MARCH APRIL 2017
CONTROLLING INTEREST NEWSLETTER OF THE NEW ENGLAND PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. Mark Weintraub Scholarship Dinner In 1994 under the leadership of Rod Kreimeyer, Best Pest Control Services, Inc., the New England Pest Management Association created the Mark Weintraub Scholarship, named after one of NEPMA’s founders. This scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving student who is planning to continue on to higher education or who is currently enrolled in higher education. This scholarship is open to all NEPMA members, their employees, and their immediate families in the New England area. This year’s recipient is Sydney Cardoza from Coventry, RI. Her father is with Budget Termite and Pest Control in Warwick, RI. The Mark Weintraub Scholarship will be presented at a membership dinner that is being held on Wednesday evening, May 3, 2017. It will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Woburn, MA. In addition to the presentation of the scholarship that evening, Ted Brayton, ACE, Griggs & Browne and NEPMA President will lead a discussion on the association’s strategic initiatives to include public policy initiatives in our New England states, regulatory issues emanating from the MDAR Pesticide Board as well as a discussion on several educational opportunities that are being undertaken by the association. He will be joined in this conversation by several NEPMA Committee Chairmen. Members are encouraged to attend the dinner to learn more about what the association is doing to benefit the industry as well as taking time to congratulate Sydney Cardoza on winning the 2017 Mark Weintraub Scholarship. Further information on this membership dinner is on our website nepma.org.
MA Pesticide Applicator Core Exam Coaching Program NEPMA offers an intensive coaching program designed to assist you as you prepare your pest control professionals to take the MA CORE Exam. This program is scheduled for this spring given close to expected Core exam dates. We know how important it is for you as an employer to make sure that your employees are well-prepared to take the exam and earn their Core
license. This program is designed to supplement your in-house own exam prep training. Our program will focus on: the exam process and what one should expect to see on the exam and how best to focus study efforts; a review of key rules and regulations and an overview of information contained in the Core Manual. While our program cannot guarantee participants will pass the exam, it is intended to offer pointers and tips to help exam takers better position themselves to take the exam. The program will be held on Monday, May 22, 2017 at the Univar Offices in Woburn, MA. Richard Berman, entomologist, pest industry consultant and trainer will be the instructor for these two programs. The following study materials should be secured to both prepare for the exam and to participate in our program. Exam study and preparation should be in process before our sessions. Attendees should bring their study materials to the session, along with note paper and something to write with. •
Core Manual (3rd Ed.) with MA Core Supplement (2014)
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Chapter 132B (MA Pesticide Control Act) This is the pesticide law and includes the amendments referred to as The Children & Families Protection Act (Sections C-6K)
•
333CMR (Code of MA Regulations) These are the pesticide rules and regulations, including the school pesticide use regulations (333CMR 14)
For further information on this coaching program and to register please go to our website: www.nepma.org
Galvin Murphy, Jr. Named PestVets Veteran of the Year Galvin Murphy, Jr., director of business development for Yankee Pest Control, Malden, MA, was recognized as the second-ever PestVets ‘Veteran of the Year,’ during NPMA Legislative Day.
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Murphy, a U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq retiring with the rank of Sergeant, began helping veterans in high school when he and his father, Galvin Murphy, Sr., did volunteer pest control work at local veteran’s homes.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Ted Brayton, ACE, Griggs & Browne Pest Control, Abington, MA President-elect: Galvin J. Murphy, Yankee Pest Control, Inc., Malden, MA Clerk: Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control, Topsfield, MA Treasurer: Steve Oles, Orkin, Inc., Northwood, NH Immediate Past President: Jeffrey Weisberg, A-1 Exterminators, Inc., Lynn, MA Directors: Mike Bourdeau, Flynn Pest Control, Rehoboth, MA Doug Fleischer, Pestex, Newtonville, MA D.J. Flynn, Burgess Pest Management, West Bridgewater, MA James Merrill, F & W Pest Control, Wrentham, MA Mike Peaslee, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick, ME Kevin Vaughn, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA
COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards: Maria Richmond, Ransford Environmental Solutions, Inc., Worcester, MA By-laws: James Merrill, F & W Pest Control, Wrentham, MA Controlling Interest: Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control Co., Inc., Topsfield, MA and Doug Fleischer, Pestex, Newtonville, MA Education/WDI Program: Galvin C. Murphy, ACE, Yankee Pest Control, Inc., Malden, MA Ethics: Jonathan Boyar, Ecologic Entomology, LLC, Boston, MA and Bob Leon, General Environmental Services, Malden, MA Financial Review: Bob Leon, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA and D.J. Flynn, Burgess Pest Management, W. Bridgewater, MA Fundraising: Marillian Missiti, Buono Pest Control Co., Inc., Belmont, MA and Galvin J. Murphy, Yankee Pest Control, Malden, MA Nominating Committee: Bob Leon, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA and George Williams, ACE, Univar, Woburn, MA NPMA/QualityPro: Bill Siegel, Orkin, Inc., Ipswich, MA Membership: Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control Co., Inc., Topsfield, MA and Doug Fleischer, Pestex, Newtonville, MA Public Policy: Ted Burgess, Burgess Pest Management, W. Bridgewater, MA and Mike Peaslee, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick, ME Public Relations: Marillian Missiti, Buono Pest Control Co., Inc., Belmont, MA and George Williams, ACE, Univar, Woburn, MA Scholarship: Matt Kreimeyer Best Pest Control Services, Inc., Somerville, MA Social Media: Kevin Vaughn, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA and Mike Bourdeau, Flynn Pest Control, Rehoboth, MA Vendor Relations: Kelley Altland, Bell Laboratories, Manchester, CT and Kevin Moran, BCE, Forshaw, Inc., Canton, MA Executive Director: Walter Perry (wperry@cornerstoneam.com)
CONTROLLING INTEREST Controlling Interest is published six (6) times per year by the New England Pest Management Association and is distributed free to its members. Readers are encouraged to submit articles, announcements, reviews of products, or letters. To submit articles or to inquire about advertising rates and information, contact NEPMA at 53 Regional Drive, Suite 1, Concord, NH 03301, call toll-free at (866) 386-3762, or email info@nepma.org. The New England Pest Management Association believes that the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date but is not responsible for inadvertent errors. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any fashion without the written consent of the editor.
www.NEPMA.org
He’s continued recruiting veterans to his business and has encouraged other NPMA members to do so as well. In addition, this past fall he ran in the Marine Corps Marathon to raise funds for the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Fund. “Sergeant Murphy continues to play a critical role about educating our industry about recruiting veterans,” said FMC Marketing Specialist Arnold Ramsey, a U.S. Marine, who presented the award to Murphy. This is the second year PestVets has given this award. Last year, Marty Overline, president of Aardvark Pest Management, Philadelphia, was presented with the first-ever award.
Galvin Murphy Jr. with PestVets Veteran of the Year Award with Jim Fredericks, VP NPMA.
Professional Women in Pest Management The Professional Women in Pest Management (PWIPM) of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has been generating regional and state branches throughout the country. The PWIPM of New England is starting to plan their first networking event along with the NEPMA Fall Training Seminar in November 2017. Future meetings will be set up along with NEPMA’s Conferences and/or other dates and times. The PWIPM England will
New work
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CONTROLLING INTEREST
NPMA Legislative Day 2017 March 12-14, 2017, Washington, DC Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control, NEPMA Board of Director, managing Operation Gratitude, asking individuals to stuff a care package for our active duty military service men and women and write a note to show them how much they are appreciated.
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on an array of topics, but not limited to: marketing, sales, customer service, balancing work and family, mentoring programs, HR, empowerment programs, and many other conductive topics relating to women in the pest control industry. If you or someone you know is a pest management professional, customer service representative, sales representative, branch manager, human resource professional or in any other pest control position, I recommend that this is a great opportunity for not just your company but for the individual. PWIPM New England is putting together a list of those interested individuals. Anyone interested is encouraged to contact Walter Perry, NEPMA Executive Director at wperry@cornerstoneam.com or Marillian Missiti, PWIPM New England Chairwoman at marillian@comcast.net.
Legislative Report Galvin Murphy Jr. accepting the PestVets Veteran of the Year award.
By Ted Burgess, NEPMA Public Policy Co -Chairman Fees to pest control businesses thwarted Through the vigilant effort of monitoring the 2017 MA legislative cycle, NEPMA was able to identify a potentially harmful bill that would have created arbitrary fees to the pest control industry. Governor Baker submitted his supplemental budget where businesses would be required to register by paying a fee above and beyond the fees already provided to the Commonwealth. It was argued that by having another fee is, in essence, a new tax on doing business here in the Commonwealth. Further, the Department of Agricultural Resources is currently equipped with the ability to keep track of businesses operating in the Commonwealth. Also, included in the legislation, the department can issue fines and regulatory actions against companies without the oversight of the Attorney General’s office. The fines and fees were designated to be used by the department at their discretion.
NEPMA Members Attending NPMA Legislative Day: (L to R Back Row) Marillian Missiti, Buono Pest Control Services; Ted Brayton, Griggs & Browne Pest Control; Jeff Weisberg, A-1 Exterminators; Dan Fleischer, Pestex; Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control; Bill Siegel, Orkin; Sheila Haddad, Bell Laboratories; Galvin Murphy Sr., Yankee Pest Control. (Front Row) Galvin Murphy Jr. with Mrs. Galvin Murphy Jr. with children and Mrs. Galvin Murphy Sr.
