WSDA expands its social media outreach

Karla Salp
Communications

Over the past two years, we in the Communications Office have been expanding the agency’s social media presence to better access and engage the public, our customers and stakeholders. In fact, in each of the past two years, we have doubled our fans on Facebook! 

WSDA currently has seven social media channels:

• Facebook
• Instagram (new!)
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Ag Briefs blog
• Flickr (new!)
• LinkedIn

Our goal is to help WSDA programs effectively share messages and reach target audiences. Social media can be a great tool to educate consumers and stakeholders about your work, and get important information to key audiences. 

Below are just some of the ways social media could help your program meet its goals.

• Share a photo of your staff in the field with a short sentence or two about how their work supports agriculture.
• Solicit feedback from stakeholders before revising a program. 
• Run ads to target certain audiences or geographic areas.
• Advertise a key job vacancy.
• Distribute a helpful how-to video.
• Alert stakeholders to upcoming changes in regulations.
• Give real-time updates about a high-profile project. 
• Blog about a program project or activity. 
• Advertise agency-sponsored events.
• Create a discussion forum about common interests in the agricultural community. 

An example of a photo offered on WSDA's Flickr site. 

Good visuals are key to most social media platforms these days, so including engaging photos or videos is important. Two quick tips -- make sure to properly focus the photo/video and hold the camera as steady as possible. Many more tips for taking visuals are available online. A little web research can really boost your skills. 

If you feel overwhelmed about the prospect of doing your own photography or writing a blog, all is not lost! Reach out to the communications team. If we can, we’ll attend your event or project to take photos or video, learn about it, and write social media posts to promote your work. 

For more information about how your program might benefit from using social media, check out our new social media matrix. We also have tip sheets on how to compose a good Facebook post or blog. To find these, visit the WSDA intranet at agrapoly01/wsda/ and go to the Communications page under Director's Office. All the how-to tips sheets are available under Process. 

If you have a suggestion for a social media post, don’t hesitate to contact me (Karla Salp) to talk about your idea.

As a reminder, no program or individual may create agency-related social media profiles, pages or accounts without consent of the communications director. All social media posts are coordinated through the Communications Office.

In summary: WSDA has really increased presence on social media platforms over the past two years. Learn how using social media can help tell our story and meet your program’s goals.

New deputy puts focus on communications, leadership

Patrick Capper
Deputy Director

I’m excited and honored to be your deputy director. My first couple of months on the job have been fast-paced and somewhat of a blur, but I’m starting to feel a rhythm. 

Patrick Capper

I have held a number of introductory meetings to learn about the issues that are important to our WSDA programs and offices. These meetings have kept me fairly desk-bound, but I’m looking forward to getting out and getting to know as many of you as possible. 

I’ve learned so much about the agency in these first weeks, and I have identified some initial priorities to focus on. 

Communication

I believe clear and consistent communication is vital to any organization. I will work to strengthen our external communication processes so that WSDA conveys its goals and activities clearly and accurately. External communication is crucial for quality customer service, as well as public understanding and support for agriculture. 

Well-coordinated internal communication is equally important. It helps us understand how our work is connected, and gives you the information and resources you need to do your best work. Of course, communication is a two-way street – I’ll also be establishing ways to listen to agency employees directly to learn what’s important to you. 

I plan to use tools like this WSDA Insider blog to communicate with you regularly. Please watch my columns for regular updates. 

Leadership decision making

WSDA’s Leadership Team (LT) has begun to streamline how we make critical agency decisions. By establishing a reliable process, we can lead the agency more efficiently. LT will also rely on the direction set out in our agency Strategic Plan, and base decisions on our stated goals, objectives and vision. 

I understand that personnel changes in the Director’s Office and within the Leadership Team can cause uncertainty. I want to assure you that Derek and I have tremendous confidence in our group of leaders, and we are all pulling together to do the hard work of advancing this agency’s goals. 

Derek will continue to focus on agency relations with our external customers, and state and national ag industry partners. He relies on me for day-to-day management of internal agency operations. He and I are in sync to ensure that WSDA is moving forward in a coordinated direction. 

Again, I will connect with all of you through this regular column on the Insider. Please watch and read, and let me know what you think.  

I thank you for all of your work and look forward to working with you as we move into spring.

In summary: WSDA Deputy Director Patrick Capper will be updating staff monthly on the Insider. Read his first column to learn more about his adjustment to the job and initial priorities he’s focusing on. 

Long-term PIO, Mike Louisell, retires

Kathy Davis
Communications

Mike Louisell

In his 18 years at WSDA, Mike Louisell has made a lot of friends and been at the center of some of the agency’s most noteworthy issues and events. As of March 30, this agency’s long-term public information officer (PIO) will say farewell and move on to new adventures.

