principal insect pest of this crop. The economic
damage to soybeans by the Mexican bean beetle
can be largely eliminated by making inoculative
releases of a small wasp, Pediobius foveolatus,
which is parasitic on the beetles. In addition to
controlling the Mexican bean beetle, this energy-ef-
ficient method reduces the cost of control and also
reduces the pesticide burden on the environment.

The Chief provides general supervision to the
Program Supervisors and coordinates the activi-
ties of the office with other programs in the De-
partment and with other local, State, and federal
officials. In addition, he is responsible for manag-
ing active cooperative agreements with local,
county, State, and federal agencies involving
$780,000 annually (Code Agriculture Article,
1975 Supp., sees. 5-301 through 5-312 and 5-401
through 5-405).

STATE SOIL CONSERVATION COM-
MITTEE

Chairperson.'Vernon R. Foster

Ex officio members: Wayne A, Cawley, Jr„ Secre-
tary, Department of Agriculture; Frank L.
Bentz, Jr„ Vice President for Agricultural
Affairs, University of Maryland; Allie Messer,
Maryland Agricultural Commission; Kenneth
McElroy, designee of the Secretary of the De-
partment of Natural Resources; William Sutton,
President of the Maryland Association of Soil
Conservation Districts.

Appointed members: C. Edward Holloway, Su-
pervisor, Wicomico Soil Conservation District,
1979; Donald L. Spickler, Supervisor, Washing-
ton County Soil Conservation District, 1980; Wil-
bur F. Ward, Jr., Supervisor, Calvert Soil Con-
servation District, 1981; Vernon R. Foster,
Supervisor, Baltimore County Soil Conservation
District, 1982.

Advisory non-voting members: Dr. John M.
Curtis, Director, Cooperative Extension Service;
Gerald R. Calhoun, State Conservationist, Unit-
ed States Department of Agriculture, Soil Con-
servation Service; W. Mitchell Digges, Supervi-
sor, Charles County Soil Conservation District;
Dr. Lamar Harris, Director, University of Mary-
land Agricultural Experiment Station; James
Voss, Director, U.S.D.A. Agricultural Stabiliza-
tion and Conservation Service.

Arnold C. Hawkins, Executive Secretary

The State Soil Conservation Committee,
established by Chapter 436, Acts of 1937, and
as amended from time to time since that date,
consists of the Secretary of the Department of
Agriculture or any employee of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture whom he designates; the
Secretary of Natural Resources, or any employ-
ee of the Department of Natural Resources
whom he designates; the principal administra-
tive official for agricultural affairs at the Uni-
versity of Maryland as designated by the Presi-
dent of the University; the Chairperson of the
Maryland Agricultural Commission, or other
member of the Commission he designates; the
President of the Maryland Association of Soil
Conservation Districts; and four soil conserva-
tion district supervisors, representing the four
geographic areas of the State, appointed for
four-year terms by the Secretary of Agriculture
from recommendations made by the districts to
be represented.

The State Soil Conservation Committee has or-
ganized Soil Conservation Districts in all counties
of the State. The Committee coordinates the work
of the twenty-four Soil Conservation Districts in
Maryland to further the application of scientifi-
cally sound and practical conservation measures
to the lands in Maryland, which will result in a
retardation of erosion and the advancement of
soil and water conservation. The Committee
distributes to the districts such funds as are avail-
able for use in implementing the soil conservation
district program.

The State Committee also assists Districts in
securing the advice and help of State and federal
agencies that have resources that can be brought
to bear on soil and water problems and on cer-
tain phases of related land use programs and
problems, including watershed protection and
flood prevention, siltation of streams and
reservoirs, shore erosion control, highway erosion
control, forest and woodland conservation and
development, the protection and development of
wildlife, and the development of public land areas
(Code Agriculture Article, sees. 8-101 through
8-601).

STATE APPLE COMMISSION
Chairperson: Anthony J. Rubino, 1980

Richard M. Allen, 1979; John Rinehart, 1979;
Robert Black, 1981; Edward W. Hepbum,
1981; Andrew H. Lohr, Jr„ 1982; Theodore
Stegmaier, 1982.

Parole Plaza Office Building
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-2338 Joseph F. Cox, Secretary