Knocking Out Noxious Weeds
Congress approves legislation that will provide local agencies the resources needed to reduce the spread of nonnative weeds that harm crops and destroy grazing land.
Compiled by staff
Published: Oct 12, 2004
This past weekend was successful in passing several agricultural friendly bills. One measure, the Noxious Weed Control Act of 2004, will provide local agencies the resources needed to reduce the spread of nonnative weeds that harm crops and destroy grazing land across the country.
The measure, which the Senate passed over the weekend, had already been passed by the House of Representatives and now awaits the President's signature.
"Noxious weeds choke out crops, destroy productive grazing land, and threaten native species. This bill puts needed resources into the hands of weed managers who are toiling to combat the problem at the local level," says bill sponsor Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D.
The bill creates a financial and technical assistance program, run by the Department of Agriculture, to help state and local governments control or eradicate noxious weeds. In total, the bill authorizes $60 million in grants to states over the next four years. State officials in turn will fund local weed boards to implement weed-control projects on private and public lands.
Daschle and Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, sponsored the bill, S. 144, in 2003. The House of Representatives made changes to the bill on October 4, and the Senate agreed to those changes by unanimous consent on Saturday.
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Tagged: grazing, weed control
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