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PPMA OFFICERS
Marty Overlilne
President
Aardvark Pest Management
Phildelphia, PA
Adam Witt
President Elect
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
Jeff King
Vice President
The Pest Rangers
Hanover Twp., PA
Keith Hamilton
Chairman of the Board
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, PA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Central Division
Gary Lesher
Governor
Perry Pest Control
Landisburg, PA
Leland Manuel
Pest-Rite
Manchester, PA
Keith Jones
Archer Pest Control
Camp Hill, PA
Eastern Division
Bryan Levengood
Governor
Elverson, PA
Mike Snyder
Township Pest Control
Warrington
, PA
Rob Byer
Terminix
Mount Laurel
, NJ
Northeast Division
Jeff King
Governor
The Pest Rangers
Hanover Twp., PA
Paul Kutney
The Pest Rangers
Pleasant Mount, PA
Western Division
Adam Witt
Governor
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
Scott Grill
Bill Grill Exterminating
Verona, PA
Sean Williams
Bill Grill Exterminating
Verona, PA
Brian Smith
Univar
Sharon Hill, PA
Executive Director
Versant Strategies
Harrisburg, PA
Many thanks to these Past Presidents:
Len Bruno
Dana Lown
Harvey Goldglantz
John Morrison
Keith Hamilton
Mike Powers
Dave Hyres
Steve Rubel
Robert Jones
Charles Taylor
Joe Kahn
Ed Van Istendal
Paul Kutney
Rick Voyton
Are we missing someone? Let us know as we work to compile this record.
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Dear Friends:
Registration is open! Click here to register now for the upcoming PPMA Annual Convention! We hope you can join us
December 3-4 in Lancaster, PA
! A downloadable registration form and schedule can be found here. We are bringing in world class speakers to present on technical topics and a wide array on business management areas to help you more effectively run your business. We hope you will join us!
We will be holding an American Wood Destroying Insect Inspector (AWDII) Blitz Course at this year's conference. Registration information is available here.
Be sure to join the hotel room block by calling the Eden Resort directly at (717)569-6444 and telling them you are with the PA Pest Management Association.
We welcome vendors and sponsors at this year's conference. For more information, contact cwright@versanstrategies.net.
If we can be of assistance in any way, please reach out via email at cwright@versantstrategies.net or by phone at (800) 842-9090.
Team Versant
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The Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Pest Management Association are proposing two technical revisions to the bylaws of the association. According to the current bylaws, proposed changes must be sent to the membership 30 days prior to the voting meeting.
Advance notice is being provided via the link below. A formal vote on the revisions will be held at the Annual Conference on Monday, December 3, 2018.
Questions regarding these changes can be directed to Caleb Wright, Executive Director, at cwright@versantstrategies.net.
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WASHINGTON, October 24, 2018
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the first update since 2013 of the National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (PDF, 340 KB).
The update culminates a yearlong review by the Federal Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinating Committee (FIPMCC), a joint effort that is coordinated by the Office of Pest Management Policy in the Office of USDA's Chief Economist with representatives of all federal agencies with responsibilities in IPM research, implementation, or education programs. These agencies include Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI), and Department of Defense (DoD).
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a science-based, sustainable decision-making process that uses information on pest biology, environmental data, and technology to manage pest damage in a way that minimizes both economic costs and risks to people, property, and the environment.
The National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), first introduced in 2004, is periodically updated to reflect the evolving science, practice, and nature of IPM. The Road Map provides guidance to the IPM community on the adoption of effective, economical, and safe IPM practices, and on the development of new practices where needed. The guidance defines, prioritizes, and articulates pest management challenges across many landscapes, including: agriculture, forests, parks, wildlife refuges, military bases, as well as in residential, and public areas, such as public housing and schools. The Road Map also helps to identify priorities for IPM research, technology, education and implementation through information exchange and coordination among federal and non-federal researchers, educators, technology innovators, and IPM practitioners.
About OCE Office of Pest Management Policy
The USDA's Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP) is responsible for the development and coordination of Department policy on pest management and pesticides. It coordinates activities and services of the Department, including research, extension, and education activities, coordinates interagency activities, and consults with agricultural producers that may be affected by USDA-related pest management or pesticide-related activities or actions. OPMP also works with EPA on pesticide and water pollution issues and represents USDA at national and international scientific and policy conferences.
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Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences has created an online permitting course for businesses and organizations moving within or from the quarantine zone of the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). You can find information on the course at
https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.
Companies should designate specific employees to take the course. Once a designated employee passes this course, his or her company will receive spotted lanternfly permits for company vehicles. The designated employee must train fellow employees to work in the quarantine zone without inadvertently spreading these insects and endangering agriculture and commerce. This course includes fact sheets to use with training.
If you have questions on the permitting process, email the PA Department of Agriculture at
slfpermit@pa.gov.
In addition, homeowner fact sheets and information, along with the process to report any sightings of SLF across the state are on the PSU website at
extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly (or you can just search PSU SLF). Penn State also have a SLF hotline set up to answer questions from the public and to report sightings outside of the quarantine zone - 888-4-BADFLY (888-422-3359) toll-free.
