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Palmer's amaranth found as contaminant in bird seed; Safeway recall prompts regional alert
Summary
Staff told the board about a recent detection of Palmer's amaranth in bird seed sold at grocery stores; genetic testing implicated contaminated seed and recalls were issued in Washington and Oregon. Staff urged vigilance because contaminated seed is a known pathway for spreading herbicide‑resistant pigweeds.
Clallam County staff reported that an inspector in Spokane discovered Palmer's amaranth growing from bird seed discarded in a grocery parking lot; laboratory testing linked the infestation to contaminated bird-seed lots and prompted recalls across Safeway stores in Washington and Oregon.
Staff described Palmer's amaranth as an herbicide-resistant pigweed that reduces crop yields dramatically where it becomes established; the inspector had purchased bird seed and sent a sample to WSDA for genetic testing, which confirmed the presence of Palmer's amaranth in the seed mix. "He bought some of that seed, sent it off to WSDA to have it genetically tested, and it came back as having this palmaris amaranth as a as a contaminant on it," staff said (00:45:55–00:46:55).
The board was told the species tends to prefer hotter, drier microclimates but that contaminated seed is a common pathway for spread and that counties should notify retailers and the public when such contamination is discovered. Staff said the recall underscores the need for vigilance at nurseries, seed suppliers and retailers; no local Palmer's amaranth infestations were reported at the meeting.
