Buffalobur (Solanum rostratum) ID, OR, WA [A] [N or F] 

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) AB, ID, KS, MT, NE, ND, NV, OR,SD, UT, WA, WY 

[P] {F] 

Common burdock (Arctium minus) AB, WY [B] [F] 

Common crupina (Crupina vulgaris) ID, MT, OR, SD, WA [A] IF] 

Common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) AB, WA, WY [P] [F] 

Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica) AB, ID, MT, NV, OR, SD,WA, WY [P] [F] 

Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) AB, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, SD,UT, WA, WY [B or P] 

{F] 

Dyers woad (Isatis tinctoria) ID, MT, OR, UT, WA, WY [A or B or P] [F] 

Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) AB, KS, ND, MT, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY [P] [F] 

Hemp (marijuana) (Cannabis sativa) ND [A] [F] 

Henbane, Black (Hyoscyamus niger) AB, ID, WA [A or B] [F] 

Hoary cress (Cardaria spp.) AB, ID, KS, MT, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY [P] [F] 

Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) NV [P] [N] 

Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale ) WA, WY [B] [F] 

Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) ID, KS, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA [P] IF] 

Jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica) ID, WA, [A] [F] 

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) AB, CO, ID, KS, MT, NE, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY 

[P] [F] 

Matgrass (Nardus stricta) ID, OR [P] [F] 

Meadow knapweed (Centaurea pratensis) ID, OR, WA [P] IF] 

Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) NV, OR, UT [A] [F] 

Milium (Milium vernale) ID [A] [F] 

Musk thistle (Carduus nutans) AB, ID, KS, NE, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY [B] [F] 

Orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum) ID, WA [P] [F] 

Oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) AB, WA, WY [P] [F] 

Perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) ID, ND, OR, SD, UT WA, WY [P] [F] 

Perennial sorghum (Sorghum almum) UT [P] [F] 

Perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis) AB, ID, ND, NV, SD, WA, WY [P] IF] 

Plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides) NE, SD, WA, WY [A or B] [F] 

Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) ID, NV, OR, WA [B] IF] 

Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris) ID, WA [A] IF] 

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria ) AB, ID, MT, OR, SD, WA, WY [p] [F] 

Quackgrass (Agropyron repens) AB, KS, OR, UT, WY [P] [F] 

Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) ID, MT, OR, SD, WA [P] IF] 
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Russian knapweed (Centaurea repens) AB, CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NV, SD, UT, WA, WY [P] 

[F] 

Scentless chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) AB [P] [F] 

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) ID, WA [P] [F] 

Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium) ID, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY [B][F] 

Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) KS [P] IF] 

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) ID, OR, WA [P] [Nor F] 

Skeletonleaf bursage (Ambrosia tomentosa) ID, WA, WY [P] [N or F] 

Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) AB, CO, ID, MT, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY [B or 

P] [F] 

Squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata) OR, UT [P] [F] 

St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) MT, NV, OR, SD, WA [P] [F] 

Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilia recta) MT [P] [F] 

Syrian beancaper (Zygophyllum fabago) ID, WA [P] [F] 

Tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) ID, OR, WA [B or P] [F] 

Toothed spurge (Euphorbia dentara) ID [A] [N or F] 

Wild oats (Arena fatua) AB, WY [A] [F] 

Wild proso millet (Panicurn miliaceum) OR, WY [A] [F] 

Yellow hawkweed (Hieracium pratense) ID, WA [P] [F] 

Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) AB, ID, MT, NV, OR,SD, UT, WA [A] IF] 

Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) AB, ID, OR, SD, WA, WY [P] [F] 

Forage (feed, hay, straw or mulch) will be inspected in the field or origin (field will include 

ditches, fence rows, roads, easement, right-of-way, or buffer zone, surrounding the field). 

Field will be inspected for the fifty-four (54) weed species listed above prior to cutting or 

harvesting. 

[A] Annual [B] Biennial [P] Perennial [N] Native [F] Foreign Origin 
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Appendix O-5 

Appendix B: Inspection Certificate Standards 

Revised 1-24-97, 10-30-02 

Certificate' of Inspection Minimum Requirements: 

1. State agency information (address and phone number). 

2. County agency information (address and phone number). 

3. Inspection Certificate numbering system. 

4. Producer name, address, and phone number. 

5. Legal description of property being inspected or field number. 

6. Acres inspected. 

7. Package/Bale size. 

8. Number of bales or tonnage. 

9. Commodity/Forage type. 

10. "Meets North American Standards" statement. 

