Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Wallace T.D., today reminded all landowners and users of land that now is the time to take action to against the noxious weed, ragwort. February to mid March is the recommended period for spraying ragwort, with an appropriate herbicide, on lands marked out for grazing or conservation for hay or silage. Ragwort plants become more palatable after spraying and consequently livestock must be kept off treated fields and fodder conservation until all of the plants are dead and sufficiently rotted down.