ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 17, 2009

POLL: FEW CHANGES WANTED IN NOXIOUS WEED LIST

BISMARCK – Respondents to a recent poll indicate that little change is needed in North Dakota’s present list of state-designated noxious weeds.

“Eleven of the 12 weeds now on the list were the top vote-getters in the poll,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “Field bindweed, which is currently a noxious weed, was edged out in the poll by yellow starthistle and houndstongue.”

A noxious weed is a plant determined by the agriculture commissioner to be injurious to public health, crops, livestock, land, or other property. North Dakota’s noxious weeds now include absinth wormwood, Canada thistle, Dalmatian toadflax, diffuse knapweed, field bindweed, leafy spurge, musk thistle, purple loosestrife, Russian knapweed, saltcedar, spotted knapweed and yellow starthistle. Marijuana, hoary cress and perennial sowthistle were formerly listed as noxious weeds.

Goehring said the public opinion poll was conducted by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) as part of an effort to review the noxious weed list, as mandated by the 2009 Legislature.

“The list is important because designated noxious weeds get the greatest share of weed control funding and because failure to control noxious weeds can be a class B misdemeanor,” Goehring said.

Goehring said that NDDA staff will take the survey results, together with recent field data and advice from North Dakota State University weed scientists, to determine what changes, if any, should be made in the weed list. The proposed list will be published by mid-December, and a public hearing on the matter will be scheduled in January during the annual Commissioner’s Weed Forum. Following the hearing, Goehring will decide which weeds will be designated as noxious.

“The law also gives county and city weed boards the authority to designate noxious weeds within their jurisdiction,” Goehring said. “Local control is mandated for these designated noxious weeds and is eligible for cost-share control funds, an important tool for weed boards to bring these weed problems under control before they spread elsewhere.”

Examples of locally-designated noxious weeds are downy brome in Dickey County, St. Johnswort in Slope County, and orange hawkweed in Rolette Co. Eleven counties have designated yellow toadflax as a noxious weed, and eight counties have named houndstongue a noxious weed.

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MEDIA: For more information, please contact Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov.