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     November 2016

 

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 PPMA OFFICERS
   
Keith Hamilton
President
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, PA
 
John Besic 
President Elect
Besic Pest Control
Transfer, PA
 
Marty Overlilne
Vice President
Aardvark Pest Management
Phildelphia, PA
 
Paul Kutney
Immediate Past President
Larksville, PA

 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
Central Division
 
Gary Lesher
Governor
Perry Pest Control
Landisburg, PA
   
Greg Ten Hoeve
Terminix
Mechanicsburg, PA
 
Keith Jones
Archer Pest Control
Camp Hill, PA
 
 
Eastern Division  
 
Marty Overline
Governor
Aardvark Pest Mgmnt
Philadelphia, PA

Mike Snyder
Township Pest Control
Warrington , PA
 
Jim Nase
Moyer Indoor/Outdoor
Souderton , PA
  
Northeast Division
 
Jeff King
Governor
The Pest Rangers
Hanover Twp., PA
 
Paul Kutney
Larksville, PA
 
Diane Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
 
Western Division
 
Adam Witt
Governor
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
 
Scott Grill
Bill Grill  Exterminating
Verona, PA
 
John Besic
Besic Pest Control
Transfer, PA
 
Technical Advisor
 
Chad Gore
Rentokil North America
Carnegie, PA
 
AWDII Chairman
 
Ed Van Istendal
Coatesville , PA
 
Legislative Chairman
 
Adam Witt
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
   
Salino Scholarship Chair 
Dana Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
 
Industry Liaison
 
Brian Smith
Univar
Sharon Hill, PA
 
Executive Director
Versant Strategies
Harrisburg, PA



 
  

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Featured Article
What action, if any, do you want your members to take? Add a "Find out more" link to additional information that you may have hosted on your website.
Dear Friends:

The Annual Conference was a major success for another year. Congratulations to Harvey Goldglantz for being the sole recipient of the Pioneer Award this year. See the press release below for more information on Harvey's storied career in the pest management industry.

In a news release sent out this morning, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has announced that the CHEMSWEEP program will set up events in Bedford, Berks, Bradford, Butler, Columbia, Cumberland, Fulton, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Warren, and York counties. the CHEMSWEEP Program allows for the safe disposal of pesticides by registered applicators, dealers, and businesses in those counties. For more information, visit www.chemsweep.pa.gov

Be sure to be on the lookout for your Division's Spring Meetings. This year, the Central Division will be hosting an accelerated AWDII course for interested participants. For more information, contact Gary Lesher at (717) 789-2150. Be sure to check the PPMA Website's event page for the most up-to-date information on the happenings of the Association.

  Team Versant

   
News from NPMA 

BREAKING NEWS:
OVERTIME RULE  DELAYED
 




La st week, the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas granted a nationwide preliminary injunction from the implementation of the Department of Labor's final overtime rule that was scheduled to go into effect on December 1, 2016 and would raise the minimum overtime eligibility threshold to $47,476, annually.  The preliminary junction was sought by two groups of plaintiffs that consist of 21 states and a combination of industry groups lead by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Businesses. 

The Court determined that implementation of the final rule on December 1, 2016  would cause irreparable harm to businesses nationwide while agreeing with the plaintiffs that the Department of Labor exceeded their statutory authority pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.  It is important to note that this court ruling is limited to a delay of implementation of the final rule until a federal court can make a final determination on the merits of the case, which should be several month away. 

Because a preliminary injunction is not a final ruling there are limited options for the Department of Labor to appeal the decision issued today and a very short window of time prior to the December 1, 2016 implementation date.   Tonight, the DOL has not issued a statement on the decision or filed a motion for an interlocutory appeal.  NPMA will continue to closely monitor all developments but based on this ruling we anticipate the overtime rule will NOT be implemented as expected on December 1, 2016.

The preliminary injunction is promising for NPMA members.   We have advocated against this rule since July 2015 requesting numerous rational fixes to the final rule including; delaying implementation of the rule, indexing the rule, accounting for regional economic discrepancies and elimination of the triennial automatic indexing.  The delay will enable NPMA and our partners in the Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity (PPWO) the ability to work with the incoming Trump Administration and 115th Congress on make the necessary fixes to overtime laws. There is still a lot of advocacy to be accomplished on overtime regulations and we will need your continued engagement on this very important issue to our industry.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact the NPMA public policy team.

Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Expands to Bethlehem, 23 Other Municipalities in Six Southeastern PA Counties

Citizens encouraged to check for egg masses this fall

 
Harrisburg, PA - The discovery of the Spotted Lanternfly in 25 additional municipalities across southeastern Pennsylvania is cause for vigilance, but not alarm, said Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding, who emphasized the importance of citizen engagement in the ongoing effort to contain and eradicate this invasive species.
 
"Many of these latest discoveries are the result of citizens reporting their findings," said Secretary Redding. "It they had simply ignored what they found, that would have allowed the pest to spread, potentially reaching more areas and creating an even larger problem. If we're going to be successful in eradicating this pest, it's going to take a collaborative effort. It's going to take us all working together and sharing information."
 
The newly quarantined municipalities, by county, are as follows:
  • Berks County: Centre, Maiden Creek, Richmond, Robeson, Ruscombmanor and Union townships, and the boroughs of Birdsboro, Centreport and Fleetwood.
  • Bucks County: Richland Township and Richlandtown and Quakertown boroughs.
  • Chester County: East Vincent, East Coventry and North Coventry townships and Spring City Borough.
  • Lehigh County: Bethlehem City.
  • Montgomery County: Upper Providence, Upper Pottsgrove, Upper Salford, Limerick and Lower Frederick townships, and the boroughs of Pottstown and Royersford.
  • Northampton County: Bethlehem City.
 
The Spotted Lanternfly is an inch-long black, red and white spotted pest and is native to China, India, Japan and Vietnam. It is an invasive species in Korea, where it has attacked 25 plant species that also grow in Pennsylvania. The pest had not been found in the United States prior to its initial detection in Berks County in the fall of 2014.
 
In the fall, adults lay egg masses on nearly any flat surface, which can include outdoor furniture, equipment, stone and block, as well as the outsides and undersides of vehicles.
 
"In this season when many sportsmen are enjoying Penn's Woods, treestands, tarps, ATVs and other equipment can make an inviting location for Spotted Lanternfly females to lay their egg masses," added Redding. "Make sure that you aren't packing a pest when you enter, and look before you leave the woods, too. These precautions, like burning firewood where you buy or harvest it, are important no matter the invasive species: Spotted Lanternfly, Emerald Ash Borer, Asian Longhorned Beetle, Walnut Twig Beetle, or others that threaten our ecosystems. Help us to keep these hitchhikers at bay."
 
Each egg mass contains 35-50 young Spotted Lanternflies. If you see eggs on trees or other smooth outdoor surfaces, scrape them off, double bag them and throw them in the garbage, or place the eggs in alcohol or hand sanitizer to kill them.
 
Redding stressed that residents inside the quarantine zone should simply destroy any specimens they find. There is no need to report the insect.
 
If you live outside the quarantined zone and find a specimen, first place the sample in alcohol or hand sanitizer in a leak proof container. Then, submit the specimen to your county Penn State Extension office or to the department's entomology lab for verification. Do not move live specimens. There are many places in the quarantine area that do not have active populations of Spotted Lanternfly, so do not help them to establish a new home base. Be sure to look before you leave.
 
The general quarantine of these infested areas restricts movement of any material or object that can spread the pest. This includes firewood or wood products, brush or yard waste, remodeling or construction materials and waste, packing material like boxes, grapevines for decorative purposes or as nursery stock, and any outdoor household articles like lawnmowers, grills, tarps and other equipment, as well as trucks and vehicles not typically stored indoors.
 
The quarantine now covers:
  • Berks County: Alsace, Amity, Centre, Colebrookdale, Douglass, District, Douglass, Earl, Exeter, Hereford, Longswamp, Maiden Creek Maxatawny, Oley, Pike, Richmond, Robeson, Rockland, Ruscombmanor, Union and Washington townships, and the boroughs of Bally, Bechtelsville, Birdsboro, Boyertown, Centreport, Fleetwood, Kutztown, Lyons, St. Lawrence and Topton.
  • Bucks County: Milford and Richland townships and Richlandtown, Quakertown and Trumbauersville boroughs.
  • Chester County: East Vincent, East Coventry, North Coventry and South Coventry townships and Spring City Borough.
  • Lehigh County: Upper Saucon, Lower Macungie, Upper Macungie, Upper Milford, Lower Milford, Whitehall, and South Whitehall townships; the boroughs of Alburtis, Emmaus and Macungie; and the cities of Allentown and Bethlehem.
  • Montgomery County: Douglass, Marlborough, New Hanover, Upper Hanover, Upper Providence, Upper Pottsgrove, Upper Salford, Upper Frederick, Limerick, Lower Frederick, Lower Pottsgrove and West Pottsgrove townships, and the boroughs of East Greenville, Pennsburg, Pottstown, Red Hill and Royersford.
  • Northampton County: Bethlehem City.
 
