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The Weed Science
Society of America developed from the Association of Regional Weed
Control Conferences. A "Temporary National Advisory Committee" for
the regional weed control conferences first met in 1949 to "explore
the need of a national weed organization...that could speak for the
four regional weed conferences on matters of mutual or national
concern." Representatives from the Western Weed Conference, the
North Central Weed Control Conference, the Northeastern Weed Control
Conference, and the Southern Weed Conference were in attendance.
The name was decided upon and the purpose was determined to be "to
coordinate the activities of member conferences on weed control
problems of national scope." The Association was to be comprised of
two delegates from each member conference.
At the second
meeting in 1950, a constitution for the Association was approved,
and it was decided that a publication should be established to
"publish articles of basic value in all phases of the national weed
program, such as research education, and regulatory functions." In
1951, a name–Weeds--and an organizational structure were
approved for the publication, and Volume 1, Number 1 was issued in
October. Also in 1951, a motion was passed to work toward a
national meeting in 1952-1953.
The First
National Weed Control Conference was held in December 1953, just
prior to the North Central Weed Control Conference, in Kansas City,
Missouri. In December 1954, at a meeting in Fargo, North Dakota,
the Association of Regional Weed Control Conferences formed a
national society, to be called the Weed Society of America. The
charter meeting was held in 1956 in New York City.
The object of
the Society was to "encourage and promote the development of
knowledge concerning weeds and their control through publishing
research findings, fostering high standards of education,
encouraging effective regulation, and promoting unity in all phases
of weed work." Membership was open to individuals and organizations
of all nations interested in the objectives of the Society. The
name of the Society was changed to Weed Science Society of America
in 1967. |
