Can anything be done about the institutions that limit weeds management?

Abstract

Discussions with farmers, weeds officers and managers, and environmentalists suggest that there is a consensus about the institutional arrangements for weeds management, reflected in statements like: 'there is never enough money' or 'too much money gets wasted', 'the laws do not do what they are meant to', 'lots of committees, too little real action', 'landowners are not committed/not equipped to do what they must' and 'no-one values the work we do'. However whilst marked institutional improvement is needed to weed management institutions, specific reform proposals are largely missing. This paper explores why this may be the case, what types of reform may be possible, and presents a proposal for pursuing reform.