- 3 - 



In addition, weed control is a major item in farm production 

 costs and may be a source of contamination to the environment. 

 Nationally, our farmers spend an estimated 2i billion in fighting 

 weeds each year, in contrast with 430 million in controlling crop 

 insects, and 230 million in restricting damage by plant diseases. 



Effective weed control is an essential factor in our efficient 

 production of food and fiber to meet our domestic roeds. Agricul- 

 ture faces a tremendous challenge in meeting future demands for 

 food and fiber, for our own people and for export. Every oppor- 

 tunity for increasing agricultural productivity, including weed 

 control, must be exploited. 



An effective State weed control law will provide us v/ith the 

 necessary means to carry out a program to control weeds that the 

 public expects. 



No. 3 - AN ACT ESTABLISHING A DIVISION OF POULTRY AND POULTRY 

 PRODUCTS WITHIN THE DEPARTIffiNT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Section 6 of Chapter 20 of the General Laws authorizes the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture to set up divisions within the Depart- 

 ment . 



Section 6 reads in part as follows: The Commissioner shall 

 organize the Department into divisions including a Division of 

 Dairying and Animal Husbandry, a Division of Animal Health, a 

 Division of Plant Pest Control, a Division of Fairs, a Division 

 of Markets and such other divisions as he may from time to time 

 determine. 



