FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY

(a) It is hereby found and declared that: (1) the insects Anthonomus grandis Boheman, known as the boll weevil, and Pectinophora gossypiella, known as the pink bollworm, are public nuisances and a menace to the cotton industry, and their eradication is a public necessity; (2) because of the differences in soil conditions, growing seasons, farming techniques, and climate conditions among several areas in the state where cotton is grown, the eradication and suppression of the nuisance can best be accomplished by dividing the cotton-growing areas into separate zones so that integrated pest management programs may be developed for each zone; (3) there is a need for a quasi-governmental entity acting under the supervision and control of the commissioner whose members are actual cotton growers who would be represented on the board of the entity by directors elected by them to manage eradication and suppression programs and to furnish expertise in the field of insect control and eradication, because such an entity would enhance the interest and participation of cotton growers in the program; (4) because of the progress made in eradication, investments made by cotton growers in certain areas, the potential injustice to certain cotton growers who have made such investments, and the stage of development of the cotton crops in the statutory eradication zones, an urgent public necessity exists to validate and ratify the assessments, agreements, and obligations of the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Inc., made or incurred by the foundation and related to certain statutory zones; (5) cotton growers, in partnership with the state and federal governments, have made significant investments toward the eradication of these pests in this state; (6) it is essential to the well-being of the cotton industry and the agricultural economy of this state that the investments of the cotton growers and the state and federal governments be protected; and (7) the establishment of a maintenance program to be carried out by the foundation under the supervision of the department is required to protect the investments in eradication. (b) It is the intent of the legislature that the program of eradication and suppression be carried out with the best available integrated pest management techniques. (c) The department may recover costs for administration of this subchapter.