Minn. Stat. § 18.0225 – Grasshopper control program

(a) The commissioner of agriculture shall develop and implement a grasshopper control program to prevent crop damage in the grasshopper control zone. Within grasshopper control zones the commissioner, counties, local weed inspectors, and landowners have the same authorities and duties under chapter 18 for grasshoppers as if grasshoppers are noxious weeds under chapter 18. After consultation and cooperation with the Minnesota extension service entomologist, the commissioner must develop the program to economically and efficiently control grasshoppers and to minimize adverse environmental impact, including the selection of pesticides and prescription of application rates.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the board of a town designated by the commissioner as a grasshopper control zone may appoint a grasshopper control advisory committee of members who are residents of the township. The advisory committee must include:
1. (1) at least one owner of land enrolled in the conservation reserve program if any land is enrolled and an owner of enrolled land is willing to serve; and
2. (2) at least one dairy farmer if dairying occurs in the township and a dairy farmer is willing to serve.
  If the town board appoints a grasshopper control advisory committee, the board must seek the advice of the advisory committee before the issuance of each order for grasshopper control or the advisory committee may adopt guidelines for issuing grasshopper control orders.
(c) The grasshopper control program must utilize proven methods of grasshopper control and the commissioner may make grants for experimental methods of control in selected areas.
(d) Before any grasshopper control measures, including, but not limited to, spraying or the deposit of pelletized controls, are applied on or to streams, lakes, waterways, or public waters, the commissioner shall seek the review and approval of the commissioner of natural resources. As used in this paragraph, "streams, lakes, waterways, or public waters," does not include farm ditches, drainage ditches, or county ditches.
(e) The commissioner, upon written request from any person or organization, may exempt from grasshopper control measures a parcel of land that the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of natural resources, determines to be of particular, unique scientific or natural significance or is particularly sensitive to the use of insecticides or other control methods being used. The commissioner must consider previous pesticide applications to the property to be exempted and agricultural practices conducted on the property. The exemption may be conditional, may apply to all or part of the property requested, and may be revoked by the commissioner at any time. An exemption granted under this paragraph is for mandatory grasshopper control and does not affect liability under other law.
(f) The request for exemption must include at least the following:
1. (1) the name and address of the person or organization making the request;
2. (2) the acreage and legal description of the parcel;
3. (3) a statement of the specific reasons why an exemption is requested; and
4. (4) any agreements for grasshopper control and any other information required by the commissioner.
(g) Upon notice of the approval of an exemption, the owner of the exempted property must mail the following notice to adjoining landowners:
"(Name of exempt landowner) has requested and the commissioner of agriculture has exempted (description of land exempted) from mandatory grasshopper control measures due to the scientific or natural significance or sensitivity to insecticides of the property. It is the intent of (landowner's name) not to control grasshoppers on the property. If you have questions about how you may make an agreement for grasshopper control you may contact (exempt landowner's name, address, and phone number).
Cost-sharing may be available for treatment of grasshoppers on your property. For more information contact the commissioner of agriculture.
The exemption does not affect liability under other law."
(h) A decision of the commissioner under paragraph (e) must be in writing and delivered to the person or organization making the request and the clerk of the town in which the property is located. The commissioner, counties, towns, and their agents are not liable for damages from exemptions granted under this section.
(i) From funds appropriated for this purpose, the commissioner must reimburse a person for the cost of grasshopper control measures in a 20-rod wide buffer area on property adjacent to property exempted from grasshopper control measures under paragraph (e), to the extent funds are available. Reimbursement to a person must be made only upon receipt of a completed application form indicating the need for treatment based on an inspector's determination that the exempted property has grasshoppers in densities greater than the density determined by the commissioner to cause economic or potential economic damage for all affected lands and identifying the location of the treatment. For each application, reimbursement must be 50 percent of cost not to exceed $4 reimbursement per acre for aerial spraying and $2.50 reimbursement per acre for ground spraying.