Division Updates
Administration
ASSIGNED TASK EMAIL REMINDER - Submitted by Deb Smith
Emails have gone out again this week from the State of Wyoming regarding an assigned task. These emails are being sent out to all in a staggered fashioned. Approximately one half of us have not been notified to complete this task. The State of Wyoming is requiring employees to review and sign off on the State of Wyoming Vehicle Use Policy yearly. The email address this request is sent from is: rminfo@mail-app.lossfreerx.com in case you are concerned about the legitimacy of the email.
The process takes just a few minutes to complete. Please respond to the request and then send your completed certificate to me. This certificate can be found when you click on the Completed Task tab. If you have questions or concerns please contact Deb Smith.
Analytical Services Laboratory
Laboratory Status - Submitted by Teresa Jarvis
After reporting at the Board of Agriculture this morning, I wanted to share our laboratory updates with the rest of the department.
- ASL currently has 3 vacant positions. Just like every other department, the number of qualified candidates applying for our vacant positions has decreased greatly. We hope to fill these positions soon.
- For the 2021 hemp season ASL reported 0 violations of the Acceptable Hemp Level of 0.3% Delta 9 THC. This is much better than 2020 when we had almost 30% violations in hemp samples. The main difference may be due to a change that the USDA made in Testing Guidelines in early 2021. The new guideline says that we can process/grind a sample without excluding hemp seeds and stems. Keeping the hemp sample whole and not removing seeds and stems prior to processing/testing makes sense because seeds and stems do not contain THC.
- We are moving into our busy season for water samples. Usually by mid-May our water testing volumes are ticking up.
- We have seen about a 15% increase of water samples over the previous year. For some reason during the middle of the pandemic our water samples decreased.
- We have secured a contract from the Sheridan VA to do some water testing for their medical center and dental clinics, which has increased our water testing volume.
- Other samples matrices testing volume remains steady. These other sample matrices include: meat pathogens & meat chemistry, dairy, manufactured human food, animal food, fertilizer, pesticide complaints/commodities and forage.
- We are currently preparing for two audits this summer. USDA FSIS will be in the laboratory in early June to examine our meat testing program to ensure it meets their “Equal-To” requirements. A2LA will be in the laboratory in early August to complete our ISO 17025 accreditation assessment.
Natural Resources and Policy
Appointments... Appointments Everywhere - Submitted by Michelle MacDonald
If you tuned in to the Board of Agriculture meeting yesterday, you may have noticed quite a few Conservation District supervisor appointments on the agenda for the Board to review. Our state is composed of 34 Conservation Districts and each district has an elected board of five supervisors who oversee the district. The supervisor terms are staggered and comprised of three rural members, one urban member, and one at-large member. One of my duties is to track the term of each supervisor and work with county clerks during general election years to make sure the correct supervisors are on the ballots. When supervisors resign from boards between election seasons, replacements must be appointed by the Board of Agriculture. I assist in this process as well as track whether these newly minted supervisors are eligible to be on the next general election ballot for a 2-year or 4-year term. Keeping track of 170 board terms and positions isn’t for the faint of heart! But, it is a duty I enjoy while serving the state of Wyoming and our wonderful, hard-working Conservation Districts!
Technical Services
Leaf Cutter Bees - Submitted by Cort Jones
Winter is Leaf cutter bee inspection season for the Department of Agriculture in Northwest Wyoming. This is a little known service the department offers to the Alfalfa Seed Growers across the state. In conjunction with the growers association, law and regulation was introduced to manage and uphold stringent health standards on the farmed bee population in the state. Throughout the nation, Wyoming is the only state with such strict standards for the importation and movement of leaf cutter bees. This was a move brought on not by the state, but the grower’s. It was quite an eye opening experience to see how successful Wyoming has been in keeping a healthy bee population. This was my first experience ever seeing a push for wanted regulation in a community across the entire state. Wyoming is internationally recognized for the health and ability to almost self-support our bee population. Most states in the nation did a similar program, but over the years the regulation and enforcement has fallen to the wayside. In collaboration with the growers we are making steps to improve and increase restrictions on new parasite’s, lowering thresholds of acceptable infestations, and overall working to improve the management of this vital resource. Without a sustainable leaf cutter bee population, the alfalfa seed industry is unable to produce seed to supply the nation. Without the continued support of the growers, this program would not be a success, nor would the industry continue to exist and thrive.
Consumer Health Services
The Food Truck Craze - Submitted by Chelle Schwope
This letter was Borrowed from the Wyoming Environmental Health Association’s newsletter and written by Josie Prince with Cheyenne/Laramie County Health. It sums up the food truck situation pretty well.
Dear food truck entrepreneur,
I sincerely ask that you check with the local regulatory agency where you will be working before you purchase a mobile food unit. Even if the seller of the unit says it’s been licensed before in so an so state… They may be ok in one place and not ok in another. More than likely, you’ve already purchased it or have started having the truck built so we’ll have to discuss what all you’ll need to add and or change. We’ll talk for hours about what you need to do and how, yes, you’ll need to fit a three compartment sink with drain boards, a prep sink AND a hand sink all in the unit and how your crockpots won’t cut it. Oh and you’re frying things? You’re going to need a $$$$$$$ hood as well. Here’s the fire departments phone number too. Once you’ve finally passed that Food Safety Manager Certification we can do your inspection and you’ll be able to begin your new adventure. Don’t forget, we’ll stop by and check in on you from time to time. When we show up, and there’s no water available at the hand sink, we’ll ask how you’re washing your hands. You’ll pretend it “just ran out” or that it is okay because your water is located not here but in Laramie and we’ll have to shut down the operation until you can refill your water tank. Other than that, be mindful of cross contamination since there’s barely any cooler or prep space, the sauna that is your mobile unit may cause your coolers and food in those coolers to enter into the danger zone and keep those openings screened so you can reduce your fly count from 100 to 90! Happy food trucking!
Sincerely,
Your health inspector
April 14-15: WY Beef Council Board Meeting, Riverton
June 8-11: WY Stock Growers Association 150th Anniversary Convention, Cheyenne
August 16-20: Wyoming State Fair, Douglas
The Employee Resource and Engagement Committee is looking to honor employees who have assisted the Department in meeting our goals of customer service, education, and program management. Please use this form to highlight specific instances where employees have gone above and beyond in the performance of their duties or any other outstanding service of the nominee to the Department.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE A WDA EMPLOYEE
If you are able/willing, please consider donating some money to this important fund. The Card and Flower fund is used to send cards and/or flowers to employees who are, or have family members who are, experiencing significant life events. If you are interested/able to contribute to the fund, please contact Kerry Adams here in the main office. Thanks!
Derek
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