Wildfire smoke season; stay informed, be prepared

Spring in the Pacific Northwest is slowly settling into hot, dry summer days which increase the risk of wildfires that cause destruction and choking smoke in the air. 

Fires already raging through Alberta Canada, where over 1.2 million acres have already burned, is a stark reminder that wildfire season is approaching, this is a cautionary reminder to get prepared now for Washington’s wildfire season. 

Wildfire smoke is a major threat to human health, and the biggest source of particle pollution in Washington. Breathing in smoke causes wheezing and coughing, heart and lung disease, and can even cause death. A cautionary reminder to get prepared now for Washington’s wildfire season. 

The state Department of Ecology predicts the number of acres burned by wildfires is increasing as climate change reduces winter snowpack, and produces hotter and drier summers. 

L&I rules

The health risks from wildfire smoke prompted the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) last year to file emergency rules spelling out responsibilities for employers, including state agencies like WSDA, to identify harmful smoke risks, notify employees, and eliminate or reduce workers’ exposure. 

The emergency rules expired in November, but L&I is in the process of making the rules permanent and on May 10, 2023, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) filed proposed draft language for permanent wildfire smoke rules to protect the health of workers who are exposed to wildfire smoke while on the job. 

The agency has indicated that they would again adopt the rules on an emergency basis if permanent rules were not in place by the start of this year’s fire season.

WSDA will continue to follow the wildfire smoke rules to promote education and awareness of these health hazards to employees. 

These L&I rules, which apply specifically to people working outdoors, give clarification about when staff is most at risk and specific steps we as an employer need to take. They exempt worksites from within enclosed buildings and vehicles with windows and doors mostly kept closed (except for entry and exit) and air-filtration systems. 

The rules set the standard for dangerously poor air quality at 2.5 PM (particulate matter), which means suspended solid or liquid particles are at or below 2.5 micrometers in diameter. The fine particles at this level are the most concerning hazard, because they get deep into the lungs, worsening conditions like asthma, and affecting heart health.

Employer responsibilities 

WSDA managers and supervisors are responsible for monitoring air quality conditions in the areas where employees are working outdoors. They can check websites such as the EPA's AirNow website or state Department of Ecology's Air Monitoring Network and download mobile apps like "EPA AirNow" or "Air Quality WA." 

In addition, the emergency preparedness program has activated a Hazard Alert box on the Inside Agriculture home page, where employees can access current air quality alerts received from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Washington State Department of Ecology

When workers are at risk of exposure to hazardous levels of wildfire smoke, employers must take actions to eliminate or reduce their exposure. These measures may include:

• Moving work to enclosed buildings, structures, or vehicles where the air is adequately filtered.
• Moving employees to areas with lower smoke exposure.
• Reducing work intensity.
• Providing additional rest periods.
• Providing employees with respirators, such as an N95 or a KN95 disposal mask, at no cost for voluntary use when levels of particulate matter are high.

As WSDA’s emergency preparedness coordinator, I have been working with my Safety Office colleagues and agency leaders to review job hazards and help programs obtain the supplies they need to keep workers safe from smoke exposure. Use of respirators for this purpose is voluntary, so no medical exam or fit test is required.

Although it’s not required, WSDA and L&I recommend taking action to reduce employee exposure to dangerous air at even lower levels of particulate matter, especially for workers with asthma or other lung conditions.

We also recommend training employees and supervisors about wildfire smoke. WSDA staff will be receiving an email from The Learning Center (TLC) and guided to view L&I’s wildfire smoke training video.  

In summary: The health risks from wildfire smoke prompted the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) last year to file emergency rules spelling out responsibilities for employers, including state agencies like WSDA, to identify harmful smoke risks, notify employees, and eliminate or reduce workers’ exposure. WSDA will continue to follow the wildfire smoke rules to promote education and awareness of these health hazards to employees. Read this Insider blog post for updates on agency responsibilities. 

Washington lawmakers finalize budget, support WSDA

Amber Betts
WSDA Communications

Photo from the official Washington State Office of the Governor.

Gov. Inslee signed the 2023-25 operation budget into law May 16. 

