As of September 2, 2019, palmer amaranth was added to South Dakota’s list of prohibited noxious weeds seeds by the state Department of Agriculture. SDSU Extension Weed Science Coordinator Paul Johnson says this will help control the spread of this costly weed in the state and region.

Those small seeded crops include alfalfa or cover crops like millet. He says with more prevented plant acres seeded to cover crops farmers need to examine tags, especially when buying seed from out of state.

Johnson says farmers also need to be more vigilant when buying machinery from states in the southern and western United States.

He says palmer amaranth was found on three new locations in South Dakota this season, with two on the same farm.