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 |
| Apple Maggot Quarantine | 16-470 | As a result of a petition for rule making, the department is considering expanding the apple maggot quarantine area in Okanogan County. | 04/23/2024 | TBD |
| Application of Pesticides and Plant Nutrients Through Irrigation Systems | 16-202 | Modifies the rules for chemigation and fertigation monitoring to incorporate current technological capabilities and potential automation future capabilities. | 07/25/2025 | 08/16/2025 |
| 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 |
| Firewood Quarantine | TBD | Establishes an external quarantine on untreated firewood. | 08/12/2024 | TBD |
| Fruit Tree Planting Stock | 16-350 | Adopts a number of changes to the rule that would safeguard nursery production in the state by developing management strategies for the mitigation of pests and pathogens in nursery settings, as well as harmonize standards to support audit-based nursery certification initiatives. | 09/11/2024 | TBD |
| Fruit & Vegetable Inspection Program | 16-390 | Increases Fruit & Vegetable Program fees and revises the fee schedule to more accurately reflect the scope of services provided, including but not limited to adding fees for services that are not specifically identified in current rule. | 06/24/2024 | TBD |
| Livestock Identification | 16-610 | Changes the reference to the type of document that must be obtained before livestock can be removed from a public livestock market. | 07/23/2025 | TBD |
| Milk and Milk Products [Expedited] | 16-101 | Adopts the 2023 version of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance and Associated Publications | 07/30/2025 | 10/07/2025 |
| 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. | 08/19/2025 | 09/30/2025 |
| USDA Audit Verification and Terminal Market Inspection Fees | 16-390 | Adopts fees, identical too, and not less than fees adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS) as published in the Federal Register (Vol. 90, No. 81) on April 29, 2025. | 08/07/2025 | 11/04/2025 |
Rule Title/Topic |
WAC Number |
Summary |
Adoption Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accreditation of Cannabis Laboratories Expedited |
16-310 | Establishes a new chapter in the Washington Administrative Code for the accreditation of cannabis laboratories. | 06/18/2024 |
| 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). | 04/17/2024 |
| 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), clarifies areas of the rule regarding livestock feed including additional categories of product types that were previously absent and implements Pet Food Label Modernization requirements. | 06/06/2025 |
| Commodity Commission Recently Adopted Rules | TBD | 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. | 12/10/2024 |
| Fruit & Vegetable Inspection Program Expedited |
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 | 09/27/2024 |
| Gender-Inclusive Pronoun Update | 16-06, 16-08, 16-19, 16-71, 16-74, 16-101X, 16-103, 16-104, 16-108, 16-125, 16-157, 16-167, 16-168, 16-229, 16-233, 16-236, 16-237, 16-256, 16-306, 16-319, 16-324, 16-663, 16-674, 16-675, 16-695 |
Replaces all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. | 10/28/2024 |
| Japanese Beetle Quarantine | 16-470 | Expands the internal quarantine and amends the regulated articles based on 2022 & 2023 trap season catches. | 08/15/2024 |
| Noxious Weed Seed and Plant Quarantine | 16-752 | Adds additional species to the noxious weed seed and plant quarantine, which would prohibit their sale and distribution. | 07/09/2025 |
| Produce Safety | 16-180 | Adopts the 2024 version of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR Part 112). |
07/22/2025 |
| 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. | 04/09/2025 |
| 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 | 07/09/2025 |
| Rule Title/Topic | WAC Number | Summmary | Adoption Date | Expiration Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Import of Dairy Cattle - HPAI H5N1 | 16-54-066 | Requires dairy cattle from or comingled with cattle from premises under quarantine for H5N1 and destined to slaughter to be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection which includes a statement regarding the health of the cattle. | 06/10/2025 | 10/09/2025 |
| 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 | 07/05/2024 | 11/02/2024 |