Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine and Regulatory Information

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a serious invasive tree pest, and consequently a quarantine has been placed to help slow the spread of EAB to other areas in Minnesota (see Emerald Ash Borer Status in our state).

These are considered regulated articles by the MDA:

  • Ash logs
  • Ash tree waste
  • Ash chips and mulch
  • All firewood (non-coniferous)

Emerald Ash Borer Quarantined Counties

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed EAB in Cass County. There are now 45 counties in the state with known EAB infestations. The MDA has enacted a quarantine to limit the movement of firewood and ash material into Minnesota and out of infested counties. The MDA issues quarantines for all counties known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect. 
Because this is the first time EAB had been identified in Cass County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine. The south and east side of the quarantine is the county border. The northern edge of the quarantine follows Minnesota Highway 200 west to County Road 129, County Road 129 south to County Road 7, and County Road 7 west to Minnesota Highway 84. The western border of the quarantine is Minnesota Highway 84 to County Road 79 and east to the county line. See Quarantine Map for details.
The comment period for the emergency quarantine is now through November 27, 2023 with the formal quarantine to be adopted on November 29, 2023. All comments or questions regarding the proposed quarantine can be made to kimberly.tcremers@state.mn.us.
 

No regulated articles are legally allowed to be moved into Minnesota without the written approval and the proper documentation provided to the Commissioner of Agriculture.

No regulated articles are legally allowed to move outside of a quarantine (untreated or treated), unless they are accompanied by a MDA certificate. MDA Certificates are only available when a Compliance Agreement (CA) is signed between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the a company, city, county, agency, or organization interested in moving the regulated article.

A CA is a written agreement between a person and a regulatory agency to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements. For more information about CAs please visit our Frequently Asked Questions or contact the Report A Pest Hotline.