The negative impacts of invasive species are far reaching and in the United States hundreds of millions are spent each year combating them. In 2012, Indiana land owners and managers spent $5.85 million to manage invasive plants on their land while a separate study found  that invasive species cost the United States more than $120 billion in damages every year (Pimental et al. 2005). Missouri is no different and spends millions to fight these foreign plants that are wreaking havoc on our local ecosystems. 

Yet, you can go into any nursery or large retailer and purchase the same plants that many state agencies spend their limited resources fighting to eradicate or control.  Why should the state of Missouri allow retailers to continue to sell known destructive, invasive plants to the detriment of our public and private lands?  Citizens of Missouri need to speak up and let our voices be heard: Stop the sale of invasive species and let our ecosystems have a chance at recovery. 

Currently, the Missouri Department of Conservation lists the following plants as the top invasives:

(http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/problem-plants-and-animals/invasive-plants

1. Autumn Olive 
2. Bush Honeysuckle
3. Callery (Bradford) Pear
4. Canada Thistle
5. Common Buckthorn
6. Chinese Yam
7. Reed Canary Grass
8. Crown Vetch
9. Common & Cut-leaved Thistle
10. Garlic Mustard
11. Japanese Honeysuckle
12. Japanese Hop
13. Japanese Knotweed
14. Japanese Stiltgrass
15. Johnson Grass
16. Kudzu
17. Leafy Spurge
18. Multiflora Rose
19. Purple Loosestrife
20. Sericea Lespedeza
21. Musk Thistle
22. Spotted Knapweed
23. Old World Bluestem
24. Wintercreeper
25. Tall Fescue

Other states have regulated invasive species and it only makes sense to do so.  New York state has the following regulations which Missouri can utilitize as a blueprint to guide the drafting of our states regulations:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/93848.html

Please help spread the word and put this common sense solution in the public spotlight.