In performing this task the department currently provides a substantial amount of support services annually to each county. These services are used largely by county agricultural inspectors who, in turn, are responsible for training and guiding municipal officials in their responsibilities for enforcement. Municipal officials are responsible for inspection of all land in their jurisdiction and for making the first contact with the landowner. Statistics indicate that about eighty percent of landowners with a noxious weed problem comply after being contacted by municipal officials. For the remaining twenty percent, the county agricultural inspector would issue an individual notice for each violation establishing a time limit for compliance.
Statistics again indicate about an eighty percent compliance rate with the notices.
The remaining four percent not yet in compliance face either prosecution or proceedings whereby the county agricultural inspector would hire the control done. This system of enforcement is aimed at achieving voluntary compliance whenever possible because that is the cheapest and most effective form of enforcement. Every year, county agricultural and local weed inspectors make over 10,000 contacts with landowners to control noxious weeds. Consistently less than four hundred of these result in the issuance of individual notices. This data indicates that county and local governments are effective at achieving compliance without having to use more expensive enforcement methods in every case.