The Washington State Legislature finished their session late last month making several decisions on the 2023-35 operation budget for WSDA. Governor Inslee signed the budget into law May 16.

Lawmakers approved a supplemental budget that adjusts the state’s two-year operating budget to address new developments and needs.

The Legislature included funding to provide state employees, not represented by a union or who are covered by a bargaining agreement that is not subject to financial feasibility determination, with a general wage increase of 4 percent starting July 1, 2023, and a wage increase of 3 percent starting July 2, 2024. State employees will also be eligible for a one-time $1,000 COVID-19 booster incentive. The funding also includes $1,000 recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously through July 1, 2023.

Below are some highlights from the budget bill. Some amounts represent one-time only funds, while others are ongoing.

In the approved supplemental budget, WSDA received additional funding for the following:

• Okanogan Soil Remediation Projects - $200,000 is available for grants to agricultural producers for soil remediation projects related to pesticide remnants.
• Invasive pest eradications - $3.1 million to eradicate the Japanese beetle detected in the Grandview area, $510,000 to eradicate the spongy moth.
• Hunger Relief – $20 million in this fiscal year will go toward grants to hunger relief organizations to support food security in Washington.
• Federal Funding Adjustment – WSDA received $5 million in federal spending authority for fiscal year 2023.

Lawmakers approved the 2023-25 Omnibus Operating Budget. Items include:

FOOD ASSISTANCE

Local Food System Assistance/Grants – $8 million is provided to support operations across the emergency food system, such as food processing, storage, transportation, supply chain linkages, and related technical assistance.

Food Assistance Program – The budget has $30 million slated for Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Food Assistance programs to support staff, food purchases, cold storage, distribution facilities and equipment at food banks and food pantries.

Food Assistance Spending Authority – $10.6 million in one-time spending authority is provided in the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund for food assistance spending previously appropriated in FY 2023 that may not be spent by the end of the fiscal year.

Food Bank Grant – $400,000 will fund a grant to a food bank in Pierce County for the continued provision of food bank services to low-income individuals, including costs related to the potential relocation of the food bank.

Farmers to Families Food Box – $35 million one-time funding is provided to continue the state alternative to the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, which directs emergency food resources to communities and was initially funded in the 2021-23 biennium.

Meat & Poultry Assistance – $1 million will continue to fund meat and poultry assistance and local meat processing capacity grants that were funded one-time in 2021-23.

Tri-Cities Food Bank – $255,000 will fund a one-time grant to Tri-Cities Food Bank to assist with food storage needs.

Food and Farm Finder Program – $200,000 in one-time funding is provided for a grant to a community-based organization in Whatcom County for the food and farm finder program, which connects local food producers with retail and wholesale consumers. (General Fund-State)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION

DEI Position – $344,000 is provided to implement the executive orders ‘Achieving Equity in Washington State Government’ and ‘Implementing Pro-Equity, Anti-Racism (PEAR),’ and to provide training on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Advancing EJ and PEAR – $406,000 is slated for community engagement, environmental justice (EJ), and pro-equity anti-racism (PEAR) efforts, including implementation of the HEAL Act, Chapter 314, Laws of 2021 (E2SSB 5141).

Equity and Farmers – In 2022, a legislatively directed report was completed by WSDA examining barriers and opportunities for inclusion and equity for underrepresented farmers and ranchers in Washington. One-time funding of $180,000 will continue the community engagement that informed this report and to respond to the report's recommendations.

RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION

Shellfish/Pest Management Plan – $2 million in one-time funding is provided for continued research on a suitable replacement for imidacloprid to address the impacts of burrowing shrimp on shellfish cultivation in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor.

Ag Competitiveness Study – One-time funding of $400,000 will go toward contracting with Washington State University's IMPACT Center to conduct an analysis of the challenges facing the state's agricultural producers.

Pesticides and Env Quality Research – $978,000 will provide funding to gain data analysis and research on pesticides and nutrients in groundwater.

Food and Ag Branding and Promo – $358,000 will go toward an assessment of best practices in food and agricultural branding and promotion program design, program guidelines, and stakeholder engagement, and staff to implement a related program, pursuant to Engrossed Senate Bill 5341 (WA food and agricultural products).