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NEPMA leadership, members and our contracted lobbyist swiftly brought concerns to key legislators and specifically to Committee Chairs at the State House. Fortunately, the language was removed from the bill and the potential undue financial burden was averted. Special thanks go to Richard Maguire who spoke directly to his legislator, Brian Dempsey, who was also the Committee Chair. Mr. Maguire’s effort to help our industry proved to be invaluable. Neonic ban proposed in MA Proposed MA legislation intends to ban the use of the neonicitinoid chemical class in an effort to protect pollinators. To protect the public, the structural pest management industry uses neonicotinoid pesticides indoors, in soil treatments or on the exterior periphery of buildings. When used in this manner, neonicotinoids pose almost no risk of exposure or harm to bees and
CONTROLLING INTEREST other pollinators. Neonicotinoids are a valuable tool used throughout the nation to preserve our food supply and in and around homes and businesses to promote a thriving commerce and protect families. House Bill 2113 would ban the use of neonicotinoids for pest management professionals during eight months out of the year, between March 1 and October 31. Neonicotinoids are essential for eliminating dangerous and deadly pests that threaten public health and property year-round. HB 2113 would create additional documentation requirements if and when a neonic were to be used by an applicator further adding a financial and documentation burden. The language in the bill reads as follows: “a certified commercial applicator, certified private applicator or licensed applicator shall provide the owner of the property on which the neonicotinoid is to be so used with: (i) information on the risks associated with its use, including, but not limited to, its potential effects on the central nervous system of pollinators and non-target organisms and an overview of the effects of neonicotinoids on honeybees; (ii) a list of alternative non-neonicotinoid products; and (iii) an acknowledgment signifying that the owner has received and understands this information. The informational materials, list and acknowledgement required by this subsection shall be in a form prescribed
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by the department.” HB 2113 will also require additional testing for licensed and certified applicators. The language in the bill reads as follows: “The department shall require that any certified commercial applicator, certified private applicator, or licensed applicator who will use neonicotinoids pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of section 6L satisfactorily completes training on the risks associated with the use of neonicotinoids and the proper techniques to use in order to minimize those risks. The department shall integrate said neonicotinoid training into the current licensing and certification process to create a streamlined process for existing certified commercial applicators, certified private applicators, or licensed applicators.” Any government that bans neonicotinoids, which are a critical tool for managing pests, jeopardizes its economy and the health of its people. The best way to combat this issue is to speak directly with your local legislators. NEPMA has prepared documents to provide to MA legislators. For more information on how you can help, please contact NEPMA directly.
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(L to R) Ted Brayton, ACE, Griggs & Browne; Professional of the Year Bill Sullivan, Ransford Environmental Solutions; Dominique Stumpf, NPMA CEO; Greg Dion, Ransford Environmental Solutions. The Vendor of the Year award honors that individual who goes above and beyond on behalf of their company to assist the members of the New England Pest Management Association in such ways as education, legislative initiatives, volunteer support, etc. The 2017 Vendor of the Year is Bob Beyer of Forshaw.
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MDAR 2017 Recertification Audit The MDAR Pesticide Program is initiating its 2017 Audit of Recertification Requirements and will be mailing audit letters to some 1,346 individuals maintaining some 1,358 credentials with categories being audited. Qualifying credits have been acquired/earned before July 1, 2017. CY 2017 Audit Letters are being sent to license holders with three-year renewal cycle period expiring. There will be 732 First Time Audits and 614 Repeat Audits for a total of 1,346 Audits this year Individuals and companies should review the attached list at the following web page to be sure audit individuals have received their 2017 Audit letter. Letters should have been received by April 15, 2017. The Pesticide License Recertification and Audit Program web page will be updated by Hoang Vo to reflect the new CY 2017 information. As done in previous years, the website audit list will be updated routinely to reflect the status of audit submissions. The Pesticide License Recertification and Audit Program list of individuals affected can be viewed at: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/agr/pesticides/ pesticide-license-recertification-and-audit-program. html Individuals who have moved and not notified the agency of their new address may not receive the letter and notification and should contact the agency, as well as any others who may not have received the notification.
