It is a great privilege and a pleasure to have this opportunity of discussing with you the status and organisation of research and development work on weed control in Great Britain. We have followed with keen interest the formation and growth of your “Weeds Journal of Weed Society of America” and have greatly enjoyed papers from your secretary, Dr. Warren Shaw, and your past president, Dr. Bob Beatty, at our own British Weed Control Conferences. Your immediate President is an especial friend of ours and it was while he was working with us in Oxford two years ago that he received intimation of his election to this post.