Psilocybin – Ongoing funding of $94,000 is provided for implementing the provisions of Second Substitute Senate Bill 5263 (Psilocybin), which requires WSDA to participate in the interagency psilocybin work group and psilocybin task force.

SOIL HEALTH

WA Soil Health Initiative – $581,000 will go to a voluntary program called Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources (STAR), which provides tools to producers to track soil health improvements and generates market-based incentives.

Food Safety and Pest Program Lab Move – WSDA is relocating its laboratory to a new, larger facility to accommodate services in food safety, public health, invasive species eradication projects, and monitoring for early detection of pests and diseases. One-time funding of $450,000 is provided for the decommissioning costs of the old WSDA laboratory.

Groundwater Mgt. Lower Yakima Valley $1.4 million in funding is provided to support work to reduce nitrate pollution in groundwater from irrigated agriculture in the Lower Yakima Valley.

PEST ERADICATION

Northern Giant Hornet – $2.042 million of one-time state and federal funds are provided for continued detection and eradication efforts for northern giant hornets.

Invasive Moth Survey & Eradication – Funding totaling $878,000 will be used for eradication treatments and follow-up monitoring for invasive moths.

Spotted Lanternfly – The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that feeds on a variety of crops, and is linked to an invasive tree known as tree-of-heaven. $240,000 in one-time funding is provided to continue early detection efforts for spotted lanternfly and removal of tree-of-heaven.

Popillia japonica Eradication – $7.3 million is provided to continue trapping and eradication efforts of Japanese beetle. Popillia japonica Newman, an invasive beetle, has been detected in Southeastern Washington.

RULEMAKING CHANGES

Livestock Identification – $14,000 expenditure authority is provided for rulemaking for changes to veterinarian and livestock inspector fees related to Chapter 46, Laws of 2023 (SSB 5439).

Clean Energy Siting – The Legislature approved $200,000 in funding for Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1216 (Clean energy siting), including participation in the Interagency Clean Energy Siting Coordinating Council and engagement with agricultural communities in relation to clean energy siting work.

Climate Change Response Strategy – One-time funding totaling $261,000 is provided for Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170 (Climate response strategy), which requires multiple agencies, led by the Department of Ecology, to update a statewide Integrated Climate Response Strategy.

STAFFING

Cottage Food Sales – $226,000 is provided for Substitute House Bill 1500 (Cottage food sales cap), including an additional staff position to process cottage food applications.

ESTABLISH STANDARDS

Establish Cannabis Lab Standards – $1.6 million will be used to establish marijuana testing lab quality standards by rule. This is for Chapter 135, Laws of 2022 (HB 1859), which created a multi-agency task force for cannabis lab standards and requires WSDA to establish testing standards.

Wolf Livestock Conflict Account – $688 in one-time funding is provided to continue grants for nonlethal deterrence of wolf predation on livestock and grants to the sheriffs' offices in Ferry and Stevens counties to assist in law enforcement and response.

Organic Materials Management – $3 million in funding is provided for grants reimbursing farmers for purchasing and using compost products, as authorized by Chapter 180, Laws of 2022 (E2SHB 1799). WSDA previously received funding for the administrative side of the grant program.

Pesticide Analysis in Cannabis – $1.2 million of one-time funding is provided for laboratory analysis of pesticides in cannabis that was previously funded through the Dedicated Cannabis Account.

Hemp Market Assistance – $128,000 of funding is provided to assist hemp producers with market access and to develop new markets, pursuant to Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5367 (Products containing THC).

In summary: The Washington State Legislature finished their 105-day session on April 23. During this session year, lawmakers approved a supplemental budget that adjusts the state’s two-year operating budget to address new developments and needs. 

