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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
Thur-O Pest Mngmt
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:
It's hard to believe that another membership year is coming to a close. The Association greatly values the partnerships formed with the membership over this past year and looks forward to continued growth. If you have not received an invoice for your membership dues for 2018-19,
click here for a downloadable version.
In 2017-18 there were 158 Active members and 16 Allied members, an increase from the total membership in 2016-17. The Board of Directors hopes to grow that number once again this year. But along with a growing membership, they hope to better serve you, the members.
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.
Below, stay up-to-date with information on the Spotted Lanternfly, get a historical perspective on IPM from Board Member Leland Manuel, and catch up on educational opportunities around the northeast!
Team Versant
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NEWPORT, Pa. - On the heels of the first Spotted Lanternfly hatch of the season, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the United Stated Department of Agriculture, and Penn State University today warned of its potential $18 billion impact on the commonwealth's businesses, trade and economy.
"Pennsylvania and its commodities are seriously threatened by the Spotted Lanternfly, and our coalition stands ready today to help protect our economy and communities," said Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding. "It's important to remember that there's a human on both sides of this equation; on one end are the people whose livelihood depends on selling their products. On the other end, the consumers who love those products. Through this unique partnership - PDA, USDA and Penn State University - are poised to combat this pest and continue to safeguard the commonwealth's agriculture industry."
The Spotted Lanternfly is an inch-long black, red and white spotted insect native to Southeast Asia and first identified in Pennsylvania in 2014. The invasive insect, whose first egg hatch was spotted last the weekend in Berks County, feeds on agricultural commodities produced in the state, such as hops, grapes, apples and hardwoods.
During an event at River Bend Hop Farm and Brewery in Perry County on May 15, the coalition outlined the efforts the state and federal government have made to combat the pest and the steps Pennsylvanians can take if they spot this invasive bug.
"As part of our cooperative efforts to protect America's valuable agricultural resources from the destructive impacts of spotted lanternfly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and our partners at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Penn State University are conducting extensive work to contain and suppress the invasive pest. But we need the public's help in stopping the spotted lanternfly," said USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Kevin Shea. "This pest is a great hitchhiker and can travel on items residents and businesses move. You can help stop the spread by looking for and reporting any signs of this damaging insect. For more information, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf."
"The College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension, part of the state's land-grant university and a top-20 public research institution, routinely partner with county, state and federal governments to address emerging issues, like SLF, that affect the state's agricultural industries, communities and citizens," said Penn State Dean of Agricultural Sciences Richard Roush. "We are working closely with partners to find and implement strategies for containing and managing infestations, and to educate growers and the public about the spotted lanternfly. This public-private collaboration is a powerful force in dealing with all aspects of this invasive pest."
Gov. Tom Wolf proposed nearly $1.6 million in dedicated state funding to combat the Spotted Lanternfly as part of his fiscal year 2018-19 budget plan. If approved, this funding will supplement $17.5 million in federal funding announced earlier this month by USDA. Additionally, PDA's Bureau of Plant Industry has engaged in extensive surveillance and eradication efforts, and it has worked with businesses and residents to ensure they are doing their part to prevent its spread.
Find out more about Spotted Lanternfly at agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly, www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf, and https://extension.psu.edu/shopby/spotted-lanternfly.
As published in Lancaster Farming
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The National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) is hosting courses on
June 11-12 in Sturbridge, MA. The first course is "NWCOA Bat Standards, Certified - Part 1" and will be followed by "NWCOA Presentation of Bird Barrier Certified Installer Course."
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The Pennsylvania 811 System is hosting a free Safety Day conference on
June 28 from 7:00 am - 2:00 pm in York, PA. The conference provides a forum to learn about safe digging. Numerous educational sessions, including an overview of the changes to the Underground Utility Line Protection Law and more. There will also be presentations and demonstrations on safe digging procedures.
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I
ntegrated Pest Management is a preventative, long-term, low toxicity means of controlling pests. Though IPM was developed first for the agricultural industry, many museums, archives and libraries are finding IPM principles relevant to the protection of their holdings. Obviously, the specific requirements of an IPM plan must be tailored to the specific cultural institution. Before deciding to implement an IPM program, you will need to consider some of the primary advantages and disadvantages of an IPM program over traditional pest management. Traditional pest management is defined here as repeated chemical application, without emphasis on understanding the species or number of pests' present. Advantages to IPM:
- Decreased use of chemical application will reduce risks to the health of staff members.
- Decreased use of chemical application will reduce the risk of deterioration and disfigurement of holdings.
- Decreased use of chemical application may result in a financial savings.
