Employee feedback driving changes within WSDA

Patrick Capper
Deputy Director

The 2017 WSDA Employee Engagement Survey highlighted several issues that present opportunities for improvements. Director Sandison and I committed to take a deeper look to identify solutions that will help improve employee morale and move the agency in a positive direction. 

Over the last few months, WSDA leaders have conducted listening sessions with staff to help the director and the Leadership Team (LT) learn more about the issues that our staff encounter. These sessions provided valuable feedback into how employees feel about working at WSDA and what they think needs improvement. 

LT will fully dedicate our January meeting to reviewing this feedback, identifying themes, and prioritizing solutions. While it will take some time to process all the feedback, LT has already made several critical improvements over the past year, and a number of other efforts are under way.

Efficiency and transparency 

The Leadership Team agendas will now be available online to promote transparency. You can find LT meeting notes, starting with the Nov. 15 meeting, on the agency’s intranet.

We established an assistant director position for Administrative Services to oversee critical agency programs that previously did not have AD support.

LT reorganized to streamline decision-making and to realign reporting structures. 

The Performance and Planning Office is establishing project management and oversight protocols to help manage IT projects. In addition, LT approved an IT governance process to more efficiently process and track IT projects.  

Financial Services and IT, in conjunction with the divisions, have developed a new and improved accounts receivable software system to replace our inefficient and antiquated system.

Human Resources and Financial Services are nearly fully staffed, including the hiring of our new chief financial officer, Gene Emmans, who is conducting a complete analysis of the agency’s financial health. 

Human Resources will introduce an automated organizational chart software to easily and quickly visualize the agency’s organizational relationships. This software also offers the ability to run reports, more effectively manage employee position status data, and provides a platform to model organizational change and growth.  

Significant progress was made on our credit card policy that will allow the agency to use modern payment systems and methods.  

Our agency policy review process was revamped for more efficient internal policy reviews and approvals. 

The WSDA Communications Office will launch a new and improved agency website next spring.

Security 

Access to the NRB second floor is now restricted to enhance security and control external traffic. 

We’re exploring enhanced security measures for the Cleveland lab including more secure access and installation of security cameras.  

Space 

Human Resources is developing an “infants in the workplace” policy, as well as identifying space in the NRB for a nursing room.  

Facilities has completed an NRB space inventory to clearly identify current and future needs. 

I thank everyone for their participation in the 2018 WSDA listening sessions, and I commit to keeping you posted as we make progress on the suggestions we’ve received. 

Without your feedback, we would not be able to make the necessary adjustments and improvements that will make WSDA a better place to work as we move towards 2019. Thank you for all you do every day at WSDA.

In summary: Survey results and feedback from employee listening sessions form the foundation of agency improvements to boost morale and move us forward in a positive direction. Deputy Director Patrick Capper provides an update on the Insider blog.

Seed Program takes expertise on the road to improve crops

Kathy Davis
Communications

Linda Rainey, center, shows a meeting attendee
the seed germination towel display provided by
the WSDA Seed Program. Another staffer,
Nancy Jones, is in the background.

It all starts with a seed. Healthy, viable seeds form the foundation of Washington’s diverse crop portfolio. 

WSDA’s Seed Program recently took that message and their expertise to Moscow, Idaho where they presented workshop sessions and interactive displays at a joint meeting of seed professionals from Washington and Idaho. 

“Our lab team was a powerhouse with information and displays at the meeting,” said Paula Moore, acting program manager. “All of the attendees gave great reviews of the two 50-minute workshop sessions given by our staff.”

The 2018 annual joint meeting of Washington State Crop Improvement and the Washington/North Idaho Seed Association was held in Moscow Nov. 12-13. 

The first is a non-profit that works with seed producers to develop and distribute certified seed to improve crop yields. The second is a seed association to educate members on issues affecting the entire seed industry. The joint state association meeting educates and builds relationships across the industry, including those involved with production, crop protection, processing and marketing. 

Our Seed Program staffed a booth that was packed with informational material about their services and WSDA in general. 

From left to right, Chris Norvell, Terri Cox, Carmela Martinez, and Linda
Rainey staff the Seed Program’s information booth.

The two workshops provided visually interesting and interactive displays which drew a lot of interest. Germination towels showed how wheat seeds are tested for sprouting viability, illustrating what normal versus abnormal seeds look like for seed certification purposes. 

Program staff also displayed TZ (tetrazolium) test samples, in which seed embryos are stained red. A look under a microscope identifies which seeds are viable.

