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Weed Control Progress Report September 5, 2017 <br /> Period from July 10 to September 5, 2017 submitted by Stan Wolf <br /> New Business <br /> Diversion Construction Weed Management: With the start of construction on the Red River Diversion channel there will be some land parcels in the construction zones that will not be cropped but most likely be left fallow. Such a parcel has been identified near <br />Horace in the inlet construction site where the land was not tilled or cropped and various <br />fields weeds were growing unhindered. Preliminary consultations with the Diversion Authority Engineer initiated a land use policy discussion where these parcels are to be planted to a cover crop. That parcel has been tilled and seeded with oats. A receient survey of that parcel shows that non-noxious weeds are continuning to grow and set seed. <br />Canada thistle was also found on the parcel. This shows that contining monitoring of the <br />orphan pracels needs to be conducted and weed control options need to be applied. Some options would be mowing, tillage, or herbicide application. I am asking the Board for advise on what procedures for non-noxious weed control on the <br />orphan land parcels can be submitted to the Diversion Authority for a land use policy. <br /> Monthly Report Weed Control budget approved: The budget was presented to the County Commission <br />on July 27. There were questions regarding the overhead door installation and the <br />purchase of the drone for weed scouting. The budget as presented was approved by a 4-1 vote. Spray Contractors: Noxious weed spraying continues across the county. J&J spraying <br />has finished spraying the interstate ditches utilizing their UAV sprayers. They will start <br />spraying the county and township roads using two trucks as they have done last year. Walker has continued to spray and has mostly finished up the wide state and county ditches with the UAV sprayers. He is concentrating on township roads. Spraying costs are as follows: <br /> <br /> Acres Cost Walker 2944 $107,161.60 J&J 1180 $ 42,940.20 Total 4124 $150,101.80 <br /> <br /> Spray Complaints: We have received several inquires from farmers asking if we had sprayed the road ditch adjacent to their soybean fields. The soybeans were showing signs of herbicide drift damage. At several locations the contractors had not sprayed in the <br />area. Three farmers indicate that leaf crinkling exhibited in their soybean fields, one <br />being a seed production field. I have visited with three farmers in their fields and have