Weed Department

The Box Elder County Weed Department is dedicated to working with the public to help them identify noxious weeds on their property, and the most effective methods to treat those infestations. By doing this, we protect the agriculture, wildlife, and property values of our beautiful county!

The State of Utah Noxious Weed Act (Rule R68-9) states, “It is the duty of every property owner to control and prevent the spread of noxious weeds on any land in his possession or under his control”.

All individuals in the county are invited to join in efforts to identify and control noxious weeds. To learn how to recognize noxious weeds, navigate through our website and explore the many resources that we have shared.

The Weed Department realizes there are many noxious weeds in Utah and Box Elder County that may be familiar to the public. However, we have to focus on those that are funded and can be treated with limited resources. The Weed Board also designates specific weeds or areas as high priority.

Become involved to find and report certain noxious weeds to assist landowners and the Weed Department by filling out a Weed Alert Form.

We also have a Facebook Page for those that are interested in learning more about the weeds found in our county and exciting projects that we complete.

Weed Board

Under the State Noxious Weed Act, each county is designated to appoint a county weed control board. "A county weed control board is responsible...for the formulation and implementation of a county-wide coordinated noxious weed control program designed to prevent and control noxious weeds within its county". If you are interested in learning more about a county weed boards various other duties, refer to the following link: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title4/Chapter17/4-17-S107.html?v=C4-17-S107_2....

Here at Box Elder County, we pride ourselves on our excellent weed board and those dedicated individuals that have volunteered their time to serve on it. The current Board consists of the following:

Kelly Huggins-Chairman

Boyd Bingham-Commissioner

Tim Douglas

Steve Jeppsen

Buzz Nelson

Mike Bowen

These individuals are what we call "weed warriors", and commit a great deal of their time to their positions. During their personal lives, they often provide an example of sound weed control methods. We also invite a variety of representatives from numerous other agencies such as Utah Department of Transportation, U.S. Forest Service, Utah Division of Natural resources, State Trust Lands, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, USU Extension, Bear River Canal Company, Utah Association of Conservation Districts, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Grazing Improvement Program. These representatives provide sound advice on various control methods, and help the weed board to plan the ongoing weed control program.

Education

Education is a very high priority at our department. Many landowners that have noxious weeds on their property often do not even know they do. Once a weed is identified, it can feel overwhelming where to start with treatment activities. This is why we actively pursue education opportunities, and are constantly looking for new ones. 

Some of the current education activities that we participate in are high school presentations, town hall meeting presentations, and a fair booth at the Box Elder County Fair. Our supervisor, Wyatt, presents to various agriculture classes at Bear River and Box Elder High School, where he teaches of weed biology and identification. We also take the opportunity to attend various town hall meeting where we present on the weed law, our numerous programs, and on noxious weeds that are often found in that town. Lastly, ourselves and the County Weed Board hold a booth at the Box Elder County Fair. This gives the public the opportunity to ask questions, receive educational materials, and learn more about the responsibilities of our Department.

If you would like us to come present at one of your functions, please contact us!

Helpful Links

The following links will provide further information about noxious weeds. Feel free to explore them!

UDAF Utah Noxious Weed Dashboard, https://ag.utah.gov/farmers/plants-industry/noxious-weeds-program/utah-n...

Invasive Plants Atlas, https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/index.html

EDD Maps, https://www.eddmaps.org/

Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/boxeldercountyweeddepartment/

Utah Weed Control Association, https://utahweed.org/

Utah Weed Supervisors Association, https://utahweedsupervisors.com/

Utah Code Chapter 4-17 "Utah Noxious Weed Act", https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title4/Chapter17/4-17.html?v=C4-17_20170509201...