“The TZ samples and microscopes showed how difficult these tests really are to master,” Paula noted. 

Terri Cox, foreground, and Nancy Jones, far right, help meeting
attendees as they view TZ (tetrazolium) test samples through microscopes.

The two workshop presentations by WSDA staff focused on seed purity, viability, and sodium hydroxide testing of wheat. 

Seed Program representatives got positive feedback for their work. “Even later at dinner, we received compliments and one industry rep asked that we do a demonstration at their company,” Paula said. 

Program staff Cassie Givens and Elissa Romero prepared the workshops. Nancy Jones (laboratory supervisor), Terri Cox, Chris Norvell, Linda Rainey and Carmela Martinez presented the workshops. 

In summary: WSDA Seed Program drew rave reviews for their workshop sessions and visual displays presented at a recent joint Washington and Idaho meeting of seed professionals. 

Quake practice and info fair help staff be prepared

Megan Finkenbinder
Director's Office

Mercedes Christensen (foreground) with Animal Services
Division, and other staff, peruse the information and giveaway
tables at the Emergency Management/Safety/Wellness
Fair on Oct. 18.

Are you prepared for when the next earthquake strikes? Staff at WSDA’s headquarters in Olympia sure are. They participated in the Great ShakeOut on Oct. 18 at 10:18 a.m., which encouraged all participants to drop, cover and hold on. 

Those who were here during the last major quake in Washington, the Nisqually quake that registered 6.8 on the Richter scale, remember the feeling of the Natural Resources Building moving and shaking. Living in the Pacific Northwest, we are merely waiting for the next earthquake to strike. 

To emphasize the theme of preparedness, the NRB Safety Committee hosted an Emergency Management, Safety, and Wellness Fair. During the fair, staff were able to pick up supplies for their under-the-desk emergency kits. If you do not have one of these kits, please contact Sonia Soelter. 

Information on wellness was available, including new services that WSDA employees can take advantage of through the Employee Assistance Program. These new services

When the Nisqually earthquake struck 11 miles from Olympia
in 2001, the Natural Resources Building experienced hazardous
shaking and toppling office furniture.

include financial planning and legal services. If you have any questions on wellness activities, please reach out to WSDA’s Wellness Coordinator Stacy Laney. 

Our safety team brought out their state-of-the-art fire simulator, complete with a fire extinguisher, fire alarm and phone that dials 911 (NOT for real!). This simulator gave staff a safe way of learning how to properly use an extinguisher and what it takes to put out a fire. 

This fair brought staff together to talk about the importance of safety and being prepared at home and at the office for all types of emergencies. You never know what tomorrow may bring. 

WSDA Deputy Director Patrick Capper tries his hand at the fire
extinguisher simulator, under the watchful guidance of Jason
Gambill from the Safety Program.

For more information on emergency preparedness and what you should include in a “Two Week Kit,” check out the Washington State Emergency Management’s website. 

In summary: After headquarters employees participated in the annual Great ShakeOut on Oct. 18, they had the opportunity to learn more about preparedness from emergency management, safety, and wellness staff. 

Three win prizes in third quarter QUICK Award drawing

Kathy Davis
Communications

Ryan Hevly

Three WSDA employees are eligible to select a prize because their names were randomly selected in the latest QUICK Awards drawing. Agencywide, employees handed out 28 awards to coworkers across the state.

QUICK Awards are presented by employees who see their peers demonstrating good work and service to others – either inside or outside the agency. Here are the prize recipients from the most recent quarterly drawing.

Ryan Hevly – Fruit and Vegetable Inspection, Wenatchee 
Ryan was recognized for his work during this year’s cherry season. His willingness to be available whenever needed showed his team spirit. With a positive attitude, he took charge and explained options available to stakeholders in difficult situations. He took on any assignment at any time and got it done with the highest level of customer service. 

Patricia McCaffrey

Patricia McCaffrey – Financial Services, Olympia 
Pat received kudos for her assistance in tracking down baseline costs for the print management survey. Figuring out where to get started, her ideas and feedback, along with the financial data she provided, made this project a huge success. Her willingness to help and her warm demeanor were much appreciated and valued.  

Linda Condon – Food Safety, Olympia 
Linda has been an amazing resource for Ashlee-Rose Ferguson, the Animal Feed Regulatory Standards coordinator, on the details of the regulatory program standards. Linda provided many great Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards examples and valuable insight on many topics. 

Linda Condon

These winners may contact Robin Schaffer in Olympia or Brandy Thompson in Wenatchee to select a prize. 