May is Electrical Safety Month

By Jason Gambill
WSDA Senior Safety Officer
Agency employees p

lugging surge protectors into surge protectors is a fire hazard. Whether you work in an office, laboratory, or remote worksite, please ensure your workspace has surge protectors plugged directly into the outlets. According to the Edison Electric Institute, some other general safety tips are provided below:

Extension Cord Safety Tips

• Never use extension cords as a constant, long-term extension of your household’s electrical system. Continuous use can cause an extension cord to deteriorate and can result in a potentially dangerous electric shock or fire hazard.
• Never plug a space heater into an extension cord or power strip.
• Never plug two extension cords together. Doing so can result in overloaded circuits, short circuits, and damaged cords, which could lead to fires or electric shocks. Instead of plugging extension cords together, consider installing additional outlets where needed.
• Do not run cords through walls, doorways, ceilings, or under rugs or carpet. If a cord is covered, heat cannot escape and can create a fire hazard.
• Make sure that your extension cord or power strip is properly rated for the device that will be plugged in and is marked for either indoor or outdoor use.
• Regularly inspect electrical cords and extension cords for damage.

Indoor Safety Tips

• Reduce your electrical load by using energy-efficient appliances and lighting.
• Unplug small appliances when not in use.
• Use an outlet cover or plastic outlet cap to keep children safe around outlets.
• Make sure your home has smoke alarms. Evaluate and change out the batteries annually.

In summary: Whether you work in an office, laboratory, or remote worksite, please ensure your workspace has surge protectors plugged directly into the outlets.

Animal services team holds first in-person all-staff meeting since 2017

WSDA Director Derek Sandison
shakes hands with Washington State
Veterinarian Amber Itle at the
all-staff Animal Services Division
meeting. 

Amber Betts
WSDA Communications

Laughter filled the halls of the Yakima WSDA building as Animal Services team members walked through the conference room, papers in hand trying to find the matches to the ‘fun facts’ in their hands. The morning of the division’s first in-person meeting since 2017 with an icebreaker activity where the team learned fun facts about one another.

Fun facts: One teammate was a cartoonist, another swam with sharks, and another card read “I don’t like fun facts.”

The meeting continued with relevant updates and a special appearance from Director Derek Sandison. He said a few words of appreciation and presented the team with a framed poster highlighting the work of each member of the team responding to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) since May of last year.

The day continued with a mix of fun activities and program updates.

The day filled with appreciation, individualized recognition, and gifts of recognition for the division for a job well done.

The purpose of the meeting was to spend the day together as a team, give staff the opportunity to meet their fellow team members, learn about the great things each program within the division is working on and how the programs intersect… and have some fun as a team.

Dr. Ben Smith, Assistant State Veterinarian looks over
the poster presented to the team by Director Sandison. 

“I am incredibly proud of the extraordinary dedication and commitment to the work we all do whether that be disease response, routine inspections, administrative support or asset protection.  The animal services division staff dedicates long hours, embraces innovative methods, and diplomatically maneuvers difficult situations in the communities we serve every day,” State Veterinarian Dr. Amber Itle said. “The staff meeting gave us all a great opportunity to build trusting collaborative relationships to better serve the ag animal industry today and in the future.”  

Gerald Franks, Animal Disease
Traceability Data Consultant
shows off gloves he received
as a gift from the division. 

The Animal Services Division has weathered a number of staffing changes, proceeded through the COVID 19 pandemic, continued to develop program efficiencies and enhance technology, and make changes to meet stakeholder needs. 

“This meeting gave us the opportunity to celebrate our successes and explore our next steps forward as an organization. Recognizing employees for all they have done and continue to do was an important part of our meeting – we have amazing staff!” Jodi Jones, operations director, said. 

In summary: Animal Services team members held the division’s first in-person meeting since 2017 in Yakima last month. Director Sandison presented a recognition award to the team responding to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza response. 

The Animal Services Division held an in-person meeting for the first-time since 2017. The group poses for a photo outside the Yakima building. 

WSDA’s wellness initiatives recognized with state award

 Ron Hussung, WSDA Enterprise Risk Management Services

Stacy Laney accepting the Zo8 Award from
Sue Birch, Health Care Authority director

I’m proud to announce that WSDA won the 2023 Zo8 Washington Wellness award from the state Health Care Authority for our agency’s Wellness Program that aims to help employees be their best through positive behavior changes. The program has focused on enhancing wellbeing, reducing health and injury risks, and improving health consumer skills.

