Missouri Revised Statutes
Chapter 263 - Insect Pests and Weeds
Section 263.190 - Owners to control noxious weeds — notice procedure — penalty — sale of noxious weeds prohibited.

Effective - 28 Aug 2011
263.190. Owners to control noxious weeds — notice procedure — penalty — sale of noxious weeds prohibited. — 1. As used in sections 263.190 to 263.474, "noxious weed" means any weed designated as noxious by rules promulgated by the director of the department of agriculture. The department shall maintain a list of such noxious weeds and shall make such list available to the public. The department of agriculture shall promulgate rules necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this subsection shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This subsection and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2011, shall be invalid and void.
2. It shall be the duty of every owner of lands in this state, including but not limited to any person, association of persons, corporation, partnership, state highways and transportation commission, state department, state agency, county commission, township board, school board, drainage board, governing body of an incorporated city, railroad company or other transportation company and such company's authorized agent, and any person supervising state-owned lands to control all noxious weeds growing thereon so often in each and every year as shall be sufficient to prevent such noxious weeds from going to seed. If any owner of such land shall knowingly allow any noxious weeds to grow thereon, such owner shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars to the county commission for every such offense, and such sum forfeited plus court costs may be recovered by civil action instituted by the prosecuting attorney in the name of the county commission before any associate circuit judge of the county in which the offense is committed. All sums recovered by virtue of this section shall be paid to the use of the county control fund.
3. Before initiating any civil action under this section, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the land, or the greater part thereof, is located shall notify the owner of the land of the requirements of this law, by certified mail, return receipt requested, from a list supplied by the officer who prepares the tax list, and shall allow the owner of the land fifteen days from acknowledgment date of return receipt, or date of refusal of acceptance, as the case may be, to initiate control of all such plants growing upon the owner's land. Failure of the owner to initiate control of such plants within the fifteen-day period shall be prima facie evidence of the owner's knowledge that the owner is in violation of this law, and each fifteen days the violation continues after the initial fifteen-day period shall, for the purpose of forfeiture and penalty herein, be considered a separate offense.
4. All sales of noxious weed species are prohibited.
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(RSMo 1939 § 14260, A.L. 1979 H.B. 259, A.L. 1992 H.B. 1199, A.L. 2011 H.B. 458 merged with S.B. 356)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 12597; 1919 § 12118; 1909 § 742

Structure Missouri Revised Statutes

Missouri Revised Statutes

Title XVII - Agriculture and Animals

Chapter 263 - Insect Pests and Weeds

Section 263.010 - Title of law.

Section 263.020 - Definitions.

Section 263.030 - Appointment of state entomologist — qualifications — employees.

Section 263.040 - Rules and regulations.

Section 263.050 - Inspection, enforce quarantine regulations — power to call meetings — rulemaking, procedure.

Section 263.060 - Right of entry.

Section 263.070 - Inspection fees — nurseries and nursery dealers registration inspection certificates, requirements, expire when — disposition of fees.

Section 263.080 - Plant pests, control, noncomplying owner, action by inspectors — lien for expenses.

Section 263.100 - Shipping tag to show what.

Section 263.110 - Inspection of plants before sale or shipment — fees — exceptions.

Section 263.130 - Establishment of quarantine — rules and regulations.

Section 263.140 - Restrictive and control measures — adoption and enforcement.

Section 263.145 - Plant disease and insect inspection — confiscation and destruction — highway patrol or other law enforcement officers to assist in enforcement.

Section 263.150 - Review of order granted, when — rules, procedure.

Section 263.180 - Penalty.

Section 263.190 - Owners to control noxious weeds — notice procedure — penalty — sale of noxious weeds prohibited.

Section 263.200 - County commission duties to control noxious weeds, official immunity, landowner duty of care — special tax for cost, collection — provisions applicable to certain political subdivisions.

Section 263.220 - Duty of prosecuting attorney.