December 31 next drawing deadline

When you catch one of your coworkers doing something special for staff or customers, why not let them know with a QUICK Award? You can find the award form on the intranet. Forms are also available from your division coordinator or agency receptionists.

In summary: WSDA staff presented 28 QUICK Awards during the third quarter of 2018. Three of their names were randomly drawn to receive prizes. See who they are and why they were recognized by their colleagues.

Yoshiro Ouye has traveled a long and winding career road

Kathy Davis
Communications

Talk about a diverse career path! Yoshiro Ouye, who is retiring from WSDA on Oct. 31, has worked in a variety of occupations before becoming an information technology professional. He is ending his state career serving as WSDA’s chief technology officer since January 2016. 

As a young man, Yoshi served in the U.S. Army in Erlangen, Germany. He received a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College in Olympia. 

After a stint as a training manager for a Federal Way food manufacturer, he became a correctional officer at the state’s Special Offender Center. 

He stayed on with state government, serving as an investigator, dealer licensing supervisor and administrative hearings officer at the Department of Licensing. At the Department of Labor & Industries, he pursued the IT track, promoting up to an IT program manager where he managed imaging and applications projects. 

At age 17, Yoshi was in the
U.S. Army, where he
served for four years.

WSDA’s important mission

His focus upon joining WSDA has been to “assist the IT staff and the agency to make our team a viable and successful part of the state technology infrastructure,” he said. 

Along the way, he’s had lots of opportunities to make changes and the support he needed to do so, he said. 

Among his most memorable experiences here was joining the agency’s Safety Program team and Human Resources director on an Eastern Washington tour of WSDA offices and agricultural facilities such as potato and apple processing plants.

Yoshi on a visit to a Yakima food bank, posing with a volunteer
(in pink shirt), and WSDA staff Jason Gambill, Julie Youmans
and Ron Hussung.

“It really made me aware of the importance of WSDA’s mission and how everyone working for the agency has such an important role in keeping our food and agriculture safe and viable,” he said. 

How well do you know Yoshi? You may not know that he placed second in the Kansas City Soap Box Derby and went on to stand by as the alternate in the Akron, Ohio race, in case the first-place winner could not compete. 

Next on this soon-to-be retiree’s to-do list is visiting several national parks on his way to his winter residence in Clearwater, Florida. Another goal is to work part-time at Walt Disney World because he said, “I love that place!” 

In summary: Yoshi Ouye, who has been WSDA’s chief technology officer since January 2016, will retire at the end of October. He ends his diverse state career with overseeing our agency’s information technology services team and direction. 

WSDA hosts nationwide ag communicators gathering

Kathy Davis
Communications

Cleaning Cosmic Crisp apples in anticipation of taking a bite are, from left,
Megan Finkenbinder, WSDA executive assistant to the director, Amanda Culp,
communications director of the National Association of State Departments of
Agriculture (NASDA), and Rebecca Allured, Nevada Department of Agriculture
public information officer.

Apples, potatoes, wine and water – those were a few of the uniquely Washington topics state ag agency communicators from all over the United States learned about in Richland at a recent conference hosted by WSDA. 

The Communication Officers of State Departments of Agriculture, or COSDA, held their annual meeting in Washington Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. WSDA’s Communication Director Hector Castro served as the organization’s president for the past year and the annual gathering is always held in the president’s home state.

It was an action-packed few days, especially for those of us on the Communications Office team. After many months of planning, it was show time as 75 COSDA members, presenters and sponsors converged at the conference venue on the Columbia River. 

This annual event is a mix of: 

• Updates from federal agency representatives.
• Workshop sessions that develop professional communication skills.
• Onsite tours to get first-hand exposure to the host state’s ag industry.
• Networking opportunities for state communicators to learn from and support each other on common issues and challenges. 

The workshops covered digital communications, such as using social media before and during a crisis and use of live streaming. A panel of news media representatives discussed how to work effectively with reporters and editors. 

Other workshops featured using clear language for customer understanding, and two sessions on employee communication. A panel of COSDA members presented successes and challenges of connecting with and informing ag agency workers. 

Hector Castro, WSDA communications director, looks up
from the floor of Easterday Farms onion packing plant, as
touring COSDA conference attendees got a birds-eye view.

In addition, we heard from the president of a consulting firm that works with major U.S. employers specifically to improve internal communications. Steve Baskin, from Tribe, Inc. based in Atlanta, presented strategies for reaching non-desk staff. This is a particular challenge for all agriculture agencies with inspectors and investigators who spend the bulk of their time away from a traditional office environment. 

