| The
state of Minnesota has passed legislation calling for
the control and eradication of certain weeds. (See
Minnesota State Statutes Section 18.75)
This law is known as the "Minnesota Noxious Weed
Law". Section
18.76
This
law places the primary responsibility for controlling
these "noxious weeds" on the landowner. (Section
18.78) .
The
state Commissioner of Agriculture is charged with the
responsibility of enforcing this law and he in turn is
authorized to delegate enforcement to the county
Agricultural Inspectors (Section
18.79)
and the local Township Supervisors in each
municipality (Section
18.80).
Weed
Inspectors are given the authority to enter upon land
for the purpose of enforcing this law without the
consent of the owner and without being subject to
any action for trespassing or damages to land. (Section
18.79, subdivision 3) The
duties of the weed inspectors are set forth in Section
18.81.
The
statute further sets forth the procedure for
transporting "noxious weeds" and the equipment
used in Section
18.82
and the process for control and eradication as well as
the associated expenses in Section
18.83.
Basically it requires a permit to transport, and
authorizes the weed inspector to eradicate the weeds on
private land if the property owner fails to do so and
empowers the county auditor to charge the landowner via
the tax rolls if necessary.
The
Statute references the Minnesota Rules for both
"prohibited" and "restricted"
noxious weeds. (See
Chapter 1505 of the Rules for the State of Minnesota).
|
