North American Invasive Species Management Association
Weed Free Products Program
The NAISMA Weed Free Products program is the only program in North America that provides land managers with assurance that noxious weeds will not be spread through the movement of forage, hay, mulch, or gravel brought in to the property. Weed Free Products maintains a list of standards, provides guidelines, and ensures uniform training and participation.
Many federal, state, and local lands require the use of certified weed free forage, gravel or mulch on their properties. Partnering agencies are welcome to include additional species and standards to their own programs. MOU holders are simply required to meet the minimum standards as described.
The Weed Free Product standards are designed:
- to provide some assurance to all participants that forage and/or gravel certified through this program meets a minimum acceptable standard.
- to provide continuity between the various provinces and states in the program.
- to limit the spread of noxious weeds through forage, mulch, and gravel.
Please email Elizabeth Brown, Weed Free Products Program manager at with any questions.
Find your State Agency to Purchase Weed Free Forage, Gravel, or Mulch.
Agency and Inspector Information
Participating agencies must be a unit of government — such as a state Department of Agriculture, County Government, Crop Improvement Association that is contracted by the state, or other government entity—that regulates prohibited weeds. Participating agencies may participate in Weed Free Forage, Weed Free Gravel, or both certification programs.
MOU Agencies or Organizations
To become a NAISMA Weed Product state:
- Download the Memorandum of Understanding. Select Weed Free Forage, Weed Free Gravel Program, Weed Free Mulch or a combination on the MOU form. Participating agencies may participate in one or a combination of certification programs.
- The authorized agency representative fills out, scans, and emails MOU to or mail to NAISMA, 1123 N. Water St., Suite 400, Office #9, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
To maintain your state’s Weed Free Product program:
- Authorized representative of MOU agency identifies inspectors who will participate in the Weed Free Product training and sends email addresses of inspectors to .
Authorized representative of MOU agency pays Weed Free Product Program Fee ($100) here. Program fee is required annually by the end of the calendar year for current certification.
If you require an invoice, proceed through the checkout process or request an invoice from Elizabeth Brown.
Individual Inspectors
To become a Weed Free Product inspector:
All inspectors of a participating agency with current MOU are required to either:
- Attend the NAISMA Weed Free Product training at the Annual Meeting every 3 years, or
- Complete training online every 3 years. Click here to register for training.
If you are an inspector from a participating state and need to take the online training, sign up for online training here. You will receive login information to take the training within 2 business days of receiving payment.
Inspectors, upon passing the inspection training quiz, will receive an inspector training certificate good for 3 years.
If you require an invoice, proceed through the checkout process or request an invoice from Elizabeth Brown.
Program Documents
- Weed Free Forage and/or Gravel MOU
- Weed Free Forage Minimum Standards
- Weed Free Forage Inspection Form
Note: Program participants can customize the Inspection Form to meet local needs. Appendix B from Minimum Standards must be included. - Weed Free Gravel Minimum Standards
- Weed Free Gravel Inspection Form
- Weed Free Mulch Minimum Standards
- Weed Free Mulch Inspection Form
- Weed Free Forage Brochure
Participating agencies must be a unit of government — such as a state Department of Agriculture, County Government, Crop Improvement Association that is contracted by the state, or other government entity—that regulates prohibited weeds. Participating agencies may participate in Weed Free Forage, Weed Free Gravel, or both certification programs.
Academic Work On Weed Free Products
- Weed Seed Survival in Livestock Systems – Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota
- Variation in Weed Seed Fate Fed to Different Holstein Cattle Groups – National Center for Biotechnology Information
- Manure and Weed Seeds – Michigan State University Extension
- Spotted Knapweed Seed Viability after Passing through Sheep and Mule Deer – Journal of Range Management