Automating Seed Program field reports speeds turnaround

Victor Shaul
Seed Program

Victor Shaul, Linda Rainey and Amanda Hoisington
(front to back) take samples from a kale field,
where they found sick plants with spray damage.

Before engaging in a Lean process improvement effort, WSDA Seed Program inspectors used to record field data on paper, and keep all documentation in the form of paper. There had to be a better way. Our staff capacity was beyond maxed out, and I had a dream of getting rid of the paper. 

A couple factors aligned making it a great time to use Lean principles to analyze our process. For one, the database we use for field and lab reports – called Pure Harvest – had been moved to a different environment that made it much more powerful. Basically, anything you could think to do with it could be done. 

Second, WSDA now has process improvement expertise in our Performance and Planning Management Office. Lean facilitator Vicky Leonard stepped up to facilitate our effort. 

One way our team supports the state’s agricultural and seed industry is be assuring high quality. Field inspection reports play a key role in this and are important to verify crop variety and purity, as well as note the presence of any contaminant plants or diseases.  

Impressive improvements

We began by thoroughly mapping out our process and identifying where we wanted to be, then came up with solutions to get there. One of the most significant was to create an automated fillable form to speed data entry. 

Seed inspectors Gary Slagg, Clint Sams, Steven Moreno, and Danny Jones
(counter clockwise from left) inspect bean plants for disease.

The results of these improvements, implemented last spring, have been impressive. Many data entry points were reduced to just five steps. The average time to enter a field report dropped from 10 minutes to under 2 minutes. The average wait time for our customer companies to view their field data went from four days to one and a half days. 

Danny Jones and Clint Sams conduct
an inspection of a corn bin.

The Seed Program has embraced Lean process improvement for other aspects of our work. We have initiated and implemented a number of other efforts to automate functions in our lab and other data tasks. For example, our corn certification project modernized our 1950s “technology” of carbon-copy, triplicate forms. 

Keep calm and figure out a better way

Now, I’m not a Lean expert and the terminology is still over my head. The simple explanation is that we knew we needed to change and sat down to figure out better ways of doing our business and serving our customers. 

We’ve heard from companies that they love the improvements, and it has had a huge impact on our office staff. 

Specifically on seed data Lean improvement, I thank these project team members – Paula Moore, Amanda Rodriquez, Rich Gilbert, Danny Jones and Clint Sams, as well as our facilitator Vicky Leonard and her co-facilitator Justin Newman. 

In summary: The Seed Program has been using Lean practice to modernize and improve many of its processes and have achieved results in saved time and better customer service. Find out how.

WSDA veterinarians vaccinate pets at free clinic

Hannah Street
Communications

Cats, dogs, and ferrets were all welcome at the S’Klallum Tribal Center last month as WSDA veterinarians participated in a free rabies vaccine clinic for pets, an event they hope to continue and expand.

It was the second year for the event, held Aug. 23 and 24, which WSDA veterinarian Dr. Minden Buswell said held particular significance for some of the pets.

“Rabies vaccines require a booster shot one year after the initial shot, and every three years after that, so it was great to be able to provide boosters to pets who were here last time,” she said.

Dr. Thomas Brignole and Dr. Brooke
Lucas, USDA veterinarians.

The clinic was organized by the Washington State Department of Health in conjunction with the U.S Department of Agriculture. Dr. Buswell, state veterinarian Dr. Brian Joseph, and Dr. Thomas Gilliom were at the clinic to provide small animal veterinary equipment and perform the vaccinations.

“Rabies vaccines have to be performed by a licensed veterinarian,” Dr. Buswell said.

After providing vaccines, the veterinarians gave pet owners collars and tags with Quick Response (QR) codes, allowing anyone with a cell phone to take a picture and learn that animal is up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations. They also gave reservation police copies of vaccination certification for records purposes.

In total, WSDA and USDA veterinarians vaccinated 86 animals. The event is expected to take place next year as well, and Dr. Buswell said she hopes they’ll be able to expand so more tribes in the area can participate.

One of the dogs at the rabies vaccine clinic.

In summary: WSDA veterinarians vaccinated pets at the S'Klallum Tribal Center during a free rabies vaccination clinic.

Response to animal feed contamination quick, coordinated

Randy Treadwell
Rapid Response Team Manager

When we think of farm animals in Washington, what comes to mind may be dairy cows, pigs, chickens and the like. But many animals are “farm raised” - for instance, Washington is the seventh biggest producer of mink for fur in the U.S. While mink production has been declining, the value of pelts nationwide was $116 million in 2016. 

So when WSDA received word last summer that about 15,000 commercially farmed mink had died within a matter of days in Washington and Oregon, our Rapid Response Team (RRT) sprang into action to find out why. 

