The migratory character of pest infestations makes it necessary for states, both adjacent to and distant from one another, to complement each other's activities when faced with conditions of infestation and reinfestation.

While every state is seriously affected by a substantial number of pests and every state is susceptible to infestation by many species of pests not now causing damage to its crop and plant life and products, the fact that relatively few species of pests present equal danger to or are of interest to all states makes the establishment and operation of an insurance fund from which individual states may obtain financial support for pest control programs of benefit to them in other states and to which they may contribute in accordance with their relative interests the most equitable means of financing cooperative pest eradication and control programs.

§2313. Definitions -- Article II

As used in this compact, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

1.__Executive committee. "Executive committee" means the committee established pursuant to section 2316, subsection 5.

2.__Governing board. "Governing board" means the administrators of this compact representing all of the party states when the administrators are acting as a body in pursuance of authority vested in them by this compact.

3.__Insurance fund. "Insurance fund" means the Pest Control Insurance Fund established pursuant to this compact.

4.__Pest. "Pest" means any invertebrate animal, pathogen, parasitic plant or similar or allied organism that can cause disease or damage in any crops, trees, shrubs, grasses or other plants of substantial value.

5.__Requesting state. "Requesting state" means a state that invokes the procedures of the compact to secure the undertaking or intensification of measures to control or eradicate one or more pests within one or more other states.

6.__Responding state. "Responding state" means a state requested to undertake or intensify the measures referred to in subsection 5.