BLUE EARTH– A highly invasive plant is becoming more of a problem in Faribault County.

“I am receiving more complaints about wild parsnip,” Merrisa Lore, who along with being the county’s drainage manager is also the county ag and weed inspector, told the commissioners at their County Board meeting on Tuesday. “It is starting to become a widespread problem.”

The plant can be controlled by mowing or spraying.

“We aren’t supposed to be mowing the ditches right now,” Lore said. “And we don’t currently have a county employee licensed for spraying.”

It was suggested by the board that it isn’t very expensive to get a license and maybe that is something that someone at the county should pursue.

Commissioners Bruce Anderson and Bill Groskreutz both said they had the unfortunate experience of being in contact with the weed.

“It is like a burn that blisters,” Anderson commented. “And it took a couple of weeks before it started to heal.”

According to information put out by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, wild parsnip can spread rapidly if it is ignored and is best controlled by a management plan that combines fall and early-spring applications of specific foliar herbicides and pre-flower mowing throughout the growing season. When skin comes in contact with plant sap in the presence of sunlight, it can cause severe rashes, blisters and discoloration of skin. If sap comes in contact with skin, avoid exposure to sunlight, immediately wash skin with soap and water and seek medical attention.

The topic of the 765kV transmission line project which is slated to run through many of the southern tier of counties in Minnesota was also discussed.

“Faribault County, along with Martin County and Freeborn County, will be meeting with a lawyer who specializes in these matters,” Anderson said. “She has blocked time for us later in July and will charge us $400 which will be split by the three counties. If Jackson County and Mower County join us, then the $400 will be split evenly between the five counties.”

The board approved spending the money for the meeting.

The board also:

— Approved the training request of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) coordinator Brandi Douglas to attend Minnesota County GIS Association Conference.

— Voted to approve the request of Faribault County Emergency Management director Sue Jahnke to attend the 2026 Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers Conference.