PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release
April 26, 2007 www.agr.ne.gov		Contact: Christin Kamm (402) 471-6856 (402) 440-7251 (cell)

LINCOLN - Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Greg Ibach today announced that NDA will receive $83,334 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for the Nebraska Noxious and Invasive Weed Initiative. The Trust Board announced funding for the project on April 5. The Nebraska Noxious and Invasive Weed Initiative is one of 67 projects receiving $11,818,742 in lottery proceeds this year from the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

Noxious and invasive weeds (NIWs) are not native to Nebraska or the United States. They have no natural enemies to keep them in check. These plants compete for water and nutrients in grain crops and native grasslands throughout the state. NIWs also compete with native plants reducing the diversity of wildlife habitat.

NIWs are detrimental to Nebraska's agriculture, water quality, wildlife and recreation. Coordinated control measures across a large geographical area would alleviate some of the financial burden on private landowners in a control area. This concept would require participation from private and public landowners and managers, and allow participants to pool their resources and proceed in a coordinated manner in a large control area. Funding from the Nebraska Environmental Trust will be used by the Noxious Weed Initiative to coordinate control measures across several counties and Weed Management Areas to work towards a common goal and outcome. All 93 Nebraska counties would have the potential to participate and benefit from the project.

The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Environmental Trust in 1992. Using revenue from the Nebraska Lottery, the Trust has provided grants to 952 projects across the state. Anyone citizens, organizations, communities, farmers and businesses can apply for funding to protect habitat, improve water quality and establish recycling programs in Nebraska. The Nebraska Environmental Trust works to preserve, protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.