Stacy Laney, WSDA’s health and wellness coordinator, was recognized for excellence in managing our Wellness Program. She accepted the award at the annual Healthy Worksite Summit in March on behalf of the Enterprise Risk Management Services team which also includes Jason Gambill, Robert Ambriz, and Brenda Davis. 

The entire team was recognized for outstanding implementation of wellness events and training over 2022 and into 2023 by designing, promoting, and implementing strategies to promote worksite health for all employees. 

The team has hosted a variety of training events that included Mental Health First Aid Responders Course, Mental Health Basic C.A.R.E, De-escalation, Overcoming Toxic Stress and Trauma, Building Resiliency, and the 12-month resiliency series presented by Vibrant Soulful. 

Some award requirements included: 

• Working with leadership to define a wellness vision. 
• Leadership promotion and support of the program. 
• A diverse team from different units, backgrounds, and work roles. 
• Building a resilient and dependable wellness program. 
• Creating and implementing wellness policies. 
• Using effective channels to communicate. 
• Having an effective and sustainable budget.
• Tracking success.

The Healthy Worksite Summit is a collaboration of nonprofit organizations. Formerly known as the Evergreen Everwell Conference, this summit has occurred annually since 1987. 

About the Zo8 award:

• Zo in Greek means "live."
• The number 8 represents the eight steps in the wellness program project plan guide.
• The logo shape is the Flower of Life pattern, known to inspire.
• The colors are based on the four elements that support life - air, earth, water, and fire.

In summary: WSDA won the 2023 Zo8 Washington Wellness award from the state Health Care Authority for our agency’s Wellness Program that aims to help employees be their best through positive behavior changes. The program has focused on enhancing well-being, reducing health and injury risks, and improving health consumer skills. Read about it on the Insider blog. 

WSDA fitting place to close out state career

Kathy Davis, Communications

I can’t even estimate how many employee retirement profiles I’ve written during my career. So now that it’s time for me to make my exit, it seemed natural that I would write my own. 

After more than 40 years serving in state government, I will retire on May 1.  

I joined WSDA in December 2013, accepting a newly created position focused on employee communication. My personal mission has long been to help agencies support their workforce by providing the information and resources they need to be as productive and engaged as possible. 

I’ve been particularly fulfilled having a central role in making progress on internal communications at WSDA. For instance, in 2014 we established a weekly e-newsletter to be a reliable source of information for all staff and to cut down on individual blast emails. Two years later it was branded the “Connect.” 

This Insider employee blog launched in 2017 and now archives nearly six years of feature stories for and about WSDA employees. (You can look for a specific program, topic or person by putting a key word or two in the “Search This Blog” field in the right column.)

First job: Waiting in the 
state House wings, 1982

Of course the COVID-19 pandemic was like nothing I had ever experienced in my state communications career. It came on so fast; suddenly everything in the workplace changed. Employees needed to know what was happening and what was expected of them, so continuous communication was more essential than ever. 

My start

My first fulltime permanent state job was as a public information officer with House Democratic Communication, starting in 1982. I worked directly with state representatives such as Gary Locke, Denny Heck, Jolene Unsoeld and Mike Kreidler, to namedrop a few. 

Working in the Legislature for four years proved to be a valuable foundation for the rest of my career by giving me a front-row (and behind-the-scenes) view of how laws are made and how that dynamic affects agency policies and work. 

I then spent nearly 20 combined years supporting social services. This included two stints at the Department of Social and Health Services, and five years at the Office of Financial Management as communications manager for the WorkFirst Performance Team. 

Touring Seattle tunnel project
during early construction phase.

Being at the center of the national welfare reform movement in the 1990s was the most significant experience of my career. Gov. Locke was highly engaged; putting funds toward childcare, job training and business partnerships to support those entering the job market. The program wasn’t perfect, but at the time it felt like meaningful work to reduce poverty. 

Before coming to WSDA, I spent eight years at the Department of Ecology. Along with managing employee communications, I served as lead communicator for the solid and hazardous waste programs and the agency’s toxics reduction initiative.  