NEPMA Fall Training Seminar & Expo Mark your calendar today to attend NEPMA’s Fall Training Seminar & Expo which will be held November 2 and 3, 2017 at the Holiday Inn in Taunton MA. The Education Committee chaired by Galvin Murphy Sr.,
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ACE is developing an extraordinary two-day program that will have a range of pest management topics that will be approved for credit throughout the New England states. One day of the training will focus on bed bugs. That days sessions will be led by Jeff White, technical director of BedBug Central and host of BedBug TV. He has over 10 years of experience as an entomologist and offers his expertise in many different areas of entomology including; bed bug research, protocol development, and evaluating the efficacy of bed bug treatment methods. White has worked on the technical evaluation of various products as well as developing bed bug management programs for residential and commercial properties. He is currently evaluating new products and conducting research to determine a more effective and cost efficient bed bug treatment plan. White has presented to forums that include the National Pest Management Association, state pest management associations, the Entomological Society of America, the International Hotel, and Motel Show, as well as dozens of apartment associations, affordable housing, and senior living associations. He’s been featured as a bed bug expert on ABC’s The View, NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, NBC’s Today’s Show, ABC’s World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, Animal Planets Infested, and Dateline, among many others. White also developed BedBug TV, an online weekly video podcast that has been viewed by over a million people across the world. BedBug TV discusses different topics and answers questions in regard to bed bugs. White earned his Master of Science degree in entomology at the University of Florida and his Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences from Rutgers University.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS May 3, 2017
Mark Weintraub Scholarship Dinner Crowne Plaza, Woburn, MA
May 22, 2017
MA Pesticide Applicator Core Exam Coaching Program Univar, Woburn, MA
July 19-21, 2017
NPMA Academy 2017 Scottsdale, AZ
August 2, 2017
NEPMA Board of Director Long Range Planning Meeting Café Escadrille, Burlington, MA
November 2-3, 2017
NEPMA Fall Training Seminar & Expo Holiday Inn, Taunton, MA
November 4, 2017
NEPMA Bowling Outing Town Line Lanes, Malden, MA
CONTROLLING INTEREST
Massachusetts Pesticide Disposal Opportunity The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is providing the opportunity to dispose of unwanted and/or unregistered pesticides at no cost to licensed pesticide applicators. As a Massachusetts Pesticide Applicator you will have the opportunity to choose one of two locations to drop off your unwanted/unregistered pesticides. This is a limited opportunity and is a first come first serve basis. In order to ensure as many people as possible may participate in this program, the Department reserves the right to limit the amount of materials that can be brought in by any one participant. In order to participate you must register by May 15, 2017. This is a CONFIDENTIAL PROGRAM. Your name and the materials you bring in will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed. The goal of this program is to safely dispose of unused pesticides from licensed pesticide applicators. THIS IS NOT AN ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM. To find out more information regarding the program and how to register you may visit the MDAR website at: www.mass.gov/agr
NEPMA e-Newsletter Coming To Your Inbox The New England Pest Management Association wants its news and information widely accessible by all members including employees of member companies. One of the ways we will accomplish this is that with every issue of Controlling Interest there will be an electronic version created, in addition to the print version. While members will continue to receive a printed copy of the newsletter an electronic version of the newsletter will be created and emailed out
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Founded in 1893, Waltham Services has grown to the largest pest control provider in New England. Our company’s growth did not happen by chance, it’s a reflection of our commitment to long, profitable relationships with our coworkers and customers. We are proud of our reputation; built upon decades of personalized attention to solving and preventing the most stubborn pest problems. If you are considering a change and your plans include selling your company, please consider Waltham Services.
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to all members. Our goal is to also email it out to all employees of member companies. To accomplish this we would like to have all member companies email us a list to info@nepma.org which would include employees names and email addresses that we can then email out each issue of the e-CI.
Pest Experts Predict Bad Tick, Mosquito Season for Northeast Bangor Daily News Ticks, mosquitoes and other pests may be especially abundant and invasive this spring in the Northeast, according to the Bug Barometer, a bi-annual report produced by the National Pest Management Association. Released late last week, this countrywide pest forecast was created by a team of NPMA entomologists based on winter conditions, long-term weather predictions and knowledge about pest biology and behavior. “It’s not an exact science,” Michael Bentley, staff entomologist at NPMA, said in a recent phone interview. “We can’t say there’s going to be exactly 13 ticks that will pop up on this day and time. These are educated predictions.” Established in 1933, NPMA is a nonprofit organization with more than 7,000 members from around the world. The organization’s mission is for households and businesses across the country to be protected by professional pest management services. For the Northeast, the Bug Barometer states that “higher tick populations may result from the unseasonably warm winter. A cooler spring may drive occasional invaders like earwigs into homes in search of warmth. Heavy spring showers could also increase standing water, creating ideal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.”
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CONTROLLING INTEREST However, Maine pest experts caution for people to take such broad predictions about future pest populations and behavior with a grain of salt. “I think it’s an interesting general idea of what could happen,” Griffin Dill, integrated pest management professional for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, said. “On a local level, even as far as a state level, I don’t know how much weight [the Bug Barometer] really holds. There are so many different aspects that go into whether we are going to have a lot of ticks and mosquitoes.”
