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It's not in your field - you ignore it - it's someone else's problem... wrong!
It won't be long before it's seeds blow into your field. Don't leave it to someone else.
Do something about it...

You keep your field clear of Ragwort, of course you do, (don't you?) but it's infesting many of the road side verges in the UK ...

This land is probably owned by your local Council / Highways department and they probably don't even know about the problem.

... depending on the land in question. Ring them and report the Ragwort. If it is their land, they will deal with it. Go on - pick up the phone - do it now - don't leave it to someone else!

Then, please give us these phone numbers . We want to make it as easy as possible for other people in your area to report other occurences of Ragwort. If you have ever phoned your Council you will know how difficult it is to get the right number for the right department. If you have the right phone numbers - TELL US . We want to build a directory of the relevant phone numbers and contacts for these Council Departments throughout the UK .

We will display the various phone numbers on this site. We will not display your name!

It's no use taking steps to rid your field of ragwort when there may be another infestation 2 fields away... seeds will still blow over and it will start all over again!

Give us the phone numbers so that we can pass them on to others in your area - together we can stamp out ragwort poisoning.

Ragwort poisoning - a slow and painful death for horses!

Ragwort is an "injurious weed" and is governed by the Control of Weeds Act 1959.

We contacted DEFRA the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (to which MAFF belongs) who confirmed that a landowner must treat land infested by ragwort.

If you see ragwort don't leave it to someone else... tell the landowner and they should take action.

When ragwort threatens agricultural land, the landowner is required by Law to properly treat it. If they don't, DEFRA/MAFF will make it happen!

In many cases, the landowner will be your local Council or Highways department. We contacted our local Council and they confirmed that they always investigate any reports of ragwort and will take the necessary steps to destroy it. However, it is up to YOU to report it in the first place!

Ragwort Facts

Poisoning can occur at ANY time of the year
Ragwort poisoning destroys the liver, leading to slow, painful death
Poisonous to most animals but horses and cattle are most susceptible
Once symptoms have appeared in an affected animal little can be done and it will usually die
Acts in a cumulative fashion - a small amount eaten over a period of time is just as damaging as one large dose
Animals eating 5 percent or more of their total daily diet of ragwort for periods exceeding 20 consecutive days can be expected to die within a 6-month period
The plants
1st year - rosette stage - most poisonous
2nd year - stem/flower stage - each plant can produce 150,000 seeds, with a 70% germination rate

A horse can get ragwort poisoning without actually having any plants in their paddock! Seeds/spores from plants in neighboring fields can blow over and contaminate a paddock apparently free from plants. A horse can eat or inhale these - and cumulative poisoning can begin.

When you see Ragwort what do you do?

If you don't do something about it - it will soon be in your field!

Ragwort poisoning - a slow and painful death for horses!

Ragwort Facts