Leafy spurge has become a serious problem for ranchers and land managers in the northern Great Plains region. A bioeconomic model was developed to estimate the economic impacts of leafy spurge on grazing land and wildland in a four-state region (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming). Leafy spurge infestations on grazing land were estimated to result in a loss in regional grazing capacity sufficient to support a herd of 90,000 cows. Direct economic impacts on stock growers, landowners, and agribusiness firms were estimated to exceed $37 million annually, whereas secondary impacts throughout the regional economy totaled almost $83 million. Impacts on wildland were smaller but still substantial. Study results indicated the serious nature of the leafy spurge problem in the northern Great Plains region and helped to justify enhanced control efforts.
Nomenclature: Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L. #3 EPHES.
Abbreviations: AUM, animal unit month.
