Weed-Free Hay Required on Utah Public Lands

The Bureau of Land Management announced that users of BLM administered land in Utah will be required to use only certified noxious weed-free hay, straw or mulch. Approved products for livestock feed on public lands include pellets, hay cubes, processed and certified hay available at some feed stores in Utah. As a reminder, the guideline for supplemental feeding livestock on BLM land in Utah states, "feeding of hay and other harvested forage (which does not refer to miscellaneous salt, protein, and other supplements) for the purpose of substituting for inadequate natural forage will not be conducted on BLM lands other than in (a) emergency situations where no other resource exists and animal survival is in jeopardy, or (b) situations where the Authorized Officer determines such a practice will assist in meeting a Standard or attaining a management objective."

Noxious weeds are a serious problem in the Western United States and are rapidly spreading at an estimated rate of 14 percent each year. Species like Leafy Spurge, Squarrose Knapweed, Russian Knapweed, Musk Thistle, Dalmatian Toadflax, Purple Loosestrife, and many others are alien to the United States and have no natural enemies to keep the population in balance.

"Among other things, widespread infestations can lead to soil erosion and stream sedimentation." Noxious weeds impact revegetation efforts by outcompeting desirable species, they reduce wild and domestic grazing capacities, can occasionally irritate public land users by aggravating allergies, and certainly threaten our federally protected plants and animals.

Utah State Department of Agriculture has developed a crop field inspection and certification process which will allow participants to have their hay certified as noxious weed-free. Certification requirements will comply with the Utah Department of Agriculture. Producers can obtain bale identification tags from the Department.

Region Four, of the United States Forest Service, has required noxious weed-free hay, straw and mulch on Utah National Forests since January 1994.

Anyone who knowingly and willfully violates the noxious weed-free certification requirement on BLM and Forest lands may be subject to a fine of no more than $1,000 or imprisonment of not more than 12 months, or both, as defined in 43 U.S. Code 1733(a).