WHEREAS, The spread of certain harmful, nonnative species of plants are causing enormous damage to the environment and economy of California and the world; and

WHEREAS, These harmful, nonnative weeds are being spread more rapidly with increasing global travel and commerce, at great cost to human and animal health, and economic security; and

WHEREAS, The destructive impact of harmful, nonnative and often poisonous weeds is profound, affecting California’s cropland, rangeland, forests, parks, and wildlands, through decreased land productivity, degradation of wildlife habitat, and outright destruction of crops, livestock, wetlands, waterways, watersheds, and recreational areas; and

WHEREAS, The lost crop productivity caused by these weeds alone has been estimated at $7.4 billion nationwide, a large proportion of which is attributable to California. Nationally, the direct and indirect costs of controlling these weeds may be as high as $5.4 billion annually; and

WHEREAS, One of these weeds, called the yellow star thistle, has become the most common invasive plant in California, and is responsible for ruining pasture land, choking out native plants, killing horses who eat its poisonous early-season growth, and stabbing people and animals with its large, sharp thorns; and

WHEREAS, Pathways for the spread of harmful, nonnative weeds are many and varied, involving both accidental and intentional introductions, and could be reduced by increased awareness of the dangers posed even by seemingly innocuous plants when transplanted to a different ecosystem; and

WHEREAS, The federal government has recently adopted programs to prevent, control, and manage harmful, nonnative weeds, and California has a noxious weed management program for the purpose of managing and eradicating noxious weeds through specified local weed management areas, and these programs have emphasized information sharing, education, and public awareness as crucial to the success of any prevention, control, or eradication effort; now, therefore, be it