Home

Programs

Publications

Calendar

About Us

Approved Facilities

Forage and Mulch

Foundation Seed

IP Grain

Native Grasses & Forbs

Organic Certification

Quality Assurance

Roundup Ready

Seed Certification

Technology Marketing Services (U of MN variety licensing)


Noxious weed seed free forage & mulch certification

QUICK LINKS

Introduction

There is a growing demand in North America for the use of certified noxious weed seed free forage and mulch to limit the spread of noxious weeds. In Minnesota, certified mulch is often required by government agencies for highway roadside re-vegetation and other projects to avoid the introduction of noxious weeds. Most public lands in the western United States require that hay transported into these areas be certified noxious weed free. Minnesota horse enthusiasts traveling to these areas must use certified forage when horses are transported to restricted areas.

What NWSF forage & mulch certification means

This certification program is designed to assure that forage (hay, cubes and pellets) and mulch sold with proper certification identification meets minimum standards designed to limit the spread of noxious weeds. Buyers are provided assurance that forage and mulch certified through this program meets minimum standards.

MCIA's role

MCIA has been designated under the Minnesota Noxious Weed Law as the official Noxious Weed Free Forage and Mulch Certification Agency in Minnesota. MCIA standards comply with the North American Weed Free Forage Program standards developed by the Regional Weed Free Forage Committee of the North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA). These minimum standards allow uniform participation by states and provinces in the program. Forage and mulch certified by MCIA, with proper certification markings attached, will be eligible for shipment into restricted areas in the United States and Canada where only forage and mulch certified under the North American Weed Free Forage Program can be used.

How to get certified

Applicants desiring to have their forage and/or mulch certified must apply to MCIA for field inspection four weeks prior to each cutting. MCIA will conduct a thorough inspection of each field, field borders and storage sites. MCIA shall issue certification labels to producers to mark bales harvested from eligible fields.

For more information

Please contact MCIA to obtain information on how to participate in this program. A directory of producers of certified forage and mulch is also available.

List of noxious weeds

Designated Noxious Weed or Undesirable Plant Species List

The following weeds have been designated as noxious or undesirable in the North American Weed Free Forage Program:

1. Absinth Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)           

28. Perennial sorghum  (Sorghum almum)

2. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)        

29. Perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis)              

3. Buffalobur (Solanum rostratum)

30. Plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides)

4. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

31. Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)

5. Common burdock (Arctium minus)        

32. Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris)

6. Common crupina (Crupina vulgaris)

33. Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.)

7. Common tansy (Tancetum vulgare)       

34. Quackgrass (Agropyron repens)

8. Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica)     

35. Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea)

9. Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)   

36. Russian knapweed (Centaurea repens)

10. Dyers woad (Isatis tinctoria)                   

37. Scentless chamomile (Matricaria maritima

11. Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)  

38. Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)

12. Hemp (marijuana) (Cannabis sativa)     

39. Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium)

13. Henbane, Black (Hyoscyamus niger)    

40. Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)

14. Hoary cress (Cardaria spp.)                      

41. Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium)

15. Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)         

42. Skeletonleaf bursage (Ambrosia tomentosa)

16. Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale L.)

43. Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)

17. Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense)      

44. Squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata)

18. Jointed Goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica

45. St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum)

19. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)              

46. Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

20. Matgrass (Nardus stricta)                       

47. Syrian beancaper (Zygophllum fabago L.)

21. Meadow knapweed (Centaurea pratensis)

48. Tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)

22. Medusa head (Taeniatherum caput-medusae)

49. Toothed spurge (Euphorbia dentata)

23. Milium (Milium vernale)

50. Wild Oats (Avena fatua)

24. Musk thistle (Carduus nutans)                

51. Wild proso millet (Panicum miliaceum)

25. Orange hawkweed  (Hieracium aurantiacum)

52. Yellow hawkweed (Hieracium pratense)

26. Oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum)

53. Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis)

27. Perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium)

54. Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

 

Additional weeds designated as Prohibited Noxious Weeds under the Minnesota Noxious Weed Law:

1. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

2. Grecian foxglove (Digitalis lanata)

3. Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)

4. Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

 



back to top

 

 

 

 
1900 Hendon Avenue, St. Paul MN 55108
Toll free: 1-800-510-6242 Phone: 612-625-7766 Fax: 612-625-3748
mncia@mncia.org

©2011 Minnesota Crop Improvement Association. All rights reserved.
Photos are courtesy of U of MN Agricultural Experiment Station and USDA NRCS.
This page was last updated on September 30, 2011 4:05 PM .