Palmer Amaranth; photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Palmer Amaranth, or pigweed, has found its way onto many farms around the state, and the legislature is moving a bill they believe would be the first step to eliminating it. House File 410 recently passed through committee and will soon be heading to the floor for discussion, though State Representative Jarad Klein (R) says it will be a short discussion. He explains, “That’s an important one for farmers around the state, but also in Washington County, because we do have instances where pigweed has been found. And if we don’t nip that one in the bud, we’re going to have some real problems in the future. Locally, we’re already at a grain deficit, we already have to import grain to feed livestock from other parts of the state. So we can’t let that one get out of control.”

The bill would add Palmer Amaranth to the noxious weed list, meaning it would need to be destroyed immediately upon discovery, or landowners risk incurring fines from the state. It would also make it illegal to import or sell pigweed in Iowa. Palmer Amaranth is an edible flowering plant that is aggressive and invasive, and it has a tendency to crowd out cash crops. If the bill is passed, pigweed would become the 26th plant on the noxious weed list in Iowa. To hear more about the current legislative session, listen to the three-part In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Klein at KCIIRadio.com.