In between those jobs, I held shorter stints at the departments of Labor & Industries, Health, and Fish and Wildlife. Looking back, I’m grateful my transferable skills allowed me to delve into a wide range of issues affecting state residents. It also re-enforced how every agency has its own unique culture. 

On the pesticide commission tour in Eastern Washington, 2014.

Having been raised in the middle of “America’s Dairyland” (rural Wisconsin), ending my career with agriculture seems fitting. A while back I edited a study guide for milk haulers. It triggered a flood of memories of my dad who for years drove his own tanker truck and collected milk from area farms. The scent of the milkhouse came right back to me. 

I’m looking forward to throwing myself into my yard and garden this spring and summer. I plan to spend more time with friends (weekday hike or pickleball, anyone?), and visit family in Florida. I hope to get involved with causes I care about and turn more than 50 years of personal journal-keeping into a concise memoir to leave my kids. 

I am grateful for all the many wonderful people I have worked with here at WSDA. Thanks for the memories!

In summary: After 40 years serving in Washington State government, with the final nearly 10 at WSDA, Kathy Davis is retiring on May 1. As the agency’s internal communications coordinator, she penned her own retirement profile for the Insider blog, and recounts the highlights of her career and work that was most meaningful to her.  

WSDA women learn state history on Governor’s Mansion tour

Kathy Davis, Communications

Washington State played a pivotal role in the decades-long effort to extend women the right to vote. After uneven progress, Washington became the fifth state in the country to allow women to vote in 1910. 

On March 22, 1920, our Legislature unanimously ratified the 19th Amendment for Women’s Suffrage, becoming the 35th state to do so. Five months later, Tennessee became the last of the three-quarters of states needed to enshrine the amendment in the U.S. Constitution. 

A dozen women from WSDA learned about this history on March 1, the first day of Women’s History Month, on a special tour of the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia. 

During the tour, costumed performers portraying women of the era who were central to Washington’s suffrage movement explained their role, the dynamics of the process, and read statements they’d made at the time. 

This program was originally created to celebrate the 2020 Suffrage Centennial, supported by a Votes for Women Centennial Grant through the Washington State Women’s Commission and the Washington State Historical Society.

Organized by Robin Schoen-Nessa, assistant director or the Pesticide Management Division, the WSDA group who participated in the tour are pictured above from right to left, front to back row: Kelle Davis, Daleena Blair, Flora Mullen, Haydee Pingol, Kelly McLain, Becky McGuire, Maryann Connell, Savannah Richard, Robin, Luisa Castro, and Jaclyn Hancock. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed the tour,” Robin said. “I loved the women’s history shared, especially finding out that Washington was one of the first five states to legalize the right to vote before it became a national issue. So proud to be a citizen of our state.” 

To learn more about Washington’s history of women’s suffrage, visit the Governor’s Mansion Foundation webpage. It includes a video of the live portrayals featured on the tour.  

Farmland artwork 

A special treat of the mansion tour included an exhibit of paintings by Richland native, Consuelo Soto Murphy, who was a migrant farmworker as a child. Along with her family, Consuelo followed field work across the U.S. before eventually settling in the Yakima Valley.

According to her website, “Despite the grueling, backbreaking work, Consuelo's art pieces are inspired by the positive memories of the beautiful landscapes, the flourishing crops, and the love and relationships forged with her family and friends.”

The WSDA group was awed by the large colorful depictions of rural landscapes and crop harvesting – including asparagus, potatoes, strawberries, sunflowers and more. 

“I enjoyed the colorful artwork display, and I did not know that Gov. Inslee is an artist too,” noted Flora. Another interesting fact learned on the tour!

In summary: Washington State played a pivotal role in the decades-long effort to extend women the right to vote. On March 22, 1920, our Legislature unanimously ratified the 19th Amendment for Women’s Suffrage, the second-to-last state needed to enshrine the amendment in the U.S. Constitution. A dozen women from WSDA learned about this history on March 1, the first day of Women’s History Month, on a special tour of the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia. Read about it in this Insider blog post.