A. The legislature finds that noxious weeds have caused extensive economic damage in New Mexico. Specifically, the presence and spread of noxious weeds:
(1) decreases land values and productivity, forces out nutritious forage for livestock and often causes the death of livestock and crops;
(2) harms the environment by crowding out native vegetation and endangered species, increasing fire danger and increasing water usage; and
(3) increases government and industrial costs by increasing highway cleanup costs, decreasing the lease value of state and federal public lands and curtailing the hunting, fishing and recreational use of the land.
B. It is the purpose of the Noxious Weed Management Act to improve the state economy and environment by managing noxious weeds in New Mexico.