Weed Commissioner
Duties:
The weed commissioner is appointed by the Board of Supervisors. His or her
duties are described in Chapter 317 of the Code of Iowa. Annually, the Clay
County Board of Supervisors has appointed Marc Gustafson as county
weed commissioner. The weed commissioner relies heavily on reports from the
public of the location of noxious weeds and works to have them destroyed as
quickly as possible. The sections of the Iowa Code most applicable to the weed
commissioner’s duties are shown below.
Chapter 317.3 of the Code of Iowa: Weed Commissioner
The Board of Supervisors of each county may annually appoint a county weed
commissioner who may be a person otherwise employed by the county and who passes
minimum standards established by the department of agriculture and land
stewardship for noxious weed identification and the recognized methods for
noxious weed control and elimination. The county weed commissioner's appointment
shall be effective as of March 1 and shall continue for a term at the discretion
of the board of supervisors unless the commissioner is removed from office as
provided for by law.
The county weed commissioner may, with the approval of the Board of Supervisors,
require that commercial applicators and their appropriate employees pass the
same standards for noxious weed identification as established by the department
of agriculture and land stewardship. Chapter 317.4 of the
Code of Iowa: Direction and Control
The weed commissioner, subject to direction and control by the County Board of Supervisors, shall supervise the control and destruction of all noxious weeds in
the county, including those growing within the limits of cities, within the
confines of abandoned cemeteries, and along streets and highways unless
otherwise provided. A commissioner shall notify the department of public safety
of the location of marijuana plants found growing on public or private property.
A commissioner may enter upon any land in the county at any time for the
performance of the commissioner's duties, and shall hire the labor and equipment
necessary subject to the approval of the board of supervisors.
317.6 Entering land to destroy weeds - notice
If there is a substantial failure by the owner or person in possession or
control of any land to comply with any order of destruction pursuant to the
provisions of this chapter, the county weed commissioner, including the weed
commissioner's deputies, or employees acting under the weed commissioner's
direction may enter upon any land within the commissioner's county for the
purpose of destroying noxious weeds. The entry may be made without the consent
of the landowner or person in possession or control of the land. However, the
actual work of destruction shall not be commenced until five days after the
landowner and the person in possession or control of the land have been
notified. The notice shall state the facts relating to failure of compliance
with the county program of weed destruction order or orders made by the board of
supervisors. 317.10 Duty of owner or tenant
Each owner and each person in the possession or control of any lands shall cut,
burn, or otherwise destroy, in whatever manner may be prescribed by the board of
supervisors, all noxious weeds thereon as defined in this chapter at such times
in each year and in such manner as shall be prescribed in the program of weed
destruction order or orders made by the board of supervisors, and shall keep
said lands free from such growth of any other weeds, as shall render the streets
or highways adjoining said land unsafe for public travel. |

Office holder name:
Marc Gustafson
Phone Number:
(712) 262-2187 Ext 3713
Weed Commissioner's Forms:
Downloadable forms
used in the Weed Commissioner's office
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