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As an example of how predictions can be easily derailed, Dill pointed to just last year. “We assumed that going into the summer of 2016, since we had this mild winter, that we were potentially going to see a lot of tick activity,” Dill said. “And then of course, last summer, we ended up having relatively drastic drought conditions for much of the Northeast and we actually saw diminished tick activity [because ticks easily dry out and die in drought conditions].” In addition to environmental conditions, pest experts throughout the country are looking at how certain mammal populations — namely mice and deer — might affect the abundance of ticks in different regions. Preparing for the inevitable Regardless of whether the Bug Barometer’s ominous predictions come true, springtime in Maine always means the emergence of certain pests, including mosquitoes, black flies, ticks, ants, earwigs and noseeums. At the end of the day, does it really matter if there are a few more or less than average? “If we normally have 10 million mosquitoes, is it really going to be that much more noticeable if we have 15 million or 5 million?” Dill asked. “We’re going to have a base level of pests out there that we always do have. What’s a good year versus a bad year is kind of a relative thing. If I spend my time outside and am constantly bitten by mosquitoes, I might say it was a bad year. If I stay inside most of the time, I might say it’s a good year. It’s really on such a personal level.” That said, people can do a few things around their homes that will reduce the presence and the negative impacts of pests. After all, April is National Pest Management Month. To reduce the presence of mosquitoes on your property, eliminate areas of standing water, which mosquitoes require to reproduce. Clogged gutters, birdbaths and flooded plant pots are all potential breeding sites for mosquitoes. “Something as small as a bottle cap can breed mosquitoes if water is left standing for five days,” Bentley said. To prevent ants, earwigs and other invasive pests from entering your home this spring, make sure your house is properly sealed, with window screens in good condition and weather stripping around the doors, Bentley said. And lastly, to reduce the presence of ticks on your property, keep up with lawnscaping. Keep your grass short and get rid of leaf piles. Deer ticks usually hide in tall grass, leaf litter and underbrush while waiting for a host to pass by. You don’t want to become that host.
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Ticks aren’t going away
UMass Lab Joins Tick Research Project
At this point, it’s common knowledge that ticks and tick-borne diseases are a problem in Maine, and that problem is only getting worse.
PCT Online
In 2016, a record of 1,400 cases of Lyme disease — an infection transmitted to humans by bacteria from deer tick bites — were reported in Maine, according to the 2017 Report to Maine Legislature Lyme and other Tickborne Illnesses. This number has risen steadily since the first documented case of Maine-acquired Lyme disease was diagnosed in 1986. “Certainly tick-borne disease is on the rise,” Dill said. In addition to Lyme disease, a number of other tickborne diseases are becoming more common in Maine. Chief among those diseases is anaplasmosis. In 2016, preliminary data shows 373 cases of anaplasmosis reported in Maine, which is a 100 percent increase from the 186 cases reported in 2015. “Anaplasmosis cases have been almost doubling every year for the past three or four years,” Dill said. In addition, the tick-borne disease called babesiosis is being found in Maine. In 2016, 83 cases of babesiosis were reported in the state, a notable increase from the 55 cases reported a year prior. All three of these diseases — Lyme, anaplasmosis and babesiosis — are transmitted to humans by the deer tick, also known as the black-legged tick. “We learn new things, literally, on a yearly basis, and find new pathogens ticks can transmit and carry on a yearly basis as well,” Dill said about tick research. “It’s interesting in that respect and also kind of scary in that respect. There’s a lot we do know, and a lot we don’t know.” To learn about protecting yourself from ticks while spending time outdoors, and for more information about tick-borne diseases, visit the University of Maine Tick Identification Lab website at: https://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/tickid/
The Laboratory of Medical Zoology (LMZ) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a national tick testing lab, recently was chosen by Battelle, the world’s largest independent, non-profit research and development organization, to conduct pathogen tests on thousands of ticks collected from 47 sites across the country as part of National Science Foundation’s 30-year National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) project. The LMZ earned a two-year, renewable contract for up to $112,000 per year to test several thousand ticks for six bacterial and one protozoan pathogen using DNAbased assays. UMass Amherst microbiology professor and LMZ director Stephen Rich says these tests will detect the pathogens that cause Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis, among others. Battelle researchers working on the NSF’s observatory project are geographically distributed across the United States, including in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and are collecting standardized, calibrated, longterm data and making it available to the scientific community through a single open-access data portal. With the addition of pathogen test results, the NEON database is a powerful new tool for tick-borne disease surveillance and research, Rich says. Full operation of the observatory begins when construction of all domains is completed in 2018. Rich says, “A group of Battelle scientists will be collecting ticks, mosquitoes and rodents from all 47 terrestrial sites and sending them to Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, where the national tick collection is located. There they will be identified and archived, then scientists will choose a sample from among those to send to the LMZ for pathogen testing. When a new pathogen shows up sometime in the future, they will be able to look back at DNA samples and figure out whether it was there before.”
