IntroductionAdministration2006 Budget Highlights 2006 Agricultural Legislation Marketing Animal Industries Plant Industries Agricultural Resources Weights & Measures Shipping Point Inspection Soil Conservation Commission Archived Annual Reports 2006 (.pdf) 2005 (.pdf) 2004 (.pdf) 2003 (.pdf) 2002 (.pdf) 2001 (.pdf)
The Plant Industries Division is responsible for: consumer protection, export certification, pest exclusion, control of grasshoppers and Mormon crickets, noxious weeds, the certification of organic food products, and the inspection of potato brands and potatoes at the retail outlets. The division has 43 full-time and 25-40 seasonal temporary employees. Export Certification Idaho is a major producer of agricultural seeds. In 2005, Idaho exported over 188 million pounds of alfalfa, field and garden beans, sweet corn, Kentucky bluegrass, peas, onion seeds, and miscellaneous agricultural products to 90 countries. The division’s staff inspected 74,905 acres of crops; the plant pathology laboratory conducted 2,527 tests on 628 plant samples for diseases; and the division issued 566 state and 3,766 federal phytosanitary certificates. The division continues to work to overcome phytosanitary trade barriers, which restrict the export of Idaho agricultural products. Pest Exclusion and Mitigation Organic and Hop Programs In April 2002, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture received accreditation as an organic certifying agency by the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program. For organic certification, a producer/handler must submit an application; undergo an on-site inspection; and pay a nominal application fee. If all requirements are met, the producer/handler is then certified as organic for the crops grown, livestock raised or commodity handled and/or processed. With the publication of new National Organic Program rules, the state’s certification program has experienced an even greater interest. Since the program’s inception in 1990 it has grown from 11 participants to 211. From the end of August through September, this division also conducted 138 hop inspections. Noxious Weeds Management Program Warehouse Control Program ISDA’s Warehouse Control Program, organizationally under the Division of Plant Industries, is responsible for regulating public warehouses, commodity dealers and seed buyer facilities. Idaho’s agricultural warehouse and seed industries store and market a wide variety of commodities such as wheat, barley, oats, dry edible beans, peas, lentils, and a number of other diverse seed crops grown in Idaho. Warehouse examiners conduct reviews, which help to ensure that a warehouse operator continues to maintain a stock of commodities reflective of what has been deposited by producers. Commodity dealers are also examined to ensure that producers are being paid for their agricultural commodities. The Commodity Indemnity Fund (CIF) and the Seed Indemnity Fund (SIF) offer additional protection for producers should a warehouse, commodity dealer, or seed buyer failure occur. These two $12 million funds are supported by producers’ assessments and allow producers to recoup losses due to such a failure. Recent Achievements
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In 2005, the division issued over 1,900 nursery licenses; 582 seed dealer’s licenses; 630 registration certificates for 7,203 feed products; 368 registration certificates for 3,681 fertilizer products; 148 registration certificates for 451 soil and plant amendment products; and 74 beekeeper registrations. Division inspectors randomly sample to test for compliance to truth-in-labeling for pet food, animal feed, fertilizers, and seeds offered for sale. The laboratories conducted 3,257 tests on feed samples; 951 tests on fertilizer samples; and 11,241 tests on seed samples. In most cases, deficiencies were corrected. If not, stop sale orders were issued: 90 on feed products; 5 on fertilizer products, and 37 on nursery products. Inspectors also conducted 905 nursery inspections for pests, diseases and noxious weeds. Through this program, the sale of animal feed products contaminated with aflatoxin, fumonosin or vomitoxin have been prevented. In addition, these measures have prevented the spread of noxious weeds by stopping the sale of contaminated seed lots. 
The most important goal of this program is the early detection of invasive or exotic pests. Each year this division conducts surveys on high priority pest threats to the Gem state. This year’s surveys were conducted for: apple maggot, gypsy moth, cereal leaf beetle, European pine shoot moth, Japanese beetle, karnal bunt, Mexican bean beetle, sudden oak death, potato tuberworm and exotic nematodes. This program also provides data to meet the phytosanitary requirements for a number of countries and states, and validates Idaho quarantines. In 2005 no adult Japanese beetles were caught in detection traps. A single male Asian gypsy moth was captured by Idaho Department of Lands surveyors near Kingston, Idaho. Delimiting surveys and eradication efforts for gypsy moth are planned for the spring and summer of 2007. A cereal leaf beetle larval parasite insectary has been established at the University of Idaho, Agricultural Experiment Station in Parma. In 2005, 19 potato tuberworm moths were captured in pheromone traps in southwest Idaho. The early detection of new or emerging pests allows for possible eradication, limiting spread and development of appropriate IPM technologies to mitigate a pest’s negative environmental and economic impact to the state. 
Grasshopper and Mormon cricket population levels were not as widespread and damaging this year, although high densities were observed at several isolated locations. North central Idaho (Nez Perce, Idaho, and Lewis Counties) had a serious outbreak of migratory and red legged grasshoppers. Most complaints came from areas where the insects were actually in the crops or on other private property. U of I Extension and private businesses cooperated with ISDA to distribute bait to farmers and ranchers in areas with heavy grasshopper infestation. Approximately 192,438 pounds of bait were distributed in 2005, a significant decrease from 2004 levels. ISDA participated with private land owners in cooperative area-wide spray projects protecting 5,681 acres of cricket and grasshopper infested private and state-owned lands. In 2005, Mormon cricket infestations were less severe in Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Owyhee counties compared to the 2004 season. 
The Noxious Weeds Program has the primary responsibility for implementing the Idaho Noxious Weed Law and Idaho’s Strategic Plan for Managing Noxious Weeds. Staff provides leadership, training and support to local Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) around the state. The 2005 Cost Share Program provided over $1,450,440 million in grants to CWMAs and statewide groups to implement on-the-ground integrated weed management. The program applicants matched the Cost Share dollars with over $4,738,341, treating over 187,335 acres and mapping over 549,663 acres. Over 2,547,140 public contacts were made. Other pro grams administered by the staff include the Noxious Weed-Free Forage and Straw Program and the Noxious Weeds Mapping and Inventory Program. A new Eurasian Watermilfoil Control Program was created in response to $4 million provided by the Idaho Legislature, to be distributed over a two-year period of time to successful grant applicants. Focus of the projects will be eradication, control, and surveying to determine exact locations of infestations, and providing education and awareness to members of the public. Award recipients will file end-of-year reports, due November 30, 2006, showing accomplishments.