Additional materials to be certified as weed-free by ag department

From Montana Department of Agriculture 

HELENA — As established in House Bill 93 signed during the 2021 legislative session, the Montana Department of Agriculture can now certify additional materials, such as gravel, as being free of noxious weeds. 

Administrative rules for Noxious Weed Free Materials were recently adopted following a public hearing and comment period that received no comments, although industry groups have expressed support for certifying materials beyond forage.

“Laying the groundwork for more materials to be certified as weed-free allows the department to better serve Montana industries and protect our state from noxious weeds,” said MDA Acting Director Christy Clark. “With strong collaboration among county weed districts, MSU Extension, and our Noxious Weed Program staff, I am pleased to have such broad support for expanding the scope of state noxious weed services.”

  Montana’s Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage Act was established by the 1995 Montana legislature to prevent noxious weed infestations, comply with forage import and export requirements, and educate citizens of the importance and incentive to market and handle noxious weed free forage. Until recently, the Noxious Weed Free Forage Program was limited to livestock forage, bedding, mulch, and other related materials like pellets and cubes. Now that the Certified Weed Free Materials program is established, the department can certify gravel as well as other construction and restoration products like straw mats and landscape mulch, at the request of businesses or organizations.

To learn more about noxious weed free materials in Montana, people can visit agr.mt.gov/Noxious-Weeds or contact Andrew Lam, Noxious Weed Free Materials Program coordinator, at 406-444-7819 or [email protected].

The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information, people can visit http://agr.mt.gov .