Check allowable feeds. In some areas, pellets are the only allowed feed. Pellets must be processed at a specific temperature to reach a weed-free status, plus the pellet grinding has to be a certain gauge to verify seed destruction. Note that hay cubes generally aren't considered weed-free unless they've been processed from fields that have themselves been certified as weed-free.
Price bales. Prices vary widely. Save time by checking prices before driving out.
Ask about bale contents. When checking bales, ask what the bale is composed of - pure oat, a grass mixture (and if so, what kinds of grasses), etc. Some national parks won't accept even certified weed-free feed bales if timothy is mixed in, because they consider timothy a weed.
Get proof of certification. If you buy weed-free feed at a feed store, ask for a copy of the certificate. (Sometimes, there's only one certificate for the whole hay load delivered from the field.) If the store doesn't provide you with a certificate, make sure the receipt says "Certified Weed Free Feed."
Keep the proof. In some states, Certified Weed Free Feed has a colored twine. In other states, a tag is attached to each bale, so keep this tag on after opening. Some sacks will have "Certified Weed Free Pellets" stamped on the sack, which is more convenient. In California, you get certification papers; there are no identifying marks on the bales.
Cover the feed. Keep your feed covered to prevent outside weed contamination.
Feed-Requirement Update
In the Pacific Northwest, a new requirement requiring the use of certified weed-free straw and feed in USFS wilderness areas went into effect on January 1, 2007. On January 1, 2009, this requirement will become effective in those wilderness areas nationwide.
The majority of states don't have a weed-free feed/forage certification program in place for public lands managed by other agencies. But agencies within a state may have "requests" or "requirements" for feeding weed-free feed.
A new term appearing in many public-land publications is "best available quality." In other words, if you can't find Certified Weed Free Feed, it's acceptable to buy and use best-available-quality feed when on public lands. Note that top-quality (A-rated) hay has little or no weeds; the lowest-quality (F-rated) hay might contain not only weeds, but rocks, dirt, sticks, and other debris.
When buying "best available quality" hay, ask for a receipt from the dealer or producer showing the bales' grade. Use this receipt as proof that you're feeding high-quality, almost-weed-free hay.
Most weed-free regulations are based in the western states. Here's a rundown of recent updates.
• California. The California National Park Service is in the process of writing its Best Management Practices for Equestrians on NPS Lands, in which Certified Weed Free Feed and Certified Weed Free Pellets are requested. But in areas where the feed isn't available, says the report, "the best available quality of forage should be utilized when feeding stock." Note that the state has its own California Certified Weed Free Pellet: Elk Grove Milling in Elk Grove (www.elkgrovemilling.com). These pellets are milled at the proper temperature, and the bags are well-marked with stitching.
• Colorado; Idaho; Montana; Oregon (some counties); Utah; Wyoming. These states have programs for certifying forage as Certified Baled Feed. But even then, the weed lists used by each state differ not only among themselves but among agencies. For example, timothy hay is considered a noxious weed at Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park.
• Nevada. Nevada has a baled-hay certification program in place. (For a list of Certified Baled Hay producers, visit www.nevadadepartmentofagriculture.gov.) Note that a popular section of the Toiyabe National Forest (that includes Wolf Creek Pass) is located in California. But to ride or camp there, you must drive into Nevada to buy Nevada Certified Weed Free Feed, since the area is managed out of the USFS office in Carson City, Nevada.
Final Note
Weed-free feed requests and requirements are here to stay, so learn the rules before you ride or camp on public lands. Get involved in trail actions. Plan your home feeding program to include some weed-free pellets or baled hay. By becoming proactive instead of reactive, public lands will remain open to equestrian use