It turned out, upon investigation, the mink were eating feed made from “spent hens” – that is, poultry that was no longer productive for laying eggs and so were being processed into animal feed. The feed that was causing the affected mink to get sick was traced to a manufacturer in Washington State. 

RRT partnered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) district office in Seattle to work with this feed-production facility. As a result, the business voluntarily recalled products containing ground spent-hen meat that was suspected of containing contaminant responsible for the illnesses. 

Collaboration is key

Samples of the suspect feed were tested at WSDA’s Food Safety and Consumer Services Laboratory and turned up positive for the presence of salmonella. In addition, samples tested by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory were positive for botulism toxin, confirming our suspicion of what had caused the mink to get sick and die. 

Animal feed from a Washington facility made from ground
"spent hens" was suspected of causing the mink to get sick and die. 

Throughout the response, RRT coordinated with several partners. WSDA Animal Service Division and FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine were involved on issues of animal health for potential consumers of the affected feed. Environmental health agencies had a role in the safe disposal of diseased mink carcasses and other waste. 

In acknowledgement of the quick and thorough response work on this incident, the FDA presented WSDA with a Group Recognition Award. 

These kind of wide-ranging response mobilizations require lots of cross-program collaboration and therefore tap many agency staff. I thank the following folks for their work to make this an effective response effort.

Feed Safety Program
  Angela Gantuah
  Catherine Marrier
  Ali Kashani
  Stormy Townsend
Rapid Response Program
  Caleb James
  Susie Bautista
Safety Program
  Robert Ambriz
FSCS Lab
  Yong Liu
  Jim ke
  Mychal Hendrickson
Communications
  Mike Louisell
Animal Services Division
  Lyndon Badcoe
  Minden Buswell
  Amber Itle
  Lynn Briscoe

In summary: The FDA recently recognized WSDA for the collaborated response prompted by a large die-off of farm-raised mink last summer. Our Rapid Response Team led the effort to find the source that made the animals sick. 

Hawaii’s advice: Shake, Shake, Shake! Pound, Pound!

Mike Louisell
Communications

We’re talking Christmas trees in September? Yup.

Our Plant Services Program—headed by Cindy Cooper and Scott Brooks—hosted Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) inspectors, plant specialists and entomologists in late August to discuss exactly that—the upcoming Christmas tree harvest that starts in November.

Cindy Cooper and Scott Brooks (center) with Hawaiian inspectors (left) and
owners of  Bear Canyon Tree Farm.

For three days the six visitors toured three Christmas tree farms, met with a nationally renowned tree plant pathologist from WSU Puyallup and discussed agricultural pests of concern with WSDA’s nursery plant inspectors and entomologists. WSDA environmental specialists Sue Welch and Tobin Gilbert joined the group tours as well.

Washington is among the top exporting states for Christmas trees, reaching Mexico, Asia, the Middle East and military bases across the globe. Our domestic market includes Hawaii, which has strict protocols to monitor shipments for pest or disease problems.

Hawaii delegation visits

The delegation came here to help ensure a smooth export process this year. Washington growers who export need an important shipping document known as the phytosanitary certificate. WSDA’s Plant Services issues the “phyto” upon a successful inspection of the trees for pests or disease.

The Hawaiian group highlighted Aloha State requirements that cargo be free of pests such as slugs and yellow jackets, and other pests or diseases that could cause problems to the state’s ecosystem.

“We set up grower tours and they really appreciated talking directly to our exporters,” said Plant Services Program Supervisor Scott Brooks.

The schedule included tours of Christmas tree farms in Lewis and Mason counties, and meeting with WSU’s Gary Chastagner to discuss his research to maximize the quality of Noble, Douglas, Nordmann and Turkish fir trees.

Shake and pound 

The best way to avoid pests hitchhiking on Christmas tree exports is to use a mechanical shaker to rid trees of pests. Inspectors say some growers make the mistake of shaking for the suggested period of 10 seconds or more, but then put the trees on the ground where pests can climb back aboard.

Another tip is to follow the shaking by pounding the tree’s base two or three times on the ground before loading into containers. According to the Hawaiian visitors, that’s been effective in removing any unwanted foreign objects.

HDOA visitors in WSDA Entomology Lab, NRB.

“We definitely have a better understanding of how Christmas tree imports are handled in Hawaii now,” Scott said. “And, we have solid suggestions that our growers can use this year during harvest to shake off any slugs or yellow jackets.”

Washington typically ships about 25 containers a year to Hawaii. If inspectors find a pest, they require trees in that the container to be “reconditioned.” This means the trees are removed from the container, shaken and inspected again.

“That brings additional labor, inspection costs and a financial headache for the importer,” Cindy said.

Last season, two of Washington’s containers required reconditioning, down from four container loads in 2015. Containers contain up to 500 trees.

In summary: Find out why a delegation of visitors from Hawaii came to Washington State in August to talk about Christmas trees. Just what are the best ways to get pests out of trees bound for export?