Public Works Department (Highway Department)
Agricultural Inspector
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About the Agricultural Inspector
The Stearns County Agricultural Inspector is John Waldorf. You can reach John by telephone at 320.256.3308 or by mail at 114 S. First Avenue West, Melrose MN 56352
The Agricultural Inspector is responsible for:
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Regulation and enforcement of the Noxious Weed Law & Seed Law. He also assists in administering pesticide exams for commercial and noncommercial applicators (call to schedule an appointment for exams).
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Assisting the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in feed and fertilizer sampling and testing programs.
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Vegetative Management: seeding right of way, seed selection and recommendations, mowing, spraying herbicide application on county right of way by using safe and cost effective products.
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Biological noxious weeds control programs – leafy spurge and purple loose strife. Seed sampling, prohibitive and restrictive;
- Township/Cities Weed Tours
Beginning in May, Stearns County Highway Department, as part of its vegetation management program, will be scheduling some roadside vegetation work along all Stearns County highways. The unwanted brush and noxious weeds will be cut and/or treated with herbicide. This notice is to inform all property owners which have property abutting county roads of the work we have scheduled and their right to use alternative methods.
Our goals are to eliminate the brush and noxious weeds and to promote grass cover along the roadside. Brush along the road reduces driving visibility, obstructs road signs, and reduces driver reaction time to crossing wildlife. Brush presents maintenance problems by retaining water along the roadbed, obstructing ditches, and damaging equipment.
To meet these goals, we use selective herbicides that control the brush and noxious weeds but allow the grasses to grow unharmed. All herbicides we use have been fully tested and are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
During spray operation, we will take care to avoid sensitive areas adjacent to the right-of-way such as tree plantations, ornamental plantings, crops, gardens, front yards, lakes, and streams.
If you would like to maintain the right-of-way adjacent to your land in some other fashion, such as mowing, please follow these instructions:
1.Please call prior to May 24, 2009 to the Stearns County Public Works Dept. at 320-255-6180.
2.Post “DO NOT SPRAY” signs in areas you do not want treated.
3.Remove brush and/or noxious weeds within that site by June 15, 2009 and continue to maintain it. If the brush and/or noxious weeds are not removed, we will treat the area as part of our vegetation management program.
If you have any questions, please contact the Stearns County Highway Department at 320-255-6180 or the Stearns County Agricultural Inspector, John Waldorf at 320-256-3308.
GENERAL NOTICE TO CONTROL OR ERADICATE NOXIOUS WEEDS
Notice is hereby given this 15th day of May, 2009, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 18.83, subd. 7, (1992), that all persons in Stearns County, Minnesota, shall control or eradicate all noxious weeds on land they own, occupy or are required to maintain. Control or eradication may be accomplished by any lawful method but the methods 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 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 the 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 of the members of the appeal committee from your County Agricultural Inspector or Local Weed Inspector. The Local Weed Inspectors are township supervisors, city mayors or their appointed assistants.Noxious Weeds and Invasive Species
The following form is for Township use. This form is to be taken on weed tours and passed on to landowners if there is a concern.
View or print the Noxious Weed Inspection Report. (38 Kb PDF file)
View or print "The Eleven Primary Noxious Weeds of Minnesota"fact sheet.
View "Stemming the Tide: Garlic Mustard Identification and Control"
Learn more about the Emerald Ash Borer (MN DNR)
Newsletter from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on the Emerald Ash Borer(EAB)
Recycling of Empty Pesticide Containers
For the 2009-recycling program for empty pesticide containers, please bring your containers to one of the following before the dates listed:
Farmers Union Co-op, Paynesville
September 3, 2009
Centra Sota Co-op, St. Martin
September 3, 2009
**Remember: The containers should be clean, triple rinsed, caps removed and all labels and plastic labeling removed. Container must be #2 HDPE.
The collection is open to all pesticide users including commercial applicators, farmers, government agencies, lawn care golf courses.
If you have any questions, please call John Waldorf, Stearns County Agricultural Inspector at 320-256-3308 or the M.D.A. at 651-296-5136.
Cooperative Weed Management Program
The Central Minnesota Cooperative Weed Management Area (CM-CWMA) partners have selected five invasive species to prioritize for increased public awareness and eradication. Please view the brochure for more information.