An Oregon organic farm has submitted a weed management plan before the issue heads to county court.
The plan announced Wednesday by Azure Farms outlines actions to control noxious weeds. Neighboring farmers say the farm’s weeds are spreading to their ground, the Capital Press reported.
Azure’s plan includes looking at heavy fertilization and deep cultivation methods, spot use of Born, citrus pulp mulch, covering weeds with landscaping fabric, salt, mowing before seeds form and spraying calcium, manganese and Born before cultivation to control weeds.
Sherman County Court received 40,000 emails on the issue, Oregon officials said. The weeds coming from the 2,000-acre (8.1-sq. kilometer) organic operation in Moro put surrounding wheat farms at risks, the Oregon Wheat Growers League has said.
The county court had considered putting the farm on quarantine if it did not contain the weeds and spraying the weeds with herbicide and billing the farm for the work, if necessary.
County Commissioner Tom McCoy confirmed via email that he has gone over the plan with county weed control Supervisor Rod Asher.
“He is researching some of the measures, but believes the plan may be workable if Azure is really willing to implement it. So far, their follow-through has not been good,” McCoy wrote.
The league has called for a “prompt and rigorous review” of Azure’s plan.
“From our members on the ground, it’s become clear that even a casual observation of Azure’s property makes it clear that their noxious weed problem is severe and has been worsening for many years,” said CEO Blake Rowe and growers Bryan Cranston and Chris Moore in a prepared statement.”
