OFFICE OF PLANT INDUSTRIES
& PEST MANAGEMENT

Charles W. Puffinberger, Ph.D., Assistant
Secretary for Plant Industries & Pest Management

50 Harry S Truman Parkway
Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-5870

The Office of Plant Industries and Pest Manage-
ment originated in 1972 as the Division of Plant
Industries. It became the Division of Plant Indus-
tries and Pest Management in 1980, and the Office
of Plant Industries and Pest Management in 1984.
The Office was reorganized in 1987 as the Office of
Plant Industries and Resource Conservation. In
1990, the Office was reformed under its current
name.
The Assistant Secretary for Plant Industries and
Pest Management supervises programs concerned
with plants, plant pests, pest management, and
pesticides. The Assistant Secretary also coordinates
these programs with local, State and federal offi-
cials. In addition, the Assistant Secretary manages
cooperative agreements with local, county, State
and federal agencies.
Under the Office are seven sections: Forest Pest
Management; Mosquito Control; Pesticide Regu-
lation; Plant Protection; State Chemist; Turf and
Seed; and Weed Control.

FOREST PEST MANAGEMENT SECTION
Robert H. Tichenor, Jr., Chief
(410) 841-5922

Known as the Gypsy Moth Control Section until
1987, the Forest Pest Management Section protects
forests by working to eradicate or control insect (par-
ticularly gypsy moth) infestations and disease.
The gypsy moth is the most destructive forest pest
of the eastern United States. It harms trees in wooded
residential areas, parks, and recreation areas. Conse-
quently, the moth is the subject of a State and a
national quarantine program. This pest has been pre-
sent in Maryland since 1971. Despite an active sup-
pression program, the gypsy moth continues
threatening unprotected trees. The cooperative local,
State and federal program to manage the moth is
coordinated by the Annapolis office. Branch offices are
located in Annapolis, Bel Air, Cheltenham, Cumber-
land, Denton, and Frederick.

MOSQUITO CONTROL SECTION
Cy Lesser, Chief
(410) 841-5870

The Mosquito Control Section provides state-
wide mosquito control services through a coopera-
tively funded program. Branch offices are located in
College Park, Salisbury, and Leonardtown. Envi-

ronmentally compatible temporary methods of in-
secticide application (adulticiding and larvaciding)
and permanent methods (water management) are
used to control mosquitoes. In addition to imple-
menting control measures, the Section monitors
the environmental impact of the program, develops
effective control methods, and conducts
epidemiological investigations of mosquito-borne
diseases (Code Agriculture Article, secs. 5-401
through 5-405).

PESTICIDE REGULATION SECTION

Mary Ellen Setting, Chief
(410) 841-5710

Administration of the Pesticide Applicators Law
began in 1973 under the Division of Entomology.
By 1975, the work continued under the Pest Man-
agement Section. A separate Pesticide Applicators
Law Section was formed in 1980 and became the
Pesticide Regulation Section in 1987.
The Section regulates the use of pesticides in
Maryland. It licenses businesses engaged in com-
mercial application of pesticides; trains and certifies
commercial and private pesticide applicators; and
enforces the Pesticide Applicators Law and Regu-
lations. The Section also provides technical advice
on the use of pesticides.
The Chief is the State's authority on matters
relating to pesticide use and application (Code Ag-
riculture Article, secs. 5-201 through 5-211).

PLANT PROTECTION SECTION
William F. Gimpel, Jr., Ph.D., Chief
(410) 841-5920

The Plant Protection Section administers pro-
grams relating to nursery inspection, plant protection
and quarantine, integrated pest management, and
nuisance bird control. The Section also oversees pro-
grams for certified plant production, inspection and
registration of honey bee colonies, and implementa-
tion of the Interstate Pest Control Compact.
The Section serves as the State's authority on plant
pests and agricultural quarantines, and provides liai-
son for the Department with other State and federal
regulatory agencies (Code Agriculture Article, secs.
5-301 through 5-313, 5-501 through 5-507, 5-701
through 5-716, 5-801 through 5-805).

STATE CHEMIST SECTION
Warren R. Bontoyan, State Chemist
(410) 841-2721

The office of State Agricultural Chemist was
created in 1847 to help farmers rejuvenate worn-
out tobacco land (Chapter 249, Acts of 1847). The
Chemist analyzed soil throughout the State as well
as marl and other mineral or vegetable deposits