Weeds are also spread via mulch - chopped-up straw used as ground cover to prevent water erosion and hold seed in place. Mulch is also included in waddles - those plastic-wrapped, sausage-like bags strung along roadsides to control water flow.
So when certified weed feed forage programs first began, horse owners wondered why they were singled out. Do horses spread that many weed seeds specifically via horse manure? In California, which has the largest number of equestrian trails on public lands of any state, USFS personnel point out that "horses are the least contributors to weed spread. CalTrans [the California Department of Transportation], logging, mining, and construction projects bring in more weed seeds than stock." So it's understandable that horse owners feel "picked on."
That said, horse owners aren't opposed to keeping federal lands environmentally sound and weed free. After all, equestrians are highly visible recreational users dedicated to trail preservation, management, and use.
Finding Certified Forage
Certified weed free forage is available as alfalfa hay, grass hay, pelleted and cubed forage, grain hay (grain heads mixed with stem), and straw. But it's not always easy to find certified forage; here's how to get started.
Determine restrictions. Contact the public land agency on which you plan to visit to find out its particular restrictions. Some may require certified forage in specific locations only. Designated wilderness areas automatically require the use of certified forage under the Wilderness Act, but outside the designated area, such forage might not be required.
Expert tip: When calling a federal agency, find a knowledgeable person who can answer your questions. If the person you reach seems unsure about the subject, ask about corroborating paperwork. In some cases, agency personnel think such certified forage is required but can provide no official Closure Notice requiring certified forage.
Contact the relevant agricultural department. Contact the agriculture department of the state or states you plan to visit and request a list of certified forage growers. Some states, such as Utah and Nevada, have such lists. Other states, such as California, do not, so you'll need to contact each county's agricultural commissioner.
You can do some online research. For instance, the NAWMA lists growers in some states and Canadian regions. (Visit www.nawma.org, and click on "Weed Free Forage.") You can also type in "[state] agricultural department" into a search engine and follow the links. But note that such websites may not always be completely up-to-date, so call the grower before you head out.
Expert tip: Ask what type of certification the grower will provide; some issue a certificate, others mark each bale with colored twine or other type of tag. California issues a Certificate of Quarantine Compliance; there are no identifying marks on the bales.
Shopping Tips
There are several things to keep in mind as you shop for certified weed free forage; here's a rundown.
Check prices. Don't be shy about pricing certified forage. Prices vary widely. To save time (and fuel), call ahead to check prices before driving out.
Check bales. When checking bales, ask what type of grasses they contain. Some agencies won't accept certified forage if timothy hay is mixed in, because they consider timothy a weed.
Be pellet-/cube-savvy. Some areas allow only pelleted feed. If you need to go this route, make sure the certified weed free pellets offered do indeed qualify as weed free. Pellets must be processed at a specific temperature to reach weed free
status, and the pellet grinding has to be a certain gauge to verify seed destruction. Note that cubed feed generally isn't considered weed free unless it's processed from certified weed free fields.
Expert tips: Make sure the certification tag remains on the sack after you open it. A ranger or other land manager will need to see the tag on the sack to verify certification. And, if you're changing your horse's diet from, say, baled hay to pellets or cubes, begin gradually. Start changing over to the new feed at least four or five days before you leave so your horse's gut can get used to the new feed; sudden feed changes can cause colic.
Get a certificate. If you buy certified forage at a feed store, get a certificate. Some feed loads are sold in lots, so there's only one certificate for the whole load. The feed store should give you a copy of that certificate. (Some feed stores have a stamp made up that will list number of bales purchased, locations, certification numbers, etc.) If the store doesn't provide a certificate, make sure your receipt says "Certified Weed Free Feed."
Once you've purchased certified forage, keep it covered and separate from any other feed to prevent outside weed contamination. Then enjoy your riding adventure knowing you're complying with regulations and helping to keep your favorite trails free of invasive weeds.