“I’ll really miss so many employees I’ve worked with here,” Mike said. “I couldn’t even name all the people who’ve helped me. Well, I could, but there wouldn’t be enough space to print them all.”

Mike joined WSDA in January 1999. He had previously worked more than 16 years for the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) nuclear program at Satsop and Richland. It was his experience at Columbia Generating Station drills at Hanford that helped him land the job at WSDA. He was the designated PIO representing the department in mandatory drills for many years. 

His first post-college job was as a reporter for the Seattle business newspaper, Daily Journal of Commerce, where one of his assignments was to cover the construction of the Kingdome. 

From big city to agriculture

Raised in urban Seattle, agriculture was not a familiar topic.

“My stepfather grew up on an Iowa farm and asked when I got this job, ‘What the heck do you know about agriculture?’,” Mike said. “My answer then was that I didn’t know anything, but I knew the press and how to get a story into media outlets.”

Mike goes to the fair. 

And that’s just what he’s been doing for several decades. Among the many milestone incidents he’s worked on here is “the cow that stole Christmas” – the outbreak of BSE in December 2003. That stunning news had reporters calling from around the globe and around the clock for weeks. 

Mike was also involved with the 1999 aerial spraying of the Ballard and Magnolia areas for gypsy moth, which brought out protesters, as well as the World Trade Organization meeting dubbed the “Battle of Seattle.”

One of his first WSDA assignments was to promote the opening of our Yakima Building, dedicated in February 1999. “For the first time, our staff could all work in one location, instead of being scattered around the city,” he noted. 

Mike and Kim Eads, Food Assistance
Program manager. 

Over the years, Mike has worked with five agency directors. He’s been in the same spot in the Natural Resources Building throughout his tenure. Although he points out there was no door leading from the rotunda to the Director’s Office when he started.

“Mike is one of the kindest, most energetic people I’ve ever worked with,” said Communications Director Hector Castro. 

“During his nearly two decades with this agency, he has been an untiring cheerleader for WSDA and our state’s agriculture community, as well as a true believer in the importance of telling the ag story. I know all of us on the communications team will miss Mike’s heart and enthusiasm.” 

Pursuing his interests

Few may know that he once managed the visitor center at the Satsop Power Plant. And as a University of Washington student, he ushered at the Seattle Center, leading audience members to see acts such as Janis Joplin and The Monkees. 

He plans to parlay those interests into a post-retirement gig as a volunteer tour guide at the State Capitol (Legislative) Building. He also looks forward to traveling abroad, and visiting more U.S. presidential libraries. 

“After working 43 years total, it’s time to relax and not have to fill out any more vacation slips,” he said. 

Thanks for everything, Mike – enjoy your next chapter!

In summary: WSDA public information officer, Mike Louisell, gets ready to retire after nearly two decades of being involved in many of the agency’s most significant issues.

WSDA is a summertime community jobs creator

Kathy Davis
Communications

As daylight gets longer and bulbs start popping up from the ground, WSDA is getting ready to employ hundreds of extra seasonal workers for summer tasks. This year, our Human Resources Office projects recruiting 300-400 seasonal employees, including approximately 175 cherry inspectors and 150 pest trappers. 

Lyndsey Beaupre, WSDA's full-time recruiter, staffs our booth at a job fair
at The Evergreen State College in Olympia. 

To draw interest and job candidates, the agency’s full-time recruiter, Lyndsey Beaupre, has been representing WSDA at career fairs. Starting in late January with an event at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, she continued this work at the FUSE Career Fair in Spokane on March 1. The latter drew students from four higher education institutions – Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga, Whitman and Washington State University-Spokane. 

“These are great opportunities to let students know we have summer jobs available,” Lyndsey said. “They can get valuable experience toward a career in ag and/or environmental science. Many of these jobs are open to anyone who’s 18 or older, have a valid driver’s license, and a good attitude.”

Lyndsey sets up a professional agency booth, displaying informational flyers and goodies such as seed packets from the State Noxious Weed Control Board, stickers and apple-shaped stress balls from the Safety Program. 

She said many who visit our booth are surprised to learn that a state agricultural department even exists. They don’t know what we do and confuse WSDA with USDA. The agency’s large pull-up poster and colorful infographic help explain what WSDA is about. Once enlightened, many job seekers are excited about the possibilities within the agency, according to Lyndsey. 

“It’s really encouraging that we have a young generation interested in getting involved in state agriculture,” she said. 

Social media spreads the word

Along with in-person job fairs, social media plays an increasing role in reaching candidates, Lyndsey explained. 

Jobseekers cruise the employer booths at the FUSE Career Fair in Spokane. 

