North Dakota Law (NDCC § 4.1-47-02) requires every person to do all things necessary and proper to control the spread of noxious weeds. The Noxious Weed Team coordinates the efforts of county and city weed boards (see list below) and state and federal land managers to implement integrated weed management programs. Currently, there are weed boards in all of North Dakota’s 53 counties, and in 7 cities (Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Wahpeton and Mandan).

North Dakota’s noxious weed list (see description below) includes:

Absinth wormwood
Canada thistle
Diffuse knapweed
Leafy spurge
Musk thistle
Purple loosestrife
Russian knapweed
Spotted knapweed
Yellow toadflax
Dalmatian toadflax
Saltcedar

County and city weed boards may develop and compile their own list of noxious weeds, provided the list includes all weeds determined to be noxious by the North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner. See the Click here to see the county and city noxious weed lists.

The Noxious Weed Team distributes funding through two programs, TAG and LAP.  These funds are available to weed boards and landowners for controlling weeds on the state and county weed lists.

The Landowner Assistance Program (LAP) provides weed boards with cost-share assistance for noxious weed control. Weed boards must levy at least 3 mills for noxious weed control, or budget an amount equal to the revenue that could be raised by a levy of three mills to be eligible to receive LAP funds. Historically a majority of weed boards have provided landowners with herbicide cost-share assistance with these funds. Eligible county and city weed boards are responsible for developing a LAP cost-share program for their areas.”

The Targeted Assistance Grant (TAG) Program targets noxious weed control needs and provides a cost-share opportunity to county and city weed boards to meet those needs. TAG proposals describe a noxious weed problem within the county or city weed board’s jurisdiction and proposes a management strategy.

The North Dakota Weed Seed Free Forage Program is a voluntary program in which producers may choose to have forage acreage inspected in order to use or sell forage as certified weed seed free forage or mulch. The forage acreage must be inspected no more than 10 days before harvest and meet standards set forth by the North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA). Noxious weeds actively producing viable seed cannot be present in certified forage. The goal of this program is to mitigate the risk of spreading NAWMA and North Dakota noxious weeds by recreationalists and other land users.

Currently, North Dakota’s State Parks, National Parks, as well as U.S. Forest Service lands, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Military Reservations, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife lands all require the use of certified forage.  In addition, certified mulch may be required in bid contracts for projects such as road building and maintenance, erosion control, wind tower construction sites and pipeline projects.

Recently, the department created the ND Department of Agriculture Mapping Application. The ND Mapping Application allows you to track and view weeds over time to successfully see progress of weed control over several years. Also, you are now able to view Apiary, Organic farms, Vinyards and Winery locations in North Dakota. Users visiting the website can create and print their own maps by selecting the Key features and Weed inventory layers they would like to view.

Noxious Weed Annual Survey Reports

Noxious Weed Current Year Survey Reporting Form