Mark Your Calendar for Academy 2017 Academy, the annual summer conference hosted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), will be held July 19-21 at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, AZ. The Academy is a unique opportunity designed to advance the professional and business development of the industry’s leaders and emerging leaders in a hands-on, interactive environment.
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CONTROLLING INTEREST He adds, “This is an interesting angle, just straight natural history and cataloging what is there, not necessarily public health-driven, which is a little different for us as a lab. It’s cool and we are excited to be part of this big new project, helping to monitor ecosystems in an unprecedented and comprehensive way.” Each year since 2006, Rich and colleagues have collected thousands of ticks, dead or alive, extracted from people and pets and sent in from all 50 states and Canada – an average of 6,000 per year – to help map the distribution of different kinds of the blood-sucking arachnids and to categorize the many disease-causing pathogens they carry. The testing helps families and their doctors as well as epidemiologists, Rich explains. The LMZ does not diagnose disease in humans, but its tests provide clues for physicians. “If you know the tick that bit you tested positive for a pathogen that causes a certain disease, you can take that information to your doctor. It can help to narrow down your diagnosis more quickly and in some cases we are aware of, it’s been a game changer.”
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The microbiologist adds, “Many news sources contact me at this time of year to inquire about the coming tick season. I have to tell them that we really don’t have the science to predict tick densities in this or any year, except in very localized areas where the data are complete. An exciting aspect of the observatory is the long-term commitment to sampling, or surveillance as we refer to it in public health, and the great value it will have in our understanding of disease risk. It gives us the ability to track changes over at least 30 years.” Harvard Forest near the village of Petersham in north central Massachusetts is the closest NEON terrestrial data collection point to the UMass Amherst campus, Rich notes. NSF says that NEON is designed to enable the research community to ask and address their own questions on a regional-to-continental scale around the environmental challenges identified as relevant to understanding the effects of climate change, land-use change and invasive species patterns on the biosphere.
ASK MR. PEST CONTROL Inpection is Hunting
QUESTION: We are currently servicing a commercial kitchen and the German cockroaches there
seem to be getting worse. Our approach so far has been to use a non-repellent spray along with cockroach bait that includes an IGR. We have had success with this in the past but it isn’t working in this account. The customer is having the kitchen cleaned often, but they have on occasion used repellent products when there is an outbreak, sometimes after it gets cleaned. We’ve also noticed some roaches coming from the tiled ceiling and will be going out there with a ladder to look above the tiles. Is it common for them to be up high like that? The common theme here seems to be to inspect thoroughly and directly treat pockets of roaches. Can you please explain how to do a good, thorough inspection and find these pockets? Also, would buying a ULV machine make sense for treating German roaches?
ANSWER: Pest management is comparable to hunting, which requires knowledge of the animal and skill. The more a PMP deals with a pest, the better they should get at finding them because different situations teach what a pest is capable of. Besides being observant and using a flashlight, the most important inspection tool is sticky monitors. They need to be in as many places as possible throughout the kitchen to find pockets, to gauge the extent of the infestation and to provide feedback on treatment progress.
This situation sounds like a large infestation that’s going to take time to manage. I’ve experienced large infestations that have taken months to resolve. They didn’t become large infestations overnight and they can’t be resolved that quickly either. As long as progress is being made, it’s normal to experience setbacks along the way. German cockroaches aren’t usually in drop ceilings unless the population has gotten so large that they have no choice or repellent space treatments were applied and pushed survivors up into the ceiling. ULV equipment makes sense for treating German cockroaches in drop ceilings or wall voids, although I still don’t recommend using repellent products for this purpose. You may be successful treating these areas with a non-repellent aerosol or dust formulation before deciding to purchase ULV equipment.
—Mr. Pest Control (Editor’s note: Articles from the Ask Mr. Pest Control series are reprinted with permission from Univar. Mr. Pest Control is answering questions supplied by PMP customers across North America. His answers are generated from industry and manufacturerprovided information. The answer may not be specific to the laws and regulations for your State, Province, Territory or Country. In addition, products mentioned may not be registered and or available in all areas. Always check with your local Univar office for specific information to your area. Always read and follow label directions.)