Residents can help with this eradication effort. Visit www.agriculture.pa.gov to access the "Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Checklist" or contact a local municipality or extension office. The checklist provides guidelines for inspecting vehicles and other items stored outdoors each time they are moved out of the quarantine area.
Businesses in the general quarantine area may need to obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate from the department in order to move articles. Local Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspectors can work with businesses to ensure that they are complying with quarantine restrictions.
 
Photos of adults or egg masses found outside of the quarantined areas can be submitted to badbug@pa.gov . To report a site, call the Invasive Species Report Line at 1-866-253-7189 and provide details of the sighting and your contact information.
 
Suspect specimens can be submitted directly to the department's headquarters in Harrisburg or to any of its six regional offices. Specimens also can be submitted to county Penn State Extension offices.
 
For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov and look under "Hot Topics" for Spotted Lanternfly.
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Will Nichols - 717.787.5085

 
Pennsylvania Pest Management Association recognizes Harvey Goldglantz with Pioneer Award

  Award recognizes lifetime/career achievement in the pest management industry

HARRISBURG (Nov. 22, 2015) - At the recently held Pennsylvania Pest Management Association (PPMA) Annual Board Dinner, Harvey Goldglantz was presented with the second annual Pioneer Award.
 
The Pioneer Award recognizes those individuals who have unselfishly served the Association and the pest management industry over a period of at least ten years. It is a lifetime/career achievement award, and may be awarded to no more than three individuals in any one year. Along with a commemorative plaque, the award also confers Honorary Member status on its recipients. This award is dedicated to those who have served as pioneers in the field of pest control in Pennsylvania and have forged the way for continued growth today.
 
Harvey has been in the Pest Control Industry for 53 years. Upon graduation from Temple University, he incorporated Philadelphia Exterminating Company. After over thirty years working at his pest control business, Harvey made consulting his exclusive vocation post selling his pest management company.
 
Harvey is President of Pest Control Marketing Company - a business and marketing consulting firm to the pest management industry. He is a regularly featured business columnist for Pest Management Professional Magazine and served on its editorial advisory board. He is also a frequent guest columnist for many state newsletters. Harvey has been a guest for the National Pest Management Association, The Purdue Conference and just about every state association in the country. Harvey's book, "Marketing Matters...The Ultimate Reference Guide to Making the Most of Your Marketing Money," published in 2008, is still being advertised and sold.
 
Harvey served as President of the Pennsylvania Pest Management Association and as Governor of the Eastern Division. He was editor/publisher of the state newsletter, "The Inspector," for over fifteen years. He served on and chaired several committees at both the State and Eastern Division levels.  Harvey is a past recipient of the Pennsylvania Pest Association's Stanley G. Green, Man of the Year Award for his service to the association. Harvey served three terms on the Board of Directors of the National Pest Management Association. He also served on numerous NPMA Committees and was an NPMA media specialist. Harvey was Chairman of the marketing committee for Pi Chi Omega, the national fraternity of the Pest Management Industry. Harvey was featured in a past issue of Pest Management Professional Magazine's "Newsmaker" column as one of our industry's leaders.
 
"It is an honor to recognize Harvey with this award," said Keith Hamilton, PPMA president. "His dedication to his business is unparalleled to his dedication to our industry and association. He is a true example of a pioneer." 

NPMA Highlights effects on Pest Management Industry Post-Election
 
Tuesday, November 8, 2016 was an historical election day that concluded one of the longest and most divisive campaigns in American history. President-elect Donald J. Trump's presidential victory capped a remarkable campaign cycle that defied many political pundits' projections and polls. In addition to Mr. Trump's victory, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives retained their Republican majority setting the table for the potential enactment of significant legislative and Republican regulatory priorities.
 