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The fight over the 2015 Waters of the Unites States (WOTUS) rule continues. Legislatively, there is a withdrawal provision in the House version of the Farm Bill, but it is considered one of the poison pill provisions for the Democrats in both Houses, leaving its future cloudy. In the regulatory space, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted a notice of withdrawal for the 2015 rule, and it is uncertain when it will be finalized. The EPA is working on a new rule, and Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler indicated in early October the rule would be released in the next 30 days, putting release sometime around the election and Pestworld. The new rule is expected to be finalized in 2019. Under the Trump administration, the EPA has been more willing to cooperate with states and to hear from businesses - including NPMA - so the new rule is expected to be less of an overreach and more of a clarification. The 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule remains tied up in litigation. The nationwide stay has been lifted, leaving a patchwork of 22 states where the rule is now in effect. Multiple challenges seek to add additional states to the stay, and the future of the litigation is unclear, both on the procedure and the merits of the 2015 rule. The new rule will doubtless also immediately go into litigation, creating an unfortunate situation where this rule will be tied up in the courts for quite some time.
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H
ouse mice are small rodents with relatively
large ears
and small, black eyes. They weigh about 1/2 ounce and usually are light brownish to gray. An adult is about 5 to 7 inches long, including the 3- to 4-inch tail.
Droppings, fresh gnaw marks, and tracks indicate areas where mice are active. Mouse nests are made from finely shredded paper or other fibrous material, usually in sheltered locations. House mice have a characteristic musky odor that reveals their presence. Mice are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours.
While the house mouse hasn't been found to be a carrier of hantavirus, the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, which sometimes invades cabins and outbuildings in California, harbors the Sin Nombre virus, which causes a rare but often fatal illness known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The house mouse is distinguished from the deer mouse by its overall gray coat. The deer mouse has larger eyes and a white underside with a distinct line of demarcation between the dark coloration on top and the white underside. In addition, the tail on the house mouse has almost no fur on it, whereas the tail of the deer mouse is moderately to well furred and is light underneath and dark on top. Before attempting to clean up premises where deer mice have been present, contact your county health department or the California Department of Public Health, or see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site (www.cdc.gov/rodents/) for information about how to prevent hantavirus exposure.
Native to Central Asia, the house mouse arrived in North America on ships with settlers from Europe and other points of origin. A very adaptable animal, the house mouse often lives in close association with humans, along with Norway rats and roof rats; however, mice are more common and more difficult to control than rats.
Although house mice usually prefer to eat cereal grains, they are nibblers and will sample many different foods. Mice have keen senses of taste, hearing, smell, and touch. They also are excellent climbers and can run up any rough vertical surface. They will run horizontally along wire cables or ropes and can jump up to 12 inches from the floor onto a flat surface. Mice can squeeze through openings slightly larger than 1/4 inch across. House mice frequently enter homes in autumn, when outdoor temperatures at night become colder.
In a single year, a female may have 5 to 10 litters of about 5 or 6 young. Young are born 19 to 21 days after conception, and they reach reproductive maturity in 6 to 10 weeks. The life span of a mouse is usually 9 to 12 months.
So, as we all in the pest control industry hear that ever so lovely sonnet each year at this time: remember, identify, treat and follow the label.
Written and submitted by Leland Manuel
Pest-Rite
Central Division Board Member
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From the National Pest Management Association:
Looking for ways to communicate with your customers? Looking for an inexpensive marketing vehicle to use that will get the word out on your company? If so, then the Pest Gazette is made for you.
Each promotion is a four-page newsletter, which can be personalized to include your specific company information, highlight seasonal pests and help educate your customers what they can do to help you manage pest problems. This consumer friendly newsletter has tips for describing pest problems to professionals as well as colored pictures that highlight specific pests. Through the Pest Gazette you have a positive press piece that will help your customers understand why it is so important to hire a professional and since this piece is customized with your company information, that professional is you.
To view past issues of the Pest Gazette click here.
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Upcoming Meetings
Mark your calendars for the State Conference scheduled for December 3-4 in Lancaster, PA! Registration information is available at
2018ppma.eventbrite.com!
The
Meetings and Events
section of the website is always the most up-to-date resource for happenings of the Association. Be sure to check it out!
The Eastern Division continues to hold its monthly meetings with varying topics of discussion on the second Thursday of every month at the Crowne Plaze in Trevose. For more information on monthly topics and speakers, contact Sue at (215) 331-1121.
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The information below represents legislative activity (including bill introductions) that has occurred since the last newsletter. For a full listing of legislation that Versant is tracking for PPMA, please contact us at (717) 635-2320 or cwright@versantstrategies.net. Activity marked HCO or SCO indicates a co-sponsorship memo which precedes the actual introduction of legislation and is designed to secure the support of other legislators prior to introduction as a bill.
The State Legislature has finished the 2017-2018 Legislative Session with both chambers back home now preparing for the election. Be sure to vote on Tuesday, November 6!
All legislation that did not cross the finish line in this legislative session will need to be reintroduced in January. Versant Strategies will continue to monitor co-sponsorship memos and bills until that point in time as lawmakers may introduce legislation in preparation for the next session.
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| 10-29-2018 |
Help defend against spotted lanternfly threat
THE ISSUE The spotted lanternfly, a native species of southeast Asia, is a colorful, inch-long insect that was first found in North America in Berks County in 2014. But its beauty masks a tremendous crisis. It has now spread to more than a dozen Pennsylvania counties, including Lancaster, and it threatens... - Lancaster Intelligencer Journal |
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