Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has announced a $300,000 grant for drone detection of noxious weeds. The initiative will target sugar beet and soybean fields across five counties in the 2025 and 2026 growing seasons, with particular attention on amaranth species such as waterhemp.
“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,” stated Goehring.
The coalition leading this project includes Grand Farm Research and Education Initiative, Thales, iSight Drone Services, and North Dakota State University. These organizations will collaborate with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, county weed officers, and landowners to manage drone operations over the fields.
To maintain privacy, detected locations will remain confidential and identified only at the county level. The project’s aim is to develop an image library that accurately distinguishes between different amaranth species to enable rapid response by weed control officials to new infestations.
This funding was authorized by the 69th Legislative Assembly.
