The State of Nebraska has had a noxious weed law for many years. Over the years, this law has undergone numerous revisions with the most recent having been made by the 1989 Nebraska Legislature.

The term "noxious" means to be harmful or destructive and comes from the Latin word "nocere," meaning to harm, or the Greek word "nekros," meaning dead body. In its current usage, "noxious" is a legal term used to denote a destructive or harmful pest for purposes of regulation. When a specific pest (in this case, a weed) is determined to pose a serious threat to the economic, social, or aesthetic well-being of the residents of the state, it may be declared noxious.

Noxious weeds compete with pasture and crops, reducing yields substantially. Some noxious weeds are directly poisonous or injurious to man, livestock, and wildlife. The losses resulting from noxious weed infestations can be staggering, costing residents millions of dollars due to lost production. This not only directly affects the landowner, but erodes the tax base for all residents of the state. The business of noxious weed control is everyone's concern, and their control is to everyone's benefit. The support of all individuals within the state is needed and vital for the control of noxious weeds within Nebraska.

The Director of Agriculture determines which plants are to be deemed as "noxious" and the control measures to be used in preventing their spread. In Nebraska, the following weeds have been designated as noxious:

• Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.)

• Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.)

• Musk thistle (Carduus nutans L.)

• Plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides L.)

• Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L. and L. virgatum - including any cultivars and hybrids)

• Spotted and diffuse knapweeds (Centaurea maculosa Lam. and C. diffusa Lam.)

• Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb) and (Tamarix parviflora DC)
  

For more information on the regulation and control of noxious weeds in the Nebraska please choose from the topics below:

Annual Reports

Activity Report	.pdf	.doc
Budget Report	.pdf	.doc
Noxious Weed Control Plan	.pdf	.doc
Noxious Weed Infestation Report	.pdf	.doc
Weed Control Authority Board Roster	.pdf	.doc

Biological Control

Duties and Responsibilities

Noxious Weed Control Act

2008 Riparian Vegetation Management Grant

2008 Grant Application	.pdf	.doc
Application Instructions	.pdf	.doc

Noxious Weed Regulations

Noxious Weeds: Distinctive Characteristics (Lancaster County Weed Control)

Staff

Weeds of the Great Plains Book

Files in PDF format can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.