Section 263.240 - Penalty for violation.

Section 263.243 - State agency purchasing seed from nondomestic source containing noxious weeds, liability.

Section 263.245 - Brush adjacent to county roads, to be removed subject to voter approval, certain counties — county commission may remove brush, when, procedures, certain counties — county right-of-way or maintenance easement, distance.

Section 263.247 - Brush control, county option, certain counties — election to discontinue enforcement of weed control program.

Section 263.250 - Marijuana plant to be destroyed — county commission to destroy, when.

Section 263.255 - County election on enforcement of Johnson grass control law, notice, ballot, effect.

Section 263.257 - Director of agriculture to exterminate Johnson grass, when — county weed control board, appointment, expenses.

Section 263.259 - Duties of state director of agriculture — inspection by county weed control board.

Section 263.261 - Duties of public utilities and government agencies as to Johnson grass.

Section 263.262 - Johnson grass declared nuisance, where — abatement.

Section 263.265 - Tax for control of Johnson grass — state transportation department to pay costs.

Section 263.266 - Approved eradication methods to be followed.

Section 263.267 - County's classification as Johnson grass extermination area terminated, how.

Section 263.452 - Declaration of commission, when — election, procedure.

Section 263.454 - Declaration as noxious weed control area, notice, duties of property owners — county weed control board, appointment, members, duties, compensation, terms.

Section 263.456 - Duties of county weed control board — director of agriculture to cooperate with governmental agencies — inspection of lands, notice, immunity, liability, indemnification, landowner duty of care — expenses of control, special tax, li...

Section 263.458 - Public utilities, department of transportation, department of natural resources, department of conservation, United States government, and railroads duties in noxious weed control areas.

Section 263.460 - Noxious weeds as public nuisance — action to enjoin nuisance, venue, parties, notice.

Section 263.462 - Tax may be assessed by county commission, township board and special road district — transportation department property, costs — county commission may share costs with landowners.

Section 263.464 - Chemicals and biological agents, approval of required.

Section 263.466 - Termination of classification as noxious weed control area.

Section 263.468 - County noxious weed fund may be established — program required — funding — orders.

Section 263.470 - Prohibition, Johnson grass extermination area.

Section 263.472 - Conversion of Johnson grass extermination area to noxious weed control program — election, procedure.

Section 263.474 - Public and private standards of control.

Section 263.500 - Law, how cited.

Section 263.503 - Definitions.

Section 263.505 - Rules, authority for — procedure to adopt, suspend and revoke.

Section 263.507 - Department of agriculture — powers and duties.

Section 263.509 - Director's right to enter premises to eradicate and inspect, requirements — court may issue a warrant for right of entry, when.

Section 263.512 - Cotton growers to furnish department with size and location of all cotton fields and patches.

Section 263.515 - Quarantined areas, authority from regulations by department — articles from other states regulated.

Section 263.517 - Eradication zones established, authority for — regulations — publication of notice in affected areas — violations, authority to destroy cotton.

Section 263.520 - Eradication zones, authority of department to treat with pesticides or destroy — cotton planted after notice, no payment for losses — payment if cotton planted before notice.

Section 263.523 - Cotton growers' organization, certification by department, requirements — board of directors, appointment, qualifications, terms — audit by department.

Section 263.525 - Certification of organization — purpose — revocation, when.

Section 263.527 - Regional referendum on assessment for costs of eradication — assessment basis — voting procedure — deposit of funds collected — annual audit.

Section 263.529 - Referendum under direction of organization — expenses, how paid.

Section 263.531 - Referendum defeated — organization may call other referendums — assessment retention to be subject to vote every ten years.

Section 263.534 - Failure to pay assessment, penalties and interest — lien also authorized on cotton crop subject to assessment, priority of lien.

Section 263.537 - Boll weevil suppression and eradication fund established, purpose — department may retain amount to cover costs of administration — reversion to general revenue prohibited.