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What Is QualityPro? NPMA QualityPro is an industry program designed to increase professionalism of the industry through self-regulation; stimulate consumer demand through increased confidence and a higher public perception of industry professionalism; create common sense, quality industry standards; and provide marketing opportunities to participating companies by recognizing commitment to excellence and higher performance standards. This is a company, not individual, designation. Reserved as an exclusive NPMA member benefit, this corporate program is designed to separate QualityPro companies from the competition and increase the overall professionalism of the industry. As QualityPro members inform consumers about QualityPro, through the marketing tools provided, you will increase your business. In addition, this program will encourage QualityPro companies to hire smartly, train correctly, and upgrade professionalism through the training and education of service technicians and sales personnel. QualityPro companies are environmentally responsible, and committed to providing consumers with the highest possible service. Built around the four key principles of Business Operations, Consumer Relations, Environmental Stewardship, and Technician Training, the QualityPro certification is designed to be feasible and affordable for every company in the pest management industry. Operators of all sizes from around the country have been involved in the program since its inception, assuring you of the highest quality program. Why Do You Need QualityPro? The pest management industry needs to raise the bar for quality. Consumers are unsure how to choose a pest management professional. QualityPro makes it easier to select companies by more clearly identifying pest management companies that excel. As a result of these pressures on the industry to stimulate growth in the marketplace, a broad range of industry stakeholders called upon NPMA to organize a program designed to recognize professionalism in the industry. The group asked NPMA to develop a seal of approval for the pest management industry. NPMA set out to determine the feasibility of a QualityPro program and determine whether this type of program would make a difference to consumers, regulators, and the media. Research included discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state pesticide officials, and national media. NPMA also conducted focus groups to discover how consumers would view this program. Research findings were overwhelmingly positive.
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Most importantly, in the focus groups, consumers replied positively to this type of program. When asked, “Imagine this national organization that we’ve been talking about would offer a Seal of Approval for their members.” Comments included:
• “That [seal] would tell me the company knows what it is doing.”
• “A seal would raise the bar for pest control operators.”
• “It means the company is more qualified and had to meet additional requirements.”
• “The company cares enough about doing a good job that they will go the extra mile.”
• The research results provided a validation of the opportunity to influence the attitudes of consumers, the media, and regulators with regard to the pest management industry.
Improving the Industry Over the last five years, NPMA has been focused on meeting the challenges facing our industry. Now NPMA is moving from a reactive mode to a proactive mode. Government affairs is shaping policy, rather than defending it, and the Professional Pest Management Alliance is taking our messages directly to the consumer and controlling our own destiny. QualityPro is the next step in this proactive approach. How Do You Become QualityPro? A wide range of materials will be available for companies that are interested in becoming QualityPro certified. The program’s unique structure is designed to be inclusive, offering opportunities for direct industry involvement from small companies to large corporations. QualityPro isn’t designed to impose a set of standards, it is designed to raise the bar by providing every company with the tools you need to excel in this industry. Once you apply, you will receive a Resource Manual with these useful materials. Look for the TOOLBOX symbol throughout this book, which indicates which material will be included in the Resource Manual. The value of these tools alone justifies your cost. Qualifications To become QualityPro, a company must certify that it:
• • • • • • • •
Has job applicants fill out an application Conducts interviews before hiring Checks references Conducts criminal background checks Conducts motor vehicle records checks Has a drug-free workplace policy Meets minimum insurance policy requirements Meets QualityPro company service vehicle standards
CONTROLLING INTEREST • • • •
Has a standard dress policy Has an on-the-job safety policy Advertises according to QualityPro standards Has a termite warranty/service agreement that meets requirements
• Has a customer communications policy • Ensures employees are tested and trained to the highest industry standards.
• Provides an IPM information sheet to consumers • Practices proper pesticide handling • Has ensured that technicians and sales employees pass a state administered or QualityPro exam
• Agree to complaint-triggered audits ensuring
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requirements
• Create an oversight committee to run the program and handle complaints.
Application Process Any NPMA member in good standing who has been in business at least two years can apply to be QualityPro approved. Applications will be accepted automatically if all membership requirements are met. If an applicant is rejected for any reason, the applicant may seek reconsideration by submitting a request to QualityPro. The request should provide a detailed explanation of why the company satisfies the standards for admission. The Compliance Committee will determine the status within 90 days.
To support the program and QualityPro companies, NPMA will:
An applicant who is rejected for membership may reapply six months after the date of the final decision. If an applicant is rejected, all application fees will be returned minus a $150 processing fee.
• Provide a training manual with sample materials
QualityPro Structure
adherence to QualityPro guidelines
and practice exam questions
• Provide support materials such as sample • •
employment application, affinity programs, a safe driving video, and more Create marketing materials for QualityPro companies to give to consumers Offer experts to answer questions and explain
The QualityPro program is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of QualityPro industry professionals. This Board also acts as a compliance committee to hear appeals or complaints. The compliance process has been designed to ensure confidentiality and to be fair and equitable to all QualityPro companies.
