162'/Maryland Manual

spection and registration of honey bee colonies,
and administration of the Interstate Pest Control
Compact.

The Chief provides general supervision of the
programs. Personnel in this Section serve as the
State's authorities on plant pests and agricultural
quarantines, and provide liaison {or the Depart-
ment with other State and federal regulatory offi-
cials (Code Agriculture Article, secs. 5-301
through 5-313; 5-501 through 5-507; and 1976
supplement secs. 5-701 through 5-716, and 1977
supplement secs. 5-801 through 5-805).

TURF AND SEED SECTION

Maurice H. Day, Chief

50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-5960

The Turf and Seed Section's primary responsi-
bility is to assure the availability of sufficient
quantities of certified turf and seed. It directs and
conducts certification programs by which turf
and seed are produced to meet standards of puri-
ty, variety, germination, and other quality factors.
Seed or sod not meeting certification standards is
rejected as a result of field inspections or labora-
tory analysis.

The Section also provides regulatory controls
to assure accurate and complete labeling of seed
and sod at the time of marketing, thus enabling
the consumer to determine what is being pur-
chased. A State Testing Laboratory is operated
for both service and regulatory testing to assure

compliance with label claims. The regulatory
phase involves inspection, testing, reporting re-
sults, and corrective actions for each turf and
seed lot found to be in noncompliance with the
provisions of the Seed Law (Code Agriculture
Article, secs. 9-101 through 9-110; 9-201 through
9-213; 9-301 through 9-307).

WEED CONTROL SECTION

Jesse J. Crook, Chief

50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-5870

The primary goal of the Weed Control Section
is to control and prevent the spread in Maryland
of the nuisance weeds Johnsongrass, thistles, and
multiflora rose. The Weed Control Program helps
landowners bring nuisance weeds under control
through their own efforts and through joint efforts
of county and State as provided for in cooperative
agreements with the various counties. The Depart-
ment encourages landowners to file Nuisance
Weeds Control Plans, outlining methods and pro-
cedures for controlling these weeds on their land.
The Department is authorized to take regulatory
actions against landowners who allow specific nui-
sance weeds to set seed on their property.

The Secretary of Agriculture has legislative au-
thority to declare other weeds noxious and place
them under a control program. The Section Chief
serves as the State's authority on weed control
matters (Code Agriculture Article, secs. 9-401
through 9-405).