Iowa Noxious Weed Seed Free
Forage & Mulch Program

Iowa Crop Improvement Association has begun offering a certification program in 2006 to assure that forage and mulch is free of noxious weed seed. The program offered will comply with the Weed Free Forage Standards developed by the North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA).

In other Midwestern states, this program has been used as an additional marketing opportunity for hay and straw producers. Potential markets Include: customers seeking clean hay, people needing certified hay for the horses on visits to national parks, contractors using straw for road construction erosion-control projects.

The key steps in the ICIA program include:

• Application of seed or commercial fields of forage, grasses, and small grains.
• Inspection of the fields and storage sites prior to cutting and harvesting to assure:

--A designated list of 54 noxious weeds and undesirable plants near the field is not present in a manner to disseminate seed or to allow propagation of a new plant

--Any noxious weeds or undesirable plants near the field are isolated from the field by at least 10 feet

--Inspection is completed within 10 days of harvest.

• Labeling the bales or containers with certification labels.
• Issuance of a Transit Certificate for interstate shipments.

Listed below is more information on the program. If you have questions or would like to discuss certification, please contact us.

Certification Standards

Weed List

Fee Schedule

Application Form & Production Agreement

Informational Flyer

Where to Find Certified Forage and Mulch