4 TAC §20.22
The Texas Department of Agriculture (the department) adopts
an amendment to §20.22 concerning cotton stalk destruction requirements,
without changes to the proposed text as published in the February 8, 2002,
issue of the
Texas Register
(27 TexReg 841).
The amendment to §20.22(a) is adopted to remove the established stalk
destruction deadline for Cotton Pest Management Zone 9. The amendment is adopted
at the request of the Zone 9 Cotton Producer Advisory Committee. Based upon
information provided by the advisory committee, boll weevil numbers in Zone
9 have been reduced to levels where they are no longer considered a threat
and rainfall patterns throughout this zone are low enough that volunteer cotton
is not a problem. In addition, cotton regrowth is controlled by current tillage
practices or by cold weather. The amendment is also adopted to provide cotton
producers in Zone 9 with greater flexibility in achieving cotton pest control.
The amendment deletes the March 15 destruction deadline for Zone 9 from the
chart found at §20.22(a) which provides planting dates, destruction deadlines
and destruction methods for all pest management zones.
No written or oral comments were received on the proposal.
The amendment is adopted in accordance with Texas Agriculture
Code (the Code), §74.006, which provides the department with the authority
to adopt rules as necessary for the effective enforcement and administration
of Chapter 74, Subchapter A; and, the Code, §74.004 which provides the
department with the authority to establish regulated areas, dates and appropriate
methods of destruction of stalks, other parts, and products of host plants
for cotton pests.
This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State on March 15, 2002.
TRD-200201625
Dolores Alvarado Hibbs
Deputy General Counsel
Texas Department of Agriculture
Effective date: April 4, 2002
Proposal publication date: February 8, 2002
For further information, please call: (512) 463-4075