State officials brief Pine County on proposed spongy‑moth mating‑disruption and emerald ash borer outlook

An outreach coordinator from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (introduced by a commissioner as Jennifer Burlington) briefed the Pine County Board on proposed 2025 spongy‑moth and emerald ash borer (EAB) management activities.

For Pine County the Department proposed mating‑disruption pheromone application over roughly 4,608 acres in the Nemadji State Forest. The speaker described mating disruption (an aerial application of a synthetic pheromone branded as a "splat" material) that is EPA‑certified, biodegradable and non‑toxic, and said it targets adult moths to prevent mating. The department also described spot treatments using Btk (a biological insecticide) for caterpillar control on private properties; residents in insecticide treatment areas will receive postcards and notifications.

"We send postcards to everybody," the presenter said, describing layered outreach: legal notices, public meetings, email/text alerts, a report‑a‑pest hotline and notification to emergency services. The coordinator told the board that aircraft operate low over treetops (about 100 feet) and that the Forest Service contracts several small planes, with spotter aircraft for safety.

The presenter said the Department uses ~20,000 pheromone traps statewide to detect reproducing populations and that identifying early populations helps limit spread. She noted the Department and US Forest Service complete environmental reviews and that there is an environmental assessment/EIS process for aerial pheromone applications; written comments on proposed treatments are accepted by the Department.

On emerald ash borer, the presenter said Minnesota maintains quarantines that restrict movement of ash material, mulch and firewood from regulated areas. She advised communities may eventually shift from active quarantine to different management as EAB becomes more widespread; at that stage the typical local response is removal of badly infested or hazardous trees and selective treatment to protect high‑value specimens.

Commissioners asked whether private landowners have a say in insecticide treatments and how notifications are handled. The presenter said residents within treatment or buffer areas receive direct mail and that mating‑disruption notifications are distributed publicly via media and community notices; Btk insecticide recipients receive postcards and have the option to opt out of aerial insecticide treatments when the department provides that notice.

The board did not vote; the department said it would continue public outreach and accept comments through its report‑a‑pest channels and formal comment windows tied to environmental reviews.