WA ag tours

Of course, seeing is believing, so we loaded onto tour buses to show our guests how ag is done in Washington. 

Stops included the Washington State University center at Prosser, where the group learned about cutting-edge research into hops and apple production. As a special treat, we got to pick the famous in-development apple variety, Cosmic Crisp, and take a rare taste. 

Bill’s Berry Farm outside Grandview showed how enterprising farmers have embraced agritourism to stay profitable. We learned how this family is drawing increasing visitors with tours and seasonal festivals that mix food, fun and farming education. 

It wouldn’t be Washington without a spotlight on the growing wine industry. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center both informed and satisfied with a wine and cheese tasting and a sumptuous state-sourced meal. 

We also toured Ice Harbor Dam on the lower Snake River, and saw potato and onion processing and packing up close and personal.

The COSDA conference is primarily funded by member registration fees and sponsorship gifts. 
The goal is to boost the effectiveness of state communicators to convey the value and tell the story of agriculture. Since only 2 percent of the nation’s population lives on farms, it’s more important than ever to help non-farm consumers and citizens understand where their food comes from and how ag affects the economy, environment and culture of the U.S. 

The professional communicators who gathered in Richland have gone back to their home states with new tools and insights, as well as a better understanding of Washington’s agricultural landscape. 

In summary: State agricultural agency communication professionals from around the U.S. gathered in Richland to develop their skills, learn about Washington State ag, and strengthen their network. 

WSDA’s overseas reps are vital links to Asian markets

Kathy Davis
Communications

The International Marketing Program's overseas representatives, from left:
Scott Hitchman, Francis Lee, Dong Hwan Kim (Danny Kim),
and Li Haidong. 

If you are an ag business looking to export your product to Asia, it could help to know that living and storage space is much smaller there than in the U.S., so single-serve packaging will be more appealing to consumers. Super-size portions or big-box bulk packs are not going to go over as well. 

This is just one of the marketing tips offered by the four overseas representatives with whom WSDA’s International Marketing Program contracts to promote Washington agricultural products to Asian buyers. 

The four were in Washington State last month for their annual visit that includes scheduled one-on-one consultations with companies looking to start or expand selling their products overseas. In all, they met with 40 businesses in Seattle and Yakima from Sept. 17 through 21 and made six site visits throughout the state. 

Meet the reps

Here is where they are based and how long they have been representing WSDA’s International Marketing Program.

• Scott Hitchman, Tokyo, Japan, 25 years.

  

  Mike Smith with Loftus Ranches shows Washington-grown
  hops to Julie Johnson, Francis Lee and Li Haidong. 

• Li Haidong, Shanghai, China, 16 years. 
• Dong Hwan Kim (Danny Kim), Seoul, Korea, 5 years.
• Francis Lee, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 5 years. 

As liaisons between in-state sellers and overseas buyers, these reps juggle many tasks. They maintain databases of buyers, distributors and importers, keep up on market trends, industry news and regulatory compliance issues, and meet with businesses and government officials. 

They need to have a deep knowledge of all the factors that contribute to exporting success. 

In consulting with Washington producers, Francis says he always asks, “Are you market-ready?” For instance, for the long journey overseas, exporters must understand the complex logistics of packing and shipping by cargo ship or plane. 

What’s the Washington brand?

Our marketing reps work to make Washington State products stand out as distinct and desirable. The first hurdle is clearing up confusion with “the other Washington” (state versus D.C.). 

All the reps tout the Evergreen State for our clean, natural environment and stringent food safety regulations. They use videos to show our picturesque mountains, forests and rivers, and talk about how our farmers use best industry practices to grow and pack the safest food.  

WSDA's reps met with 40 state businesses in Seattle and Yakima to advise
them on how to start or expand exporting of their products.  

The prestige of Washington brands also benefits from association. Starbucks and Ichiro have helped put Seattle on the international map. This area also has a global reputation for craft foods and beverages. 

Sometimes popular culture gives a boost. Li said the film “Beijing meets Seattle” was a big box-office hit in China and made consumers more aware of the Pacific Northwest. 

Forty percent of our state’s economy is tied to trade and about one-third of agricultural products exported. WSDA’s international marketing reps play a vital role in opening markets that make Washington’s ag industry thrive.

In summary: WSDA contracts with four marketing representatives based in Asian countries who connect in-state sellers with overseas buyers and help our ag industry thrive through international trade. Learn about them in this Insider blog.