Section 7271 Of Article 1.7. Noxious Weeds Management From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 4. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.7.
7271
. (a) The Legislature designates the Department of Food and
Agriculture as the lead department in noxious weed management and the
department is responsible for the implementation of this article in
cooperation with the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.
(b) There is hereby created in the Department of Food and
Agriculture Fund the Noxious Weed Management Account.
(c) Funds appropriated for expenditure by the secretary for
purposes of this article may be spent without regard to fiscal year
and shall be allocated as follows:
(1) Sixty percent of moneys in the account shall be made available
to eligible weed management areas or county agricultural
commissioners for the control and abatement of noxious and invasive
weeds according to an approved integrated weed management plan. These
control moneys shall be made available through a grant program
administered by the department. Proposals shall be evaluated based on
strategic importance for local and regional eradication of high
priority noxious and invasive weeds.
(2) Twenty percent shall be made available toward research on the
biology, ecology, or management of noxious and invasive weeds, and
mapping, risk assessment, and prioritization of weeds. These research
moneys shall be made available to qualified researchers through a
grant program administered by the department. Proposals shall be
evaluated in consultation with the Range Management Advisory
Committee, with emphasis placed on funding of needs-based, applied
and practical research.
(3) Twenty percent shall be made available to the department, and
shall only be used for the following purposes:
(A) Carrying out the provisions of this article.
(B) Developing noxious weed control strategies.
(C) Seeking new, effective biological control agents for the
long-term control of noxious weeds.
(D) Conducting private and public workshops as needed to discuss
and plan weed management strategies with all interested and affected
local, state, and federal agencies, private landowners, educational
institutions, interest groups, and county agricultural commissioners.
(E) Appointing a noxious weed coordinator and weed mapping
specialist to assist in weed inventory, mapping, and control
strategies.