NOXIOUS WEEDS
 

Noxious Weed List
    We urge the Maryland Department of Agriculture to have phragmites, asiatic tearthumb, kudzu, multi-flora rose (except when used as rootstock by the nursery industry), and mile-a-minute placed on the noxious weed list. '04

Compliance on Government-Owned Land
    We insist that local, county, state, and federal governments abide by the noxious weed control laws on lands owned or controlled by them. '02

Enforcement
    We urge the Maryland Department of Agriculture to enforce the law pertaining to the control of noxious weeds with court action when
necessary. We urge county governments, county weed control committees and other agricultural organizations to cooperate with MDA's efforts to maintain a viable noxious weed control program. ’07

    We re commend that county weed control committees, along with county coordinators make every possible effort to cooperate with farmers and/or landowners in good faith, who are making a reasonable effort to control noxious weeds in crop and non-cropland. Furthermore, it must be accepted by the enforcement personnel that 100% control of noxious weeds in crop or non crop land is not realistically achievable by any or all of the control methods outlined by the Maryland Noxious Weed Law, which are as follows: "mowing, spraying and cultivation.” ’05

Public Education
    We recommend that the State of Maryland increase efforts to inform and educate the general public concerning the value of and requirements for continuing control of thistles, multi-flora rose, johnsongrass, poison hemlock, shatter cane and autumn olive.’07

Weed Control Methods
    We support and will work with the University of Maryland, Maryland Department of Agriculture and Chemical Companies to step-up efforts to develop new materials to reduce and eliminate these noxious weeds. Until these materials are developed, MDA should ban ornamental grasses such as eastern gamma grass from being introduced in Maryland. ’05

    At present, seeds for bird feed are not regulated, and some mixtures contain noxious weed seed from both domestic and imported sources. We recommend legislation that will require all bird feed (seeds) be free of noxious weed seeds that are capable of germination.’05