“Social media is huge in recruiting right now,” she said. “It’s kind of a necessary evil; it’s where younger jobseekers most commonly go to learn about openings.”

Therefore, HR is promoting key job openings on Facebook and LinkedIn. Current WSDA employees can help too, Lyndsey noted. 

“Sharing job announcements through your personal and professional networks really helps,” she said. She also recommended helping extend our social media reach by liking and sharing our posts.

Gearing up for state agriculture’s busiest season, WSDA is looking for the best job candidates for our many seasonal opportunities, providing employment and paychecks while feeding the pipeline to future ag career professionals.  

In summary: Gearing up for state agriculture’s busiest season, WSDA is looking for the best job candidates for our many seasonal opportunities, providing employment and paychecks while feeding the pipeline to future ag career professionals.

As session progresses, so do WSDA bills

Hannah Street
Policy Office

In the final stretch of the 2018 legislative session, legislation requested by WSDA is advancing through the lawmaking process. These bills are developed on behalf of a WSDA program by the Policy Office team working with stakeholders, industry experts, legislators, and legislative staff members to create new legislation or update a current statute, and usher it through the legislative process.

Agency request legislation

This session, WSDA is running five agency request bills. Several of them have companion bills, meaning there’s a version of the bill in both the House and Senate. 

For example, the bill updating the fairs statute has a House version, HB2725, and a Senate version, SB6368. The Senate version passed through a Senate committee and then the full Senate approved it by a vote of 47-0. It then crossed over to the House, where it’s going through the same process. The House version follows the same sequence, eventually crossing over to the Senate. At some point, only one of these bills moves forward where it waits to be signed into law by the governor.

It takes a village

If you’re in the Natural Resources Building, you may have seen a few WSDA people walking out of the building looking spiffier than usual. Generally, these folks, including Steve Fuller, Laura Butler, Larry Sheahan, Director Derek Sandison and I, are on our way to testify on bills. 

Testimony before committees is an opportunity for the agency to express its support for our request bills, or to weigh in on bills that affect WSDA or the agricultural community. For example, Director Sandison has testified twice on House Bill 2671, which includes WSDA on a proposed work group to improve the behavioral health of agriculture workers. 

In addition to policy team members, other WSDA staffers with expertise in specific areas testify on bills. For example, Brad White, assistant director of the Plant Protection Division, testified on House Bill 2682, which would exempt hop-grower lot information from public disclosure. Others, such as Jason Ferrante, Commodity Inspection Division assistant director, and Jodi Jones, Animal Health Division coordinator, have attended hearings with policy staff to provide technical support.   

Next steps

Other WSDA legislation is still going through the process, including bills on: 

• Removing a certificate of veterinary inspection exemption applying to animals imported into the state (HB2674 and SB6359).
• Implementing the federal produce safety rule (SB6319).
• Updating current food safety statute (SB6318). 

The current 30-day session is scheduled to end on March 8. Watch this Insider blog for a wrap-up of legislative results after session. 

In summary: As most of us tend to our day-to-day work, state lawmakers are in Olympia considering bills that would affect WSDA and the agriculture industry we serve. Learn the latest in our Insider blog.

WSDA begins licensing foods made with hemp seed

Kathy Davis
Communications 

WSDA’s Food Safety Program last month began licensing foods made with hemp seeds. Only foods made with sterile hemp seeds, with low THC levels and no CBD will be allowed under manufacturers’ general food processing licenses. 

THC is short for tetrahydrocannabinol – it’s the psychoactive chemical in cannabis that makes users high. CBD is cannabidiol, another chemical in cannabis that’s not psychoactive and is used for relief of pain, anxiety and other conditions. CBD food products, including nutritional and dietary supplements, are not allowed under Washington state law. 

Because cannabis – marijuana and hemp – is listed as an illegal drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act, WSDA Director Derek Sandison directed the Food Safety Program to research the legality of allowing hemp seeds in food products. 

“The issues around use of hemp and marijuana plants can be confusing,” noted Mike Tokos, assistant manager of the Food Safety Program. “It can be kind of a gray area.” 

Individual states, such as Washington, have legalized recreational marijuana use through citizen initiative. Also, the 2014 federal farm bill specifically allows states to establish pilot research programs for growing and processing industrial hemp. 

Upon studying information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Department of Agriculture, the program determined that these federal agencies do not restrict the use of sterile hemp seeds with THC levels at 0.3 percent or less. 

Companies using hemp seeds in or as food will need to file an amendment under their current food processing license with WSDA. 

Food products made from hemp seeds – also called hemp nuts – include energy and breakfast bars, granola, butter and milks. The seeds can also be ground into flour or meal and be used in breads and other baked products. 

