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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced its spongy moth (L. dispar; formally gypsy moth) monitoring program caught 101,763 male moths in 2022, far surpassing the previous state record high of 71,258 moths caught in 2013. Nearly 70% of the moths collected were in traps in Minnesota’s spongy moth quarantine area of Lake and Cook counties, these counties have been quarantined since 2014. 

Spongy moths are ranked among America’s most destructive tree pests. The insect has caused millions of dollars in damage to forests as it has spread from New England to Wisconsin. Spongy moth caterpillars can defoliate large sections of forest and urban communities.

According to Kimberly Thielen Cremers, Plant Pest Regulatory and Mitigation Section Manager for the MDA, there is an important distinction that must be made in interpreting the latest survey results.

“While we did see a significant increase in male moth detections in traps this season, it doesn’t necessarily mean breeding populations of spongy moths have been established,” said Thielen Cremers.

The female spongy moth can’t fly. This limits species dispersal and establishment. Unlike other invasive species, detection of male spongy moths doesn’t mean the species is here to stay. It also doesn’t indicate that damage is already being inflicted to our forests.

The MDA monitors for the pests each spring by attaching thousands of small cardboard box traps to trees around the state. The traps have pheromone lures that mimic the scent of the female moth. In early fall, workers remove the traps and count the moths inside. Just over 19,000 traps were set in 2022. The MDA relies on survey data summarized over multiple years to identify isolated populations within the flux of annual male moth detections. It is this historical data, along with additional field surveys, that help identify isolated population establishment. Complete 2022 survey data is available on the MDA website.

When the MDA identifies isolated populations, it conducts treatments to eliminate the infestation or slow its establishment. Over the years, the MDA has eradicated dozens of infestations on thousands of acres across the state. Thielen Cremers noted that the department has been conducting population control treatments in the eastern half of Minnesota to slow the establishment of the pest into the state.

“The MDA has had over four decades of success in identifying, treating, and slowing the spread of this damaging forest pest into our state,” explained Thielen Cremers. The MDA is hopeful that future treatments and public adherence to pest mitigation regulations will control the spread and slow the establishment of future populations.

The MDA will work with federal, state, and local partners to develop treatment plans in response to the latest monitoring results. As always, residents of affected areas and other interested parties will have the opportunity to review and comment on draft treatment plans before they are finalized. More information about spongy moths and the MDA’s control efforts can be found on the MDA website.

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Media Contact
Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Brittany.Raveill@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Watonwan County for the first time. There are now 38 counties in the state, including Watonwan, with EAB.

An employee with the University of Minnesota Extension contacted the MDA after suspecting a group of trees in the town of Butterfield was infested with EAB. MDA staff were able to find EAB larvae and collect samples. Federal identification confirmed emerald ash borer.

EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.

Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Watonwan County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county, which limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.

The MDA issues quarantines for all areas known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.

A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Watonwan County will be held on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting:
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
10-11 a.m.
Register at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab

The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Watonwan County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through February 17, 2023, and recommends adopting the quarantine on February 21, 2023. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.

Comments can be made during the virtual meeting or by contacting:

Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us

There is more EAB information on the MDA website.

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Media Contact

Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) today announced that state-specific use restrictions for three dicamba herbicide products will remain the same for the 2023 growing season in Minnesota. The restrictions are aimed at curbing off-site movement of the products.

The affected dicamba formulations are Engenia by BASF, Tavium by Syngenta, and XtendiMax by Bayer. These are the only dicamba products labeled for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans.

The three products are registered for use in Minnesota in 2023 with the following restrictions:

• DATE CUTOFF: No application shall be made south of Interstate 94 after June 12, 2023. North of Interstate 94, use is prohibited after June 30, 2023.
• TEMPERATURE CUTOFF: No application shall be made if the air temperature of the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Users can download these restrictions from the product manufacturer’s website, and they must be in the user’s possession during application.

“These restrictions mirror what we did in 2022 when we saw a major decrease in complaints of off-target movement from the previous year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “These products must be used without impacts on neighboring homes, farms, and gardens. The Minnesota-specific restrictions are based on scientific evidence from our drift investigations and discussions with the University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Soybean Growers Drift Taskforce.”

During the 2022 growing season, the MDA received 25 formal complaints and eight responses to an informal survey, all alleging off-target movement. This was a major decrease from 2021 which saw a total of 304 formal complaints and survey responses.

Other federal requirements for the products that appear on the product labels include:

• Requiring an approved pH-buffering agent, also known as a volatility reducing agent, be tank mixed with dicamba products prior to all applications
• Requiring a downwind buffer of 240 feet and 310 feet in areas where listed endangered species are located
• Additional recordkeeping items

In addition to the cutoff date, Xtendimax and Tavium have crop growth stage cutoffs.

Since dicamba was first registered for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans in the 2017 growing season, the MDA has fielded complaints each year of alleged off-site movement onto neighboring property. The chemical is highly volatile and can damage non-target plant species through spray drift and/or volatilization. Volatility is influenced by several factors including temperature, relative humidity, rate of application, and crop stage. The annual totals of complaints were:

2022: 32 reports
2021: 304
2020: 128
2019: 20
2018: 51
2017: 249

In Minnesota, Engenia, Tavium, and XtendiMax formulations of dicamba are approved for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans only and are “Restricted Use Pesticides.” The dicamba products are only for retail sale to and use by certified applicators.

Pesticide product registrations are renewed on an annual basis in Minnesota.

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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us

Applications are now open for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) new Soil Health Financial Assistance Pilot Program soil health equipment grants.

These grants are available to individual producers, producer groups, and local governments to purchase or retrofit soil health equipment. Grant awards will provide up to 50% cost-share, with a minimum award of $500 and a maximum award of $50,000. A total of $475,000 is available for the Soil Health Financial Assistance Pilot Program soil health equipment grants.

“We recognize that building soil health is important to water quality and our other natural resources in Minnesota,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Implementing soil health practices on farms, however, often requires specialized, expensive equipment and machinery. The Soil Health Financial Assistance Pilot Program will help offset equipment costs, helping to expand the number of farmers and acres engaged in soil health activities.”

Examples of eligible new or used equipment include, but are not limited to, no-till drills, air seeders, highboys, variable-rate equipment, retrofit projects to allow no-till planting, and more. Parts and materials used to retrofit existing equipment are also eligible.

The Request for Proposals and application link can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/soil-health-grant. Applications are due March 20, 2023.

Minnesota’s soil health efforts tie into the work of the State Water Plan, Nutrient Reduction Strategy, emission reduction targets, Climate Action Framework, and other objectives.

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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us