WAC 16-301-430   Identification and disposition of diseased bean seed and infected bean fields.  (1) Any bean field planted with seed in violation of the requirements of this quarantine is subject to destruction, in full or in part, or quarantined, as determined necessary by the director, to prevent the spread of regulated diseases. Any expenses of such actions will be solely that of the grower or their responsible agents.

     (a) Fields that are placed under a quarantine order must be entered into the Washington state bean seed phyto-sanitary inspection program as provided in WAC 16-301-235 with all costs of inspection to be borne by the grower or the grower's agent.

     (b) Fields that are placed under a quarantine order may be subject to additional requirements for inspection, control or isolation, as deemed necessary by the director, to prevent the spread of regulated diseases.

     (2) Any bean field determined to be infected with a regulated disease must be reported within seventy-two hours after discovery to the department, seed program.

     (3) The department encourages the aid of all interested parties, including growers and seed company representatives, in the prompt reporting of suspected infected bean fields in order that timely investigation may be made.

     (4) Any bean fields within the boundaries of the regulated area which show contamination by a regulated disease, as provided in subsection (5) of this section, must be destroyed in part or in total as may be required to eliminate the disease, by or at the expense of the grower or their responsible agents. The director may authorize any other method of control at the director's discretion. The director must notify the grower, seed company representatives and/or the grower's landlord of the method and extent of the destruction and safeguards against disease spread in order for the parties to comply.

     (5) The identity of a regulated disease on growing plants or plants in windrow is based on the observance of the visual symptoms of the disease. If the department deems it necessary to establish true identity or pathogenically, a laboratory and/or greenhouse test may be conducted by the department in cooperation with the university. Testing is subject to provisions provided in WAC 16-301-396 (3) and (4), the results of which will be used to determine final disposition.

     (a) In cases of disagreement concerning the presence of a regulated disease between the department plant pathologist and a qualified plant pathologist representing the commercial company or grower, the definitive verification of identity or pathogenically must be determined by isolation of the suspected pathogen and inoculation of seedlings of a known susceptible host using accepted scientific and professional techniques.

     (b) Until verification of the suspected pathogen as specified in this section is completed, the involved planting must be placed under quarantine for a period of thirty days subject to conditions and review or extension as determined by the director. Entry into the quarantined area is to be restricted to the grower or grower's agents, department employees, and/or persons authorized in writing by the director. Persons granted entry into the quarantined area will be required to take all necessary sanitary precautions as prescribed by the director to safeguard against the possible spread of the suspected regulated disease.

     (6) The true identity of the regulated disease when found in or on seed is based on testing methods recommended by the university results of which, when positive, is evidence to identify the disease as being subject to the department's requirements. The owner of the seed, at owner's expense, may request verification of pathogenicity. Such verification must be made using accepted scientific and professional techniques.

     (7) When the director determines that it is probable, based on visual symptoms and serological analysis, that a seed field may be infected with bean seed-borne viral diseases and determines that a threat of infection of other fields exists, the director may prescribe aphid control or other requirements, through a notice of destruction as provided in WAC 16-301-435, deemed necessary to prevent infection of adjacent properties.

     (8) All bean seed that is determined to be contaminated by bean seed-borne viral diseases and which does not meet the requirements of WAC 16-301-395(2) must be destroyed or diverted to dry edible or other nonseed purposes. For seed that is diverted to dry edible or other nonseed purposes, documentation of disposition of the seed must be provided to the department of agriculture upon request.

     (9) Exemptions and special situations:

     (a) Any field of beans first found infected during windrow inspection, is exempt from total destruction if the diseased portion and an area (not less than a fifty-foot radius) surrounding the infected site is promptly destroyed or harvested with the beans from the infected area directed, under department supervision, to processing. Seed from the remainder of the field must be tested by a serology test. Only seed apparently free from regulated diseases may be used for seed purposes in the regulated area.

     (b) Any field of beans to be used only for dry edible purposes is exempt from destruction if the diseased portion of the field is destroyed and the entire crop residue is promptly and completely destroyed after harvest.

     (c) Beans for processing or fresh consumption are exempt from destruction if the diseased portion of the field is destroyed or harvested within ten days after first detection and/or verification as provided in subsection (4) of this section and the crop residue is promptly and completely destroyed after harvest.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 15.49.310, 17.24.011, 17.24.041 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 04-08-043, § 16-301-430, filed 3/31/04, effective 5/1/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 15.49.005, 15.49.081, 15.49.310, 15.49.370(3) and chapter 17.24 RCW. 00-24-077, § 16-301-430, filed 12/4/00, effective 1/4/01.]