Overview: During the Stewartville City Council meeting, the most prominent issue discussed was the management of the spongy moth, a pest that poses significant risks to local ecosystems and human health. John Larson from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Kimberly Talin Kramers from the Slow the Spread Foundation presented a comprehensive management strategy to mitigate the moth’s impact on Stewartville and neighboring areas, including Rochester and Winona. The program, funded federally, will be implemented in late June to early July, covering approximately 3,200 acres through a method known as “mating disruption.”