Farming: Ragwort and injurious weeds
Weeds Act 1959
Under the Weeds Act 1959 the Secretary of State may serve an enforcement notice on the occupier of land on which injurious weeds are growing, requiring the occupier to take action to prevent the spread of injurious weeds. The Weeds Act specifies five injurious weeds: Common Ragwort, Spear Thistle, Creeping of Field Thistle, Broad leaved Dock and Curled Dock.
Defra works with individuals and a wide range of rural organisations to control the spread of these five weeds.
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Ragwort
Common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea) is poisonous to horses and other livestock and can have potentially fatal consequences if ingested either in its green or dried state. Over 90% of complaints that Defra receives about injurious weeds concern ragwort.
- Identification of injurious weeds: common ragwort (PDF 270 KB)
In 2003 the British Horse Society sponsored a Private Member's Bill to amend the Weeds Act to provide for a code of practice to prevent the spread of ragwort. Government supported the Bill and the Ragwort Control Act came into force in February 2004. Defra worked with the British Horse Society and other stakeholders, including English Nature, Wildlife Trust, and ADAS to produce the code of practice, which was launched at the Royal Show in July 2004. Further guidance was published in September 2005 on the options for disposing of ragwort. See below for further information including the text of the Act, the code of practice and the guidance on disposal.
Code of practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort
This code provides comprehensive guidance on how to develop a strategic approach to weed control. It gives advice on identification, priorities for control, control methods, environmental considerations and health and safety issues.
- Code of practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort (revised May 2007 (PDF 500 KB)
Printed copies of the code are available from Defra publications (please quote reference PB9840).
Guidance on the disposal options for common ragwort
Effective disposal of ragwort is a key factor in control. Cut and pulled flowering ragwort plants may still set seed and ragwort has a 70% seed germination rate. All parts of the ragwort plant remain toxic and harmful to animals when treated or wilted. This guidance has been produced to supplement the Code of practice and provide more detailed advice on the disposal options for common ragwort.
- Guidance on the disposal options for common ragwort (September 2005) (PDF 380 KB)
- Addendum to ‘Guidance on the disposal options for common ragwort’ (September 2008) (PDF 20 KB)
Printed copies of this guidance is available from Defra publications (please quote reference PB11050).
The Ragwort Control Act
The Ragwort Control Act amends the Weeds Act and will promote the more efficient control of common Ragwort. Common ragwort is the only one of the five weeds specified in the Weeds Act which poses a risk to animal health. If ingested by horses, ponies and other livestock, common ragwort causes cumulative liver damage and can have potentially fatal consequences. A copy of the Act is available at:
The Ragwort Control Act came into force on 20 February 2004 and enables the Secretary of State to make a Code of practice to prevent the spread of ragwort (see above).
Control of injurious weeds publications
The following publications are available to help with the identification, prevention and control of injurious weeds. They can also be obtained from Defra Publications.
- Identification of injurious weeds(PB4192) - to assist in the identification of injurious weeds.
- The Weeds Act - guidance note on the methods that can be used to control harmful weeds (PB7190) - contains information on weed control and further sources of advice.
- Preventing the spread of harmful weeds (PDF 70 KB)
The following codes of practice are also relevant:
- Code of practice for using plant protection products
- Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Air (PB0618).
A complaint form (WEED 2) is available if you wish to complain about an infestation of injurious weeds as specified in the Weeds Act 1959.
The form is also available from the Natural England office at Bristol. The address is given in Appendix 7 of the Code of Practice on how to prevent the spread of Ragwort (PDF 500 KB, revised May 2007). Please note that from 2 October 2006 complaint forms for all of England should be returned to the Natural England office at Bristol.
A web-based interactive map site is available at http://www.magic.gov.uk
Please note that neither Japanese knotweed nor giant hogweed are covered by the Weeds Act 1959. They are dealt with under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Page last modified: 24 September 2008
Page published: 1 July 2006