Big Horn County Weed and Pest Control District
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Certified Weed Free Product Inspections
There is a growing demand for the use of certified weed free forage and gravel as a noxious weed prevention program. The District offers inspections to certify forage and gravel as being weed free. To Request an inspection, please fill out a service request form below.
Certified Weed Free Gravel
In order for a gravel pit to be certified weed free, the gravel/borrow area must be free of weeds or undesirable plant species declared noxious within Big Horn County.
Pit Inspection Standards
1. Gravel shall be inspected prior to movement by Weed & Pest personnel.
2. Gravel shall also be inspected in the area of origin. Area shall include, but not limited to;
* Surrounding ditches
*Top Soil Piles
*Gravel/Sand Piles
*Fence Rows
*Roads / Easements / Right-of-Ways
*Working, Storage & Buffer Zone Surrounding the Area
3. Gravel/borrow area which contains any noxious weeds or undesirable plant species, as identified, may be certified if the following requirements are met:
a. Mining area was treated to prevent seed formation or seed ripening to the degree that here is no danger of dissemination of the seed, or any injurious portion of any noxious weeds, or undesirable plant species, or propagating parts of the plant that are not capable of producing a new plant,
b. Noxious weeds or undesirable plants species treated no later than rosette to bud stage, or boot stage for grass species.,
c. Treatment method can include, but not limited to:
1) burning, 2) mowing, cutting or rouging, 3)mechanical methods, or 4) herbicides.
4. An inspection certificate shall document above requirements that have been met based on a reasonable and prudent visual inspection.
Forage that is to be certified must be inspected according to Regional Forage Certification Standards. The objective is to help prevent and slow the spread of listed noxious weeds by providing forage which is free of potential seed for transport and dispersal. Forage that is inspected shall fall under one of two criteria:
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MEETS requirements of the NAISMA Minimum Weed Free Forage Standards. This forage may contain variable amounts of Prohibited or Noxious weed species which are immature, (no viable seed) when harvested, or were treated to prevent seed formation. These plant parts, although not usually desirable in the forage product, are not considered able to begin new infestations.
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DOES NOT MEET (Failed) requirements of the NAISMA Weed Free Forage Standards.
Field Inspection Standards
1. There will be a flat fee of $15.00 per field. This fee will be imposed whether the field passes inspection or not. For fields that pass inspection the producer may then purchase certified weed free twine or tags at cost. All bales must have certification tags or designated twine attached to be considered weed free.
2. Requests for certification must be made a minimum of 5 days before the field is cut and a maximum of 10 before the field is cut.
3. There shall be a minimum of two entry points per field. Each entry shall be at lease 150 feet into the field.
4. Field borders shall be inspected, including:
* Surrounding Ditches
* Fence Rows
* Roads, Easements, & Right-of-Ways
*Storage Area for the forage (Stack Yards, Hay Barns)
Certified forage is required on all federal and state owned lands.