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Noxious Weed Awareness Week
June 2-8, 2024
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Chemical
Herbicides are one part of integrated pest management that is used to manage weeds and keep weed populations at a tolerable level while protecting water quality and other natural resources. When using herbicides, it’s important to know how they enter and move in plants or soil, how they kill or control plants, and how they can be used to kill only the target weeds and not cause collateral damage or move offsite.
Responsibly used herbicides by informed applicators can be an invaluable tool in protecting habitat and working land. On some weed species herbicide is the only effective tool, and typically when herbicides are used in conjunction with another management method, such as revegetation or biocontrol, the effect on the weed is improved overusing either approach alone. Education about proper herbicide use is critical and that knowledge is powerful.
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Herbicides and Noxious Weeds: |
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What are noxious weeds? The Montana County Weed Control Act designates noxious weeds as priority plants for control by landowners by rule of the Montana Department of Agriculture or a county weed district. A noxious weed is a plant that meets the following criteria: • Is non-native or exotic to Montana, and • When introduced, may render land unfit for agriculture, forestry, livestock, wildlife, or other beneficial uses, or may harm native plant communities. Certain noxious weeds are invasive. They invade native habitats and then spread, outcompeting and displacing native plants, causing significant losses of grazing land and wildlife habitat.
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Click to watch video.
MDA Spring '23 MT EDRR Webinar
The Palmer amaranth threat becomes more immediate for Montana, having been found in all four bordering states. Montana State University’s, Dr. Tim Seipel, will share his expertise on this problematic invasive species. In conjunction, WD4C’s, Alice Whitelaw and Ngaio Richards, instrumental in the continued Montana Dyer’s Woad Task Force success, will explain how these efforts could be replicated with Palmer amaranth and the other highest priority weeds to the state, where projects are bearing fruit elsewhere, and why certain species might be a challenge.
Click to watch video.
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Activities & Helpful Articles |
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Pesticide & Waste Disposal Program
Pre-registration deadline is September 1, 2024 for the September Events.
Annual pesticide waste disposal events began in 1994. More than 796,000 pounds of pesticide waste have been collected from more than 1,871 participants. Common pesticides that have been brought to collection events include DDT, pentachlorophenol, dinoseb, and strychnine.
Disposal Fees
The cost for disposing pesticides is FREE for the first 200 pounds. For amounts that exceed 200 pounds, the cost is $1 per pound with a minimum charge of $5. Please come prepared to pay using a check made out to the Montana Department of Agriculture. Products are weighed on site. The disposal fee for pesticides containing dioxins, dioxin precursors, or any product that may require special packing at the site may incur higher fees. Please be specific about products being disposed on your registration and be prepared for products to be inspected at the site.
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Herbicides: Understanding What They Are and How They Work
A weed is a plant growing somewhere humans do not want it. Any plant can be considered a weed if it becomes a hazard or nuisance, injures animals, reduces crop or forage yield, or infests rangelands, pastures, lawns, or gardens. T here are different types of weeds based on the risk they pose to agricultural production or natural resources. Some weeds are a minor nuisance, like dandelions growing in a lawn. Other weeds have larger impacts such as reducing crop yield or impacting biodiversity. There are even noxious weeds designated by the state or county because they negatively impact agriculture, forestry, livestock, wildlife, or other beneficial uses, or may harm native plant communities. Landowners are legally responsible for controlling noxious weeds on their land. Continue reading...
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