Weed Superintendent

The main responsibility of the county Weed Superintendent is to ensure that the county is in compliance with the Nebraska Weed Control Act, which is administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. It is the duty of the county Weed Superintendent to conduct annual inspections of all lands under their jurisdiction, respond to any complaints of uncontrolled noxious weeds, and to ensure that the county complies with the Nebraska Noxious Weed Act.

The Nebraska Noxious Weed Control Act has designated 12 weeds as “noxious”. The 12 “noxious” weeds are:

• Canada Thistle
• Musk Thistle
• Plumeless Thistle
• Spotted and Diffuse Knapweed
• Leafy Spurge
• Purple Loosestrife
• Saltcedar
• Phragmites
• Japanese Knotweed
• Sericea Lespedeza

All noxious weeds must be controlled by the property owner. It is the weed superintendent’s responsibility to make the landowner aware of the presence of any noxious weeds that may grow on private land(s). The weed superintendent can advise, coordinate, and/or enforce a controlled plan on any uncontrolled noxious weed(s) that may grow in their jurisdiction. 

If noxious weeds are not controlled properly on private land, the weeds superintendent is required to:

• 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. If own refuses/fails to control the weeds may result in a fine of $100/day with the maximum fine of $1,500 (2-955a)

Methods of treatments of noxious weeds have been prescribed by the Director of Agriculture and may be obtained from the county weed control authority.