11. Inspection date. 

12. Inspector signature. 

13. Comment section. 

Appendix C: Transit Certificate Standards 

Revised 1-24-97, 10-20-03 

Transit Certificate Minimum Requirements: 

1. State agency information (address and phone number). 

2. County agency information (address and phone number). 

3. Transit Certificate numbering system. 

4. Transporter name, address, phone number. 

5. Consignee name, address, phone number. 

6. Specific destination. 

7. Reference to Inspection Certificate number. 

8. Comments section. 

9. Commodity/Forage type. 

10 Package/bale size. 

11 Number of bales or tonnage. 

12 Type of Certification Marking used. 

13 Issuer signature, Title, and phone number. 

14 Issue Date

15 Statement: "0nly original are accepted".
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Appendix O-6 

Appendix D: Certification Marking

Revised 1-24-97, 10-30-02, 10-20-03 

A. Special blue and orange colored twine as approved by NAWMA. 

B. Galvanized baling wire. 

C. Forage Tag Minimum Requirements: 

 1. The words - "North American Weed Free Forage Certification Program". 

 2. A number system (for tracking purposes). 

 3. Province/state of issue. 

 4. Province/state telephone number (responsible official). 

 5. A statement that the product is "Certified to the North American Standards". 

Appendix E: Field Inspection Standards 

Revised 1-24-97 

Minimum Guidelines For Field Inspections: 

The inspector will follow the following inspection procedures: 

1. There shall be a minimum of two entry points per field. 

2. There shall be minimum of one entry point per each 10 acres. 

3. Each point of entry shall be at least 150 feet into the field, and each additional 150 feet 

traveled shall constitute an entry point. Travel shall be uninterrupted, proceeding through 

the field being inspected. 

4. The entire field border shall be walked or driven. 

5. Fields shall be inspected within 10 days prior to harvest. 

6. The storage area shall also be inspected and meet the standards. 

7. An inspector may not inspect fields of which said inspector has ownership or financial 

interest. 
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Appendix O-7 

Appendix F: Definitions 

Revised 1-24-97, 10-30-02 

1. Certification Markings - tags, blue and orange colored twine, and galvanized wire. 

2. Cubes - hay harvested with equipment which forms the hay into small compact selfbinding units. These are not considered pellets as defined in this document and therefore 

the field of origin must be certified. 

3. Forage - hay, straw, mulch, cubes, feed grain and pellets. 

4. Noxious Weeds - those weeds including any weed seed or propagative plant parts, 

designated by the North American Weed Free Forage Committee. 

5. Pellets - agglomerated feed formed by compacting and forcing through die openings by a 

mechanical process. If heat is not used in the process, the field of origin must be certified. 

6. Proper official/authority

 A. Representative of that State's Dept. of Agriculture 

 B. Weed Supervisor or Weed Superintendent 

 C. University Extension Agent 

 D. An individual designated by that State's law or regulations. This individual will be 

trained and certified in accordance with the state's/province's standard operating 

procedures. 
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Appendix O-8 

Appendix G: Amendments To The North American Weed List. 

Revised 9-16-97, 10-30-02 

The following procedures should be followed for the addition or deletion of species to the 

North American Weed List. 

Criteria for species considered for the North American list. 

1. Identified as a problem or potential problem by a state/ province. 

2. A petition be sent to the WFF committee from a state/ province Department of Agriculture 

or other authority for noxious weeds requesting listing to the North American Weed List. 

(Petition should contain a risk assessment with information on impacts to natural resources 

and forage resources at state/province and/or regional level). 

Species considered for deletion should show why the species is no longer a problem using 

criteria of #2 above. 

Procedures for listing a species. 

1. Petitioner send copy of the request to add or delete a species to the WFF Committee 

chairman 90 days before the WFF Committee Meeting. 

2. Request should include a risk assessment on impacts to natural resources and forage 

resources, a description of the plant and 3 color slides (Kodachrome 64 if possible). 

3. The WFF Committee Chairman will mail information packets to committee members 60 

days in advance of the committee meeting. 

4. The proposed species should be listed in the NAWMAlogue and also on the NAWMA 

Home Page before the committee meeting. Comments will be sent to the WFF chairperson 

for review prior to committee meetings.