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Sunflower broomrape detected in Yakima; WSDA issues emergency Class A listing
Summary
Staff relayed that sunflower broomrape has been detected in Yakima County and that the state held an emergency meeting to add it as a Class A noxious weed. The species is parasitic and poses a high risk to sunflowers and other crops; staff urged vigilance and said local programs should monitor incoming seed and nursery stock.
Clallam County staff reported that Washington State authorities confirmed the first North American detection of sunflower broomrape in Yakima County and that the Washington State Department of Agriculture moved to add the species to the Class A noxious weed list.
According to staff, sunflower broomrape is a fully parasitic plant that attaches to host roots and can devastate sunflower crops; seeds are microscopic and can persist in soil for decades. The detection prompted a state emergency meeting and a quarantine response; local and state partners are notifying growers and monitoring nursery and seed imports. "This is the first North American, detection of it," staff said, and the state implemented an emergency Class A listing (00:42:22–00:44:45).
Staff asked county partners to be alert for the species and noted that the discovery illustrates a risk pathway through seed imports and shared plant material. No local detections were reported at the meeting.
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