Impacts on the Pest Management Industry

The last time one party controlled the White House and both Houses of Congress was in 2009, and several significant policy objectives were passed by the Democratic Party including: Health Care, Cap and Trade, Dodd-Frank Financial Reform, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is anticipated that President Trump and the Republican Party will quickly move to put forth legislation accomplishing top Republican political objectives and campaign promises. What is unknown is exactly how Mr. Trump will prioritize and emphasize these objectives.  
 

5 Federal Policies and Topics That Will Impact the Pest Management Industry

  1. Healthcare Reform - A top campaign promise of Mr. Trump and Republican candidates elected to Congress was to repeal and replace healthcare.  This will be an important opportunity to engage Congress to ensure a new health care program provides proper care for pest management employees and also protects against unnecessary and burdensome costs to businesses.
  2. Tax Reform - Mr. Trump campaigned on simplifying personal income tax and significantly lowering business taxes.  Similarly, Republican leaders in both Congressional chambers have been pushing for tax reform for several Congresses.  This will be an opportunity to engage Congress and advocate for tax issues important to the pest management industry.
  3. Pro-Business Regulations - The President-elect and Republican Congressional leadership both campaigned on eliminating unnecessary and burdensome regulations that inhibit economic growth.  Key regulations that are certain to come under swift scrutiny will be the Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS) and the Department of Labor's Overtime rule.  This will be an opportunity to work towards stopping, fixing and/or delaying the implementation of these rules.  
  4. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - During the election, President Elect made varying statements concerning the EPA, at one point even suggested the elimination of the Agency.  More recently he indicated diminishing EPA's role and ensuring their actions are in-line with clean air and clean water, while suggesting that much of President Obama's environmental agenda should be rolled back.  NPMA will continue to build relationships with new and existing EPA staff and advocate on behalf of the industry.
  5. Lastly, the pest management industry lost a strong ally, tireless advocate and a great friend when Rep. Bob Dold lost his bid for reelection.  Mr. Dold lost narrowly to Brad Schneider in a Congressional district that is very difficult for a Republican to win during a Presidential election cycle.  During the 114th Congress, Mr. Dold was a tireless public servant for his Illinois constituents, and he also was a voice for the pest management industry offering a perspective among elected officials that only he could offer. Mr. Dold will be missed, but as an industry, we owe him a warm thank you, and wish him the best. 

Upcoming Meetings          

On February 21-22, 2017, the Central Division will be holding an Accelerated AWDII event along with their Spring Meeting. 

The Eastern Division will hold its spring meeting on March 9 in Trevose, PA. 

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.
  
Legislative Update

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.
   
Since last month, lawmakers finished 2015-2016 without passing any controversial bills after their election, often referred to as a lame-duck session. Leadership was elected for both chambers with few changes from the last two years . As we prepare for the next session, the Versant Strategies team will remain poised to represent PPMA in front of the Pennsylvania Legislature.


REMINDER from NPMA
Increase Your Business Opportunities; Update your Find a Pro Listing Today
 
To update your company's service area, please follow the steps below:
  1. Log on to the Manage My Group area of the NPMA websitePlease note: in order to access the "Manage My Group" area of the NPMA website, you must be a company administrator. 
  1. Click on "Company Information" from the drop down menu.
  1. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the Service Area section.
    1. Download the excel template found on this page.
    2. Update this template to include all of the zip codes that you service.
    3. Save the file on your computer.
    4. In the Service Area section click Choose File.  Locate the excel template file that you just saved. Click open.
    5. Click Upload file.
Once you've completed these steps your service on Find-a-Pro is instantly updated to include these new zip codes. 
If you are having problems accessing please contact NPMA at (703) 352-6762 or npma@pestworld.org.

Articles of Interest  
      
11-28-2016 PDA: Pennsylvania's CHEMSWEEP to Provide 15 Counties with Safe Pesticide...
  (Press Release)

11-28-2016 ANF has plan to deal with emerald ash borer
The Allegheny National Forest has a plan for dealing with emerald ash borer. "This project was developed to maintain or improve ecological conditions to improve resilience and diversity in stands affected by emerald ash borer, beech bark disease, and hemlock woolly adelgid,"... - Warren Times Observer

11-28-2016 More local areas named to spotted lanternfly quarantine
The spotted lanternfly, an invasive species from Asia, has wasted no time in spreading east into our section of Pennsylvania. Just one month after extending a quarantine meant to halt the pest's advance into the western Montgomery townships of Lower Pottsgrove,... - West Chester Daily Local News