This activity provides executive leadership, policy development and review, financial services, computer and information technology services, human resources services, communications, administrative procedures guidance, legal services, employee safety, and risk management programs for the department's 27 activities. The budget amounts for this activity are the overhead component of agency administrative costs.

The Fairs program provides about $2 million in financial assistance to agricultural fairs and youth shows each year. The director of the Department of Agriculture appoints a seven-member Fairs Commission to recommend fund allocations to participating fairs. This program coordinates the activities of the commission, audits all required reports and information from participating fairs, and administers a capital budget grant program to improve safety and access at fairs. Currently, 66 fairs participate in the Fairs program.

This activity provides funding for activities that promote, support, or protect the state's agricultural industry, primarily federal funding for specialty crop block grant projects that enhance the competiveness of Washington state grown fruits, vegetables, and horticulture and nursery crops in domestic or foreign markets. It also includes variable federal funding for specific projects.

The Animal Health program protects animals and the public from communicable animal diseases, such as brucellosis, tuberculosis, rabies, avian influenza, and others. The program monitors the health of animals entering the state, conducts inspections to verify compliance with the animal health law, requires reporting and controlling of certain diseases, conducts tests and inspections to detect selected diseases, carries out an in-state animal disease traceability system, and prepares for and responds to animal health emergencies. It cooperates with universities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other agencies.

The Chemistry Laboratory in Yakima supports department programs by analyzing samples taken in investigations of alleged pesticide misuse, monitoring for pesticide residues in foods, and determining if commercial feed and fertilizer samples meet label guarantees. These activities are funded by a mix of state, federal, and local funds. The laboratory also participates in a federally funded program for monitoring pesticide residue levels in fruits, vegetables, and other commodities, and performs fee-for-service chemical analysis for the hop industry.

The Commission Merchants program protects agricultural producers against theft, fraud, and unfair business practices by licensing persons and businesses involved in buying and selling agricultural products. Licensees who purchase or handle agricultural products on consignment must be bonded. Funded by license fees, the program investigates producer complaints against commission merchants and cooperates with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. (Agricultural Local Account-Nonappropriated)

This program administers agency responsibilities related to the state's 23 agricultural commodity commissions. Each commission is funded by producers and engages primarily in marketing and/or research related to its specific commodity. The Director of Agriculture is a board member of each commission. The program reviews and approves commission programs and budgets; supervises or coordinates the nomination, election, or appointment of commission members; and oversees the issuance, amendment, or termination of commission marketing orders.

The Commercial Feed program regulates the distribution of animal feeds to ensure product identity, quality, and proper labeling. It registers and reviews labels of pet food products, and licenses manufacturers and initial distributors of other animal feed products. It inspects feed mills for compliance with good manufacturing practices, and also analyzes feed samples to determine accuracy of label guarantees. The activity is funded primarily by fees paid by the feed industry.

The Commercial Fertilizer program licenses bulk fertilizer facilities, registers all fertilizer products for distribution in the state, and analyzes fertilizer samples to verify label guarantees for plant nutrients and to ensure that heavy metal content does not exceed state standards. It inspects fertilizer manufacturing, distribution, and storage facilities for compliance with requirements and inspects irrigation systems used for fertigation to ensure required safeguards are in place to prevent ground water and surface water contamination. The program is funded entirely by fees paid by the fertilizer industry.

The Food Safety program protects the public from injury and illness caused by food products that are contaminated, adulterated, or otherwise unfit for consumption. This is accomplished through surveillance, regulation, and inspection of the dairy, egg, and food processing and food storage industries. Inspectors examine facilities for such things as product adulteration, cleanliness, proper handling and storage, and sanitary preparation techniques. The program investigates consumer complaints and responds as needed to food related emergencies. It is funded by a mix of state and federal funds, and fees paid by the dairy, egg and food processing and storage industries.

The Fruit and Vegetable Inspection program provides inspection services to the fresh produce and processing industry to ensure orderly marketing of fruits and vegetables. Commodities are inspected for quality, size, labeling, condition, and contract specifications, and may be certified as free from disease and insects as required by domestic and international markets. These services are provided through district offices in Yakima and Wenatchee and seven field offices. This is a self supporting, fee for service program.

The Grain Inspection program provides inspection and analytical and weighing services to ensure orderly commerce for grain, dry peas, dry beans, lentils, rapeseed, and similar commodities sold in or from Washington. These services are offered at the ports of Seattle, Tacoma, Grays Harbor, Longview, Kalama, and Vancouver and at offices in Spokane, Colfax, and Pasco, with a quality assurance laboratory in Olympia. This is a self-supporting fee for service program which provides service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, upon request.

The Grain Warehouse Audit program protects grain producers from undue losses by licensing and bonding grain storage warehouses and grain dealers. The program audits each licensee to assure producers and depositors that licensees are meeting storage requirements and other contractual obligations. The program is funded by license fees.

The Hop Inspection program performs physical grading and chemical analysis of the Washington hop crop (75 percent of the nation's supply) to ensure orderly international and domestic marketing. This is a self-supporting program that is funded by fees paid by hop producers and dealers for requested services.

