Using certified hay for horses

There’s a growing demand for certified noxious weed seed-free hay to prevent the spread of noxious weeds.

What are noxious weeds?

Noxious weeds are weeds that cause harm to the environment by:

• Aggressively competing against native plants

• Degrading ecosystems

• Posing a threat to wildlife

Typically, noxious weeds steal moisture, nutrients, and sunlight from other plants. They can also rob waterfowl and mammals of their food sources, nesting areas, and access to water.

Certified noxious weed seed-free forage program

This program aims to assure that certified forage meets the minimum standards to limit the spread of noxious weeds. The Minnesota Crop Improvement Association (MCIA) is the official noxious weed seed-free forage certification agency in Minnesota. Forage certified under MCIA is eligible for shipping to restricted areas in the United States and Canada.

Restricted areas

In Minnesota, there are no areas where you must use certified hay. It’s voluntary to use certified hay when your trail ride or camp in public parks.

You must use certified hay in the following places if you plan to trail ride or camp on public lands (e.g. Custer State Park, SD) there:

• Wyoming

• Idaho

• Kansas

• Montana

• South Dakota

• North Dakota

• Nebraska

• Utah

• Colorado

These states require you to use certified weed–free hay on all state wildlife areas. You may receive a fine of $68 to $1,370 for using non-certified hay. You may also be responsible for recovery costs of damage caused by noxious weeds to wildlife habitat.

Finding certified hay

For a current list of producers visit the MCIA website.

How to apply for hay certification

Forage producers desiring to have their forage certified must apply to MCIA on an application form four weeks prior to each cutting. In addition to a thorough inspection of each field, adjacent areas and storage sites will be inspected. Reinspections can be made at the request of the applicant. Please visit the MCIA website for more information.