LARAMIE – A recently-published report from the University of Wyoming identifies cheatgrass as the most economically damaging current and future threat to Wyoming agriculture.
The university’s report was authored by agricultural economists and invasive weed specialists, with collaboration from the state’s weed and pest control district and the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council Guiding Principles Committee. The authors estimate the future impact of cheatgrass may exceed $110 million annually if unmanaged. The report’s authors admit the estimates are likely conservative as they accounted for only losses due to grazing reduction. Other factors like ecosystem services, recreation, wildfire and wildlife habitat were not incorporated into the study.
According to the United States Geological Survey, cheatgrass is a “highly competitive and invasive species” that originates from Europe or Eurasia, being introduced to the U.S. in the mid to late 1800s as a contaminant in seed and straw. The plant germinates in the fall and early spring and grows rapidly and in high numbers. The USGS also notes the plant is disrupting the fire cycle in sage habitat and other ecosystems in the western U.S. as infestations lead to more frequent and intense burns.
The report focused on 10 different species of invasive weed and included hoary cress, leafy spurge, medusahead, Palmer amaranth, perennial pepperweed, Russian knapweed, Russian olive, ventenata and yellow starthistle, along with cheatgrass.
While focusing on cheatgrass and other invasive weeds that are a high concern across the state, the report’s authors advise against that tactic.
“Preventing further spread of species with very limited range in Wyoming is a higher-leverage approach than waiting for them to have broad-reaching impacts before implementing a strategic management approach,” the report states.
The study examined current grazing and crop value losses due to infestation and losses if each species were permitted to spread unmanaged into all potential suitable habitats.
“This report represents an important step to better understanding the impacts of invasive weeds on Wyoming’s agricultural economy and gives some insight into how bad it could be if such weeds were left unchecked,” co-author Brian Mealor, director of the Sheridan Research and Extension Center and the Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE) said.