The International Marketing program assists food and agricultural companies in selling their products internationally. It contracts with trade representatives in the major markets of Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia to assist Washington businesses with export transactions and market development. It offers one-on-one assistance to export-ready businesses; organizes and leads companies on trade missions and to major trade shows; and develops and distributes information to buyers on the state's agricultural suppliers. The program works closely with commodity commissions and the Governor's Office to fight trade barriers that prevent or limit overseas market access for Washington's agricultural and food products.

The Livestock Brand Inspection program maintains the official recordings of about 5,600 livestock brands. As a theft prevention measure, cattle and horses are inspected for brands or other proof of ownership at public livestock markets, slaughter plants, and prior to moving out of state. Cattle are also inspected at certified feed lots and at change of ownership. The program licenses and bonds public livestock markets to ensure proper payment for cattle, and also licenses and audits certified feed lots to verify inspection certificates for slaughtered cattle. This program is funded through fees paid by the livestock industry.

The Dairy Nutrient Management program inspects the state's dairy farms, provides technical assistance, and takes action to ensure the dairies comply with state and federal water quality laws. It coordinates with the Department of Ecology on the regulation of those dairies and other concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that hold a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

The Food Safety and Consumer Services Laboratory, located in Olympia, supports the department’s Food Safety Program and Animal Feed Program by testing food, retail raw milk, and feed for food-borne pathogens and prohibited materials. As a U.S. FDA Certified State Central Dairy Reference Laboratory, it also tests dairy products for quality standards and to meet requirements for the interstate shipment of milk required by RCW 15.36. Staff inspect and certify private dairy laboratories throughout Washington State which perform officially sanctioned dairy microbiology. The laboratory participates in federally funded programs to monitor pathogenic organisms in the nations’ food supply, prohibited materials in the feed supply, maintain laboratory accreditation, respond to food-related emergencies and other cooperative efforts.

The Nursery Inspection program inspects nurseries to ensure that consumers and the nursery industry are provided healthy, pest-free, and disease-free plant materials. The program licenses nursery dealers and Christmas tree growers, enforces agricultural quarantines to prevent pest introduction and, on request, provides inspection services to certify that Washington nursery stock and plant materials are free from disease and insects, as required by domestic and international markets. The program is funded by license fees paid by nursery dealers and Christmas tree growers and fees paid for requested inspections.

The Organic Food program protects consumers and supports the organic food industry by ensuring that all food products making organic claims meet standards for organic production and labeling. It inspects, certifies, and provides technical assistance to more than 1,100 organic producers, processors, and handlers. It evaluates and registers materials that can be used in organic food production, processing, and handling. The program is funded by fees paid by the organic industry.

The Pesticide Program regulates the sale and use of pesticides in Washington. It investigates complaints of pesticide misuse, conducts field inspections of pesticide manufacturers and applicators, and provides technical assistance to pesticide users. It reviews and registers all pesticide products for use in the state. It licenses and administers a continuing education program for more than 22,000 pesticide applicators, dealers and consultants, and structural pest inspectors, and oversees a program to train Spanish-speaking farm workers in the safe and legal use of pesticides. It administers the waste pesticide program which disposes of prohibited or unusable pesticides from farms. It also protects resources such as ground water from pesticide or fertilizer contamination and conducts selected surface water monitoring as part of a program to evaluate and mitigate the impact of pesticides on threatened or endangered species.

The Plant Protection program protects the state's resources by preventing the establishment of high-risk insects, plant diseases, weeds, and other pests. Staff conduct surveys and inspections, disseminate information and research, enforce agricultural quarantines, provide laboratory diagnostic services, and carry out projects to eradicate pests. The program coordinates statewide efforts to eradicate spartina, and to control invasive knotweeds and other selected weeds. It works with the State Noxious Weed Control Board and local weed boards and districts.

The Planting Stock Certification program provides testing and inspection services to ensure disease-free planting stock for various agricultural industries. Voluntary certification programs are currently provided for fruit trees and related ornamentals, seed potatoes, hops, grapes, mint, garlic, caneberries, and strawberries. This is a self-supporting, fee-for-service program.

The Seed Inspection program conducts pre-harvest field inspections and laboratory testing of agricultural, vegetable, and flower seeds grown under the seed certification program. It tests seed samples submitted by seed growers and companies to determine compliance with purity and germination standards and to certify seed for domestic and international marketing. It operates the only official seed testing laboratory in the state. This is a self-supporting, fee for service program.

This activity assists small farms in their direct marketing efforts by providing tools and assistance to help small farms comply with government regulations and facilitating increased procurement of Washington-grown food by schools.

The Weights and Measures program regulates the use and accuracy of all commercial weighing, measuring, and counting devices, including gas pumps, grocery store scale systems, price scanners, vehicle tank meters, and liquid petroleum gas measuring devices. Staff inspect and test devices for accuracy and suitability for service. The program regulates motor fuel quality, including biofuels quality, by analyzing fuel samples for octane, oxygenate, and other product quality factors. The program also operates the state metrology laboratory and provides calibration services to businesses, laboratories, and government entities.

The Food Assistance and Distribution program distributes state and federal funds and food provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to 32 tribes and through local community organizations that work with more than 450 food banks, food pantries and meal programs to combat hunger and improve the health of low income individuals and families. Staff develop and issue contracts and funding; provide food ordering, warehousing and shipping logistics services; participate in emergency management, including food recalls; offer technical assistance and nutrition education information; and monitor compliance with state and federal requirements.