The Weed Society of America (WSA) was organized in 1954. At that time, 114 scientists were identified as conducting research on weeds and their control, although only part of these scientists' time was devoted to weeds. Although “selective” herbicides were used in the late 1800s and the “sinox” or “dinitro” herbicides were fairly important from the 1930s, the discovery of the broadleaf selective phenoxy herbicides in the 1940s gave scientists and farmers an exciting new way to manage weeds and played a major role in advancing the notion that there was a need for a separate discipline of weed science. It was noted by C. J. Willard in 1954 at an address to the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) that there was an urgent need for research on weed biology and ecology and on the behavior of herbicides in plants and soils. WSA held its first meeting in January, 1956. There were 621 charter members of WSA.