- The environmental improvements made to the facility to implement an IPM program will enhance the long-term stability of the holdings over and above protection against pests.
- IPM may be the only solution to some long-term pest problems where chemical application has not worked.
- IPM ultimately allows the institution to have greater control over and knowledge of pest activity in their facility.
- IPM is the pest management technique of choice for major institutions.
Disadvantages to IPM:
- IPM will require more staff time than traditional pest management, even if implementation is contracted to a pest management company.
- IPM will require the coordinated effort of all staff members to properly implement.
- IPM may initially be more expensive than traditional pest management.
Identification of pest species and life stage are at the core of any IPM plan. Correct identification allows you distinguish whether the pests sited are dangerous to your collection. Identification can also give an idea of how long certain pests have been in the collection and what measures, including chemical and non-chemical, may reduce the presence of pests. However, identification is also the most challenging step in an IPM plan. Even trained entomologists can find identification somewhat difficult at times. On the positive side, identification becomes easier as you begin to recognize the key pests in the collection. It is unlikely that you will be constantly finding new pests to identify and your reliance on trained entomologists can be curtailed quickly. strategy There are several approaches to identifying insects. You can compare your catches with images in books or images on the internet. You can contact entomologists on the internet who will identify insects for you and answer pest-related questions. Other options include checking with your local universities and colleges for trained entomologists or hiring a pest management company and working with them. As you begin to identify insects it will be important to maintain a reference collection which has been accurately identified. A reference collection will help you with future identification and allow you to teach others what pests are common in your institution. magnification Magnification of 15 - 30 X is necessary to identify many of the tiny insects that damage archival material. Hand held magnifiers which go up to 30X are available in the U.S.A. for under $10.00.
I am confident that the IPM program that was established in the 1980's is still viable for today and the future of Pest Management.
Leland J Manuel
Pest-Rite LLC
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Written by Caleb Wright, Executive Director.
It's the heart of the busy season. You have more things to do in one day than what time allows for. But your business is operating successfully.... then a problem happens and it's the kind that makes you wish you had a full-time Human Resources representative in your office.
As a small business, your company resources are allocated on providing top-notch customer service and business development. Sometimes, and for many NPMA and PPMA members, that doesn't include an HR professional. NPMA has teamed up with Seay Management Consultants to provide consulting services to members to help you problem-solve as a business owner.
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Farm Bill Fails to Pass U.S. House of Representatives, Next Steps
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass
H.R. 2
, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (the "Farm Bill") by a vote of (
198 - 213
). Unfortunately, some members of the Republican Party used their votes on the 2018 Farm Bill to leverage a vote on controversial immigration legislation, which is an entirely separate issue from the 2018 Farm Bill. In a procedural maneuver, Speaker Ryan voted "no" on the 2018 Farm Bill and made a motion to reconsider, preserving the ability to bring the 2018 Farm Bill back before the House once support for the bill is solidified.
Rather than speculate what deals need to be made, it is now more important than ever to continue to communicate with legislators in both the House and the Senate to pass a Farm Bill with our key regulatory reform initiatives before the September 30th deadline. NPMA will continue to work with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Conaway and his staff to assist in passage of a bill in the House.
In the Senate, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Roberts has indicated that the Senate plans to push forward and introduce the Senate's 2018 Farm Bill in June. We are continuing to work with Senators on the Senate Agriculture Committee to include our regulatory reform language in the base text of the bill. Next week we will be making another push with targeted Senators and we will need your help again, so please be ready to continue the fight.
While this news is a disappointing end to a week of great work done by NPMA membership, it is not the time to raise the white flag in defeat. This remains a fluid process, but we can assure you that we will continue to advocate for our initiatives on your behalf, in hopes of passing landmark regulatory reform to protect the Pest Management industry this year.
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Upcoming Meetings
Join the Central Division on August 21, 2018 for the Fall Seminar in Mechanicsburg, PA.
The Western Division will be meeting on August 30, 2018 in Cranberry for their annual event.
The Eastern Division is set to meet on September 13, 2018 for their Fall Seminar.
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.
With primary elections in the rear-view mirror, legislators will return to Harrisburg in June to complete the state budgeting process. The Independent Fiscal Office was showing that revenues for 2017-2018 have been coming in nearly as projected, even with a recent court decision deeming a fund transfer from the last budget cycle illegal. Versant Strategies is paying close attention to the following legislation on your behalf:
HB 1001- Helm, Susan (R) - Act regulating home inspectors; establishing the Home Inspection Licensing Board; providing for licensure & practice, for disciplinary action, for remedies & for penalties; making an appropriation; & repealing provisions.
The bill has passed the Senate Labor and Industry Committee and awaits further action in the Senate.
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