Washington State Department of Agriculture The Washington State Department of Agriculture has proposed a new program to certify organically grown marijuana. A separate certification would be required since marijuana is still illegal under federal law and the organic program is a federal program.

The Washington Department of Agriculture has proposed hiring a “cannabis coordinator” to direct the agency’s expanding role in regulating and promoting the state’s billion-dollar marijuana industry.

The coordinator’s duties could include overseeing a new program to certify organically grown marijuana, for the health conscious pot buyer.

“There seems to be consumer interest in that,” WSDA spokesman Hector Castro said. “We have done this for other commodities, obviously.”

Since Washington voters legalized recreational pot in 2012, the state Liquor and Cannabis Board has been the lead regulatory agency.

The cannabis board has been contracting with WSDA to test marijuana for pesticide residue and inspect the packaging of edible...