Weed Superintendent

The number one responsibility of the Weed Superintendent is to control noxious weeds. The Weed Superintendent is administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. They have designated 12 Nebraska weeds as noxious: Canada Thistle; Musk Thistle; Leafy Spurge; Plumeless Thistle; Spotted Knapweed; Diffuse Knapweed; Purple Loosestrife; Saltcedar; Phragmites; Japanese Knotweed; Giant Knotweed; and Sericea Lespedeza.

It is the responsibility of the Weed Superintendent to do annual inspections of all land in its jurisdiction in order to determine whether noxious weeds are present. If noxious weeds are present the Weed Superintendent has the responsibility either to control or advise landowners on control. It is the duty of every person who either owns or controls land in Nebraska to control noxious weeds.

Noxious Weeds Must Be Controlled

You are required to control noxious weeds on your property.
The noxious weeds are: Musk Thistle, Plumeless Thistle, Canada Thistle, Leafy Spurge, Knapweed (spotted and diffuse), Purple Loosestrife, Saltcedar, Phragmites, Knotweed (Japanese and Giant), and Sericea Lespedeza. Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the Noxious Weed Control Act, section 2-955, subsection 1(a), to every person that owns or controls land in Butler County, Nebraska, that noxious weeds being grown, or growing on, such land shall be controlled at such frequency as to prevent establishment, provide eradication, or reduce further propagation or dissemination of such weeds.

Upon failure to observe this notice, the county weed superintendent is required to:

1. Proceed pursuant to the law and issue legal notice to the landowner of property infested with noxious weeds giving such landowner 15 days to control the noxious weed infestation. Conviction for noncompliance may result in a $100 per day fine to the landowner with a maximum fine of $1,500; or
2. Should more immediate control be required, proceed pursuant to the law and have the weeds controlled by such method as he/she finds necessary, the expense of which shall constitute a lien and be entered as a tax against the land, and be collected as other real estate taxes are collected, or by other means, as provided by law.

Also, the public is notified that noxious weed seed and propagative parts may be disseminated through the movement of machinery and equipment, trucks, grain and seed, hay, straw, nursery stock, fencing materials, sod, manure, and soil, as well as articles of similar nature. Methods of treatment have been prescribed by the Directory of Agriculture and may be obtained from the county weed control authority.