Through service, regulation, and advocacy, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) supports the viability and vitality of agriculture while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment.
We have authority delegated through federal and state law to implement and enforce various laws and rules related to agriculture in Washington state. We accomplish this through our open and public rule making process, and by ensuring compliance with those laws and rules.
We are committed to transparency and public involvement throughout the rule making process.
Use the tabs below to see the status of rules in different stages of the rule making process:
Rule Title/Topic |
WAC Number |
Summary |
Latest Activity |
Proposed Adoption Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Importation | 16-54 | Update definitions and references to CFR citations, update and/or remove requirements, processes, and forms to align with neighboring states and federal regulations. | 07/03/2019 | TBD |
| Cannabis Testing Laboratory Quality Standards (CLASP) | 16-309 | Establishes cannabis testing laboratory quality standards in rule as required by HB 1859 (Chapter 135, Laws of 2022). | 02/21/2024 | 04/16/2024 |
| Cannabis Certification in Accordance with the National Organic Progam | TBD | Establishes standards for the certification of organic cannabis and cannabis products in compliance with the National Organic Program. | 08/19/2022 | TBD |
| Commercial Feed Pet Food & Specialty Pet Food |
16-250 16-252 | Adopts the latest version of the Association of American Control Officials (AAFCO) Official Publication (OP), clarifying areas of the rule regarding livestock feed and including additional categories of product types that were previously absent. | 03/24//2024 | TBD |
| Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment | 16-662 | Aligns the required payment methods for electric vehicle supply equipment with the Federal Highway Administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program’s technical requirements for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) payment methods. | 01/24/2024 | TBD |
| Grain Inspection Program | 16-240 | Revises the structure of permanent staffing, including but not limited to fees, time frames and any services that are not specifically identified and increasing program fees | 04/02/2024 | TBD |
| Japanese Beetle Quarantine | 16-470 | Expands the internal quarantine and amends the regulated articles based on 2022 & 2023 trap season catches. | 12/15/2022 | TBD |
| Pesticide Rules, Certification & Training | 16-228 | Amends the chapter to align with SB 5330 (Chapter 186, Laws of 2023), the federal certification and training standards in 40 CFR 171 passed in 2017, and the Washington Plan for Certification of Pesticide Applicators approved by the Environmental Protection Agency in December 2022. | 10/16/2023 | TBD |
| Seed Assessment, Fees for Seed Services and Seed Certification | 16-303 | Increases the seed certifications fees for buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grains and adds quinoa as a crop these certification fees apply to. RULE MAKING INITIATED AS A RESULT OF A PETITION | 10/17/2023 | TBD |
| Seed Certification, General Rules | 16-302 | Aligns standards for applicable crops with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies newly adopted seed and field standards, creates a Pacific Northwest sod quality standard and tagging process, makes clericals changes to address inconsistencies between crop standards, removes references to repealed WACs, adds an application deadline for dryland seed production and other clarifying changes. | 11/21/2022 | TBD |
Rule Title/Topic |
WAC Number |
Summary |
Adoption Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Diseases - Reporting | 16-70 | Clarifies reporting requirements for veterinarian and veterinary laboratories, amends the list of reportable diseases, modify reporting times from 24 hours/monthly to immediate reporting, revises language to increase clarity and readability. | 05/11/2023 |
| Cannabis-Infused Edibles | 16-131 | Changes all references of the term ‘marijuana’ to ‘cannabis’ to align with HB 1210. EXPEDITED RULE MAKING | 12/11/2023 |
| Commodity Commission Recently Adopted Rules | TBD | TBD | |
| Cottage Foods | 16-149 | Increases the annual sales cap to $35,000 and changes the renewal cycle from annually to every two years in alignment with HB 1500 (Chapter 352 Laws of 2023). EXPEDITED RULE MAKING | 12/11/2023 |
| Fruit & Vegetable Inspection Fees & Other Charges | 16-390 | Amends section -240, USDA Audit Verification and Terminal Market Inspection Fees, to match the fees most recently adopted by the USDA-AMS to comply with the department’s cooperative agreement with USDA-AMS for services the department provides. EXPEDITED RULE MAKING | 08/28/2023 |
| Grain Inspection [Expedited] | 16-240 | Amends WAC 16-240-039 by adding clarifying language which identifies Commodity Cooperative Service Agreement Fees and Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA), Rice Cooperative Service Agreement Fees as separate line items from the unit fees charged for each service. EXPEDITED RULE MAKING | 01/05/2024 |
| Hops - Certification Analyses - Fees Expedited |
16-218 | Adds clarifying language which identifies Commodity Cooperative Service Agreement Fees and Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA), as separate line items from the unit fees charged for each service. | 04/16/2024 |
| Livestock Identification [Expedited] | 16-610 | Aligns the rule with SSB 5439 by adding a statement that the $20.00 call out fee is not charged by certified veterinarians or private field inspectors and adding a requirement that the Livestock Identification Advisory Committee must review the costs and operations of the livestock identification program. Also amends the rule by clarifying the definition of ‘Call Out Fee’ by stating that it is a fee charged by Department Inspectors. EXPEDITED RULE MAKING | 07/05/2023 |
| Nursery Inspection Fees | 16-401 | Updates fees in this chapter. | 05/05/2023 |
| Organic Food Standards & Certification [Expedited] | 16-157 | Adopts the March 20, 2023 version of the USDA organic regulations. EXPEDITED RULE MAKING | 07/26/2023 |
| Organic Food Standards & Certification Fees | 16-157 | Updates the certification fee schedule. | 12/19/2023 |
| Quarantine - Agricultural Pests (Fees) | 16-470 | Updates fees charged by both the Nursery/Plant Services Program and Plant Pathology Lab in this chapter. | 05/05/2023 |
| Registration of Materials for Organic Food Production | 16-160 | Updates registration fee schedules and registered material logo. | 09/28/2023 |
| Seed Potato Isolation District | 16-325 | Adds requirements for all lots entering the isolation district to be test free of bacterial ring rot. Provides 48-hour notification to the department of all shipments entering the isolation district. Adds a new violation section regarding the disposition of material shipped into the isolation district violation. RULE MAKING INITIATED AS A RESULT OF A PETITION | 08/15/2023 |
| Seed Potato Quarantine | 16-482 | Adds a section stating that potatoes entering the seed potato isolation district are subject to additional requirements under chapter 16-325 WAC. RULE MAKING INITIATED AS A RESULT OF A PETITION | 08/15/2023 |
| Sheep and Goat Diseases in Washington State | 16-89 | Adds a definition for “premises”, clarifies that all sheep moved off a premises must have official scrapie program identification, adds goats to official scrapie program identification requirement when moved off a premises, removes requirement that all goats commingled with or exposed to sheep have official scrapie program identification, removes low-risk commercial goats from official scrapie program identification exemption, removes Q fever testing requirements for raw milk dairies, and removes the indemnity section. |
05/11/2023 |
| Swine Diseases in Washington State | 16-80 | Removes definitions and section no longer applicable, clarifies identification requirements and exemptions, requires the observation of feral swine to be reported and adopts the most recent version of applicable federal regulations. | 05/11/2023 |
| Rule Title/Topic | WAC Number | Summmary | Adoption Date | Expiration Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Beetle Quarantine | 16-470 | Expands the internal quarantine boundaries based on 2022-2023 trap season catches, and adds requirements related to soil samples, signage and cut flowers | 03/07/2024 | 07/05/2024 |
| Japanese Beetle Quarantine | 16-470 | Expands the internal quarantine boundaries based on 2022 trap season catches. | 12/06/2023 | 03/07/2024 |