Doug Goehring Agriculture Commissioner | North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Doug Goehring Agriculture Commissioner | North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has announced a $300,000 grant for drone detection of noxious weeds. The project will target sugar beet and soybean fields in five counties during the 2025 and 2026 growing seasons, focusing on amaranth species such as waterhemp.
Goehring stated, “The project will focus on sugar beet and soybean fields in five counties during the 2025 and 2026 growing season, with a focus on amaranth species, including waterhemp.”
A coalition led by Grand Farm Research and Education Initiative, including Thales, iSight Drone Services, and North Dakota State University, was selected for the project. The awardee will work with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, county weed officers, and landowners when flying drones over fields. Locations found to have detections during the survey will remain confidential and identified at the county level only. The aim is to create a library of images to help identify different amaranth species accurately and enable rapid response to new infestations.
The funding was authorized by the 69th Legislative Assembly.
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