| HELENA Sen. B.F. Chris Christiaens, D-Great Falls,
stood alone Wednesday in support of his bill to allow Montana agriculture
producers to grow a noxious weed as a crop.
The Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee heard
testimony Wednesday afternoon on Senate Bill 9, which would allow farmers
and ranchers to grow St. Johns Wort, a plant listed in the state as a
Class I noxious weed.
St. Johns Wort is used worldwide as an herbal anti-depressant, among
other things. In Germany, Christiaens said, the herb is prescribed 25
times more often than Prozac.
He said the plant, grown as an alternative crop, could help some
farmers and ranchers stay in business.
The bill requires people who want to grow St. Johns Wort to register
with the state and pay a bond to control and eradicate the plant if
necessary.
Christiaens said he will amend the bill to put counties in charge of
setting the bond. The amendment will give county weed districts more
authority over the growth of St. Johns Wort, he said.
Opponents of Christiaens bill several of whom serve on their
counties weed boards expressed concern that the plant is a
hard-to-control noxious weed that would create more trouble than it is
worth.
In this state, we ask that just 23 plants not be grown, Liberty
County weed control agent Jim Ghekiere said. There are many good
options for alternative crops right now, and I feel that St. Johns Wort
is not one of them.
Bob Brastrup, who farms in Carbon and Stillwater counties, said he is
worried about the potential for the plant to spread onto his farm, where
he already has to deal with leafy spurge.
If St. Johns Wort is allowed to grow, and its down in my
country, I can assure you that the birds and wildlife will bring it onto
my place, he said.
I dont think theres any way we can safely grow this plant in
Montana.
Janet Ellis of Montana Audubon said her organization thought long
and hard about the bill. They wanted to support it because it would
give farmers and ranchers an alternative crop option. But, she said, the
organization was worried about the plant spreading onto neighbors
property.
Christiaens said he believes there are ways to control the spread of
the plant if it is necessary to do so. He said much of the production is
likely to occur on very small plots of land and in greenhouses, where it
would be fairly easy to control.
He conceded that St. Johns Wort is not worth as much as it was in
1999, when he began work on the bill. At that time, the herb was selling
for $3,500 an acre, but the price has fallen dramatically since. But he
stuck to his assertion that the bill could become a lucrative crop for
those who were willing to go to the effort and expense of growing it.
Down the road, this may be one of those crops that keeps farmers and
ranchers in business in this state, he said.
Agriculture needs every opportunity to stay in business. |