The advocacy group Vote Hemp, along with the Hemp Business Journal, estimate the 2017 retail value of hemp seed foods in the U.S. was $129.3 million. 

According to Mike, the Food Safety Program will not be actively investigating hemp foods on the market in Washington for the time being. However if staff finds a food product that does not meet state standards, especially when THC or CBD levels are a concern, investigation and compliance action could result.

In summary: Our Food Safety Program has begun licensing foods made with sterile hemp seeds. Read about the how and why on the Insider blog. 

Farm Bill, international treaties shape WSDA priorities

Derek Sandison
WSDA Director

Excerpted from a column provided to the Tri-City Herald for its annual Progress Edition. 

Derek Sandison visiting a market in Jalisco,
Mexico on a 2017 trade mission.

Our agency’s primary purpose is to support Washington’s agricultural and food sectors while working to foster sound consumer protections and natural resource policies. I’m pleased to discuss some of our accomplishments and a look forward.

Travelling for agriculture 

Last May, I participated in a trade mission to Mexico. Led by Gov. Inslee, Washington’s delegation visited Guadalajara and Mexico City, meeting with government officials and generally demonstrating the importance of Mexico as a market for Washington agricultural exports, particularly apples and dairy products.

I expect to join U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials on a mission to Guatemala in February and travel to Mexico City with the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association in June 2018 to continue to promote Washington state agricultural products.

Derek, second from right, with a delegation in Washington
D.C. talking to federal officials about the farm bill,
 trade and food safety.

In addition to driving and flying to many areas of our state, I spend a considerable amount of time in Washington, D.C. meeting with representatives of the administration, USDA and other agency officials, as well as members of Congress and their staff. 

Through these visits, often times with industry representatives or my counterparts from other states, I am able to address federal issues affecting our industry such as the farm bill, international trade, and regulatory matters. 

U.S. farm bill

The farm bill, renewed every five years, is the primary agricultural and food policy tool of the federal government. It includes titles on commodity programs, trade, rural development, farm credit, crop insurance, conservation, agricultural research, food and nutrition, and more.

I have worked with Washington State University President Kirk Schulz’s office and his staff to develop a comprehensive state farm bill priorities document. It has been sent to members of Washington’s congressional delegation, as well as to the chairs and members of the Senate and House agriculture committees. Given the importance of the farm bill to Washington’s agricultural industry, I will be working hard to help ensure a positive outcome for our state.

Trade

We are in a time of great uncertainty with respect to international trade. With the recent adoption of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by 11 nations, Washington’s agricultural industry finds itself at a competitive disadvantage in the Asian-Pacific trade arena unless the administration reconsiders its position on TPP, or makes significant progress on developing bilateral agreements with Asian-Pacific countries.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation has been a tumultuous process and has the potential for undermining the tremendous gains that both the U.S. and Washington agricultural industries have made through the implementation of NAFTA. We are all hopeful that agreement on a modernized NAFTA can be reached without harm to agriculture.

Consumer protection

WSDA Weights and Measures Program staff
inspecting a fuel pump.

Our new Produce Safety Program operates under a five-year grant from the Food and Drug Administration. Its mission is to help growers comply with new requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act. Our work includes workshops for producers on how to meet the new standards. 

And, our Weights and Measures inspectors are doing more than the usual monitoring of gas pumps and scales for accuracy. The team collaborated with financial institutions to combat fraud by inspecting fuel dispensers for credit card skimmers, which can steal credit and debit card information from unsuspecting consumers. 

New greenhouse 

The 2017 spring dedication of our 4,800 square-foot greenhouse at WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center at Prosser is also noteworthy. It replaces a smaller greenhouse we’ve operated there for decades. 

The $750,000 greenhouse features improved temperature and advanced irrigation controls and increases private industry’s capacity to sell virus-tested, disease-free stock to orchardists and fruit producers. It was built with fees from the WSDA’s Fruit Tree Certification Program and assessments paid by state nurseries that sell fruit trees.

Derek at ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new greenhouse
in Prosser.

Looking ahead at WSDA

We’ve started the long process of updating our website at WSDA, which hasn’t been revised in at least a decade. Web technology is a dynamic tool, increasing efficiencies for our staff and facilitating online services for our stakeholders—even allowing for renewal of licenses and paying for the license online. 

WSDA is hosting  this year’s annual meeting of ag communicators from across the U.S. Starting Sept. 30 in Richland, members of the Communications Officers of State Departments of Agriculture, an affiliate of the National Association of State Department of Agriculture, will promote a greater understanding of the role agriculture plays in our economy, food supply and culture. 

In summary: Director Sandison summarizes priority issues he’s been working on for Washington’s agricultural industry.