GENERAL NOTICE TO CONTROL OR ERADICATE NOXIOUS WEEDS
Notice is hereby given this 7th day of June, 2021, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.83, Subdivision 1 (2009), that all persons in Pope County, Minnesota, shall control or eradicate all noxious weeds on land they occupy or are required to maintain. Control or eradication may be accomplished by any lawful method, but the method(s) applied may need to be repeated in order to prevent the spread of viable noxious weed seeds and other propagating parts to other lands.
Failure to comply with the general notice may mean that an individual notice, Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.83, Subdivision 2 (2009), will be issued. An individual notice may be appealed within two working days of receipt to the appeal committee in the county where the land is located. Failure to comply with an individual notice will mean that the inspector having jurisdiction may either hire the work done or seek a misdemeanor charge against the person(s) who failed to comply. If the work is hired done by the inspector, the cost can be placed as a tax upon the land and collected as other real estate taxes are collected.
You may obtain a list of the plants that are designated noxious and the members of the appeal committee from your County Agricultural Inspector or County-Designated Employee. You can also obtain this information from your Local Weed Inspectors. Local Weed Inspectors include the township supervisors, city mayors or their appointed assistants.
More information regarding the MN Noxious Weed Law and a list of County Agricultural Inspectors and County Designated Employees can be obtained from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Web Site by visiting: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/noxious-invasive-weed-program.
Barry Bouwman
County Agricultural Inspector / County-Designated Employee
130 East Minnesota Ave, Pope County Courthouse
Office-320-634-7793
Cell-320-424-0194
barry.bouwman@co.pope.mn.us
Note: A reminder to rural landowners to contact their township supervisors if there is a problem with noxious weeds on neighboring land that is affecting your property. The County Ag Inspector will coordinate site visits and possible enforcement with Township Officials. It is the responsibility of all landowners to control Plumeless Thistle so seed production does not move to adjacent property.
For onsite assistance with noxious weed issues please call the Ag Inspector Office at 320-634-7793.
Our Pope County Ag Inspector ensures that all laws and rules dealing with noxious weeds are carried out within Pope County. Other duties include participation in control programs for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and insect pests. As part of the pesticide program, Pope County administers testing for the Minnesota Pesticide Applicator Certification Exam. If you have questions regarding this testing, please contact our Ag Inspector at 320-634-7793.
Pope County’s Ag Inspector and the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District are part of the Pope and Swift Cooperative Weed Management Area which have been working together over the past 11 years to combat invasive species throughout the county.
An invasive plant or weed is defined as a plant that is not native and has negative effects on our economy, environment, or human health. Not all plants introduced from other places are harmful. The term “invasive” is reserved for the most aggressive plant species that grow and reproduce rapidly, causing major changes to the areas where they become established.
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