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NEWPORT — The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) have announced the recall of a popular wild bird food product after it was found to contain seeds from Palmer amaranth, a fast-spreading, noxious weed. The affected product is Signature Pet Care Songbird Blend Wild Bird Food sold at Albertsons, Safeway and Haggen locations throughout Washington and Oregon. It was manufactured by Global Harvest Foods and can be identified by UPC code 021130037629 and a “sell by” date of Jan. 10, 2027 (M3D S3501).
The recall was triggered after a member of the Spokane County Noxious Weed Control Board discovered Palmer amaranth growing near a Safeway parking lot. Upon learning that birdseed had been spread in the area, the employee collected samples for analysis. Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of Palmer amaranth seeds in the birdseed sold at the store.
Palmer amaranth is considered a Class A noxious weed in Washington and was added to the state’s plant quarantine list on Aug. 9, 2025. Originally detected in Washington in 2023, the plant is highly invasive, capable of growing over 10 feet tall, and is resistant to many common herbicides. A single plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds.
Palmer amaranth can overtake fields, reduce crop yields, and cause significant economic harm. It also poses a threat to native plant ecosystems and can rapidly spread outside of managed areas. All affected product has been voluntarily removed from store shelves. Global Harvest Foods is cooperating with both state agencies to ensure all contaminated product is accounted for and that further spread is prevented.