SAVE THE DATE MA PESTICIDE APPLICATOR CORE EXAM COACHING PROGRAM
FALL TRAINING SEMINAR & EXPO NOVEMBER 2 - 3, 2017
Monday, May 22, 2017 Univar Offices, Woburn, MA Flyer and registration form available at:
www.NEPMA.org
HOLIDAY INN, TAUNTON, MA
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It’s full steam ahead for EPA’s reform agenda J.J. Keller Agency wants public opinion on the rules to repeal, replace, modify EPA is looking for public input on which regulations may be the best candidates for repeal, replacement, or modification. The request for comment comes in response to President Trump’s February 24, 2017, Executive Order (EO) 13777 on “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda.” The EO directs federal agencies to create a Regulatory Reform Task Force to evaluate existing regulations and make recommendations on keeping or eliminating them. In particular, the EO asks each Task Force to identify regulations that:
• • • •
Have a negative impact on jobs or job creation; Are outdated, unnecessary, or ineffective; Have costs that exceed benefits; Create serious inconsistencies or interfere with regulatory reform initiatives and policies;
• Rely in whole or in part on data, information, or methods that are not publicly available or are not sufficiently transparent;
• Stem from or implement Executive Orders or
other Presidential directives that have since been rescinded or substantially modified.
Public input must be received on or before May 15, 2017, at the Federal eRulemaking Portal. The docket number for submitting comments is EPA-HQ-OA-2017-0190.
10 Strategies to Increase Revenue This article was published in The Higher Standard, a Dow AgroSciences publication brought to you by the PCT Media Group Custom Publishing Division. Do you have a plan for taking your company to the next level? Reaching your next revenue milestone — whether that’s $250,000, $1 million or $50 million — requires aggressive growth and the ability to execute solid strategies. Paul Giannamore, managing director of The Potomac Company, who advises companies on how to increase their value, offered 10 tips to help you succeed:
1. SET STRATEGY. Identify critical obstacles to performance and develop a coherent action plan to overcome them. Good strategy helps a company manage itself, so you can focus on growing the business, Giannamore explained.
2. ESTABLISH SYSTEMS. Systems dictate how things
get done. They mitigate chaos, help employees perform intuitively, reduce errors, and control reward activities and behaviors. They also generate
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valuable feedback that you should use to hone your strategy, said Giannamore.
3. GET INPUT. Meet daily with employees for five
minutes to identify customer and employee problems; meet weekly or monthly to solve them, Giannamore advised. These meetings can become the “pulse” of the business and give you feedback to guide strategy.
4. PRIORITIZE CUSTOMER RETENTION. A first-year
customer returns about $5 in annual profit; a sevenyear customer delivers $100, said Giannamore. Focus on delivering recurring (not one-time service) and actively track customer retention rates.
5. TRACK PREDICTIVE INDICATORS. Instead of
watching balance sheets and P&L statements, set targets for customer retention rates, employee retention rates and revenue per technician — direct obstacles to performance — and track them weekly, advised Giannamore.
6. TIE STRATEGY TO PERFORMANCE. Design key
performance indicators that tie employee activities to customer or business needs, such as retention, monthly recurring revenue and sales conversions. Create scorecards and update them routinely so employees know how they measure up.
7. USE INCENTIVES. A mix of short- and long-
term incentives aimed at individuals, employee groups and the entire company can greatly impact performance. Just craft them carefully so they don’t bring in low-margin accounts at the expense of long-term recurring ones, stated Giannamore.
8. BOOST MOTIVATION. Employees are motivated
when they understand the company’s goals and what’s in it for them, so regularly explain your plans to grow revenue, their role and potential reward, opportunities for professional development and the career path before them, he said.
9. ASK WHY. Metrics like gross revenue growth,
profitability and employee retention tells us the ‘what,’ said Giannamore. If you don’t ask WHY, you don’t get to the underlying activities, behaviors, issues or architecture that may need adjustment to improve the business.
10. EXPAND YOUR VIEW. Look beyond this industry
and attend seminars in other fields to gain sales and marketing ideas and learn other ways to organize a business. Also, form a council of three to five advisors who can serve as coaches and mentors for you and the company.
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Dear NEPMA Members, Many of you already know me, but some of you may not know that I am the NPMA State Policy Affairs Representative (SPAR) for NEPMA. What is the SPAR program? The SPAR is the official lead point of contact between our state association and NPMA on federal, state and local public policy issues (e.g. legislation, regulation, local/municipal issues, etc.). NPMA’s Policy Staff consistently monitor state legislative and regulatory activity through their tracking software and share relevant issues, legislation, regulations, and objective analysis with the state association board of directors and the SPAR. It is my job to share the NEPMA position with NPMA and/or request assistance if needed, from the NPMA Public Policy Team. How can I serve you? When it comes to public policy, these decisions will greatly affect each of our businesses, so please use me as a resource. If there is an ordinance, bill, regulation, or anything that affects how you do business, positive or negative—let me know. And I’ll notify our state board and NPMA. Then, we can organize, unify, and use the vast amount resources available to us to advocate for pro-pest management policies. If you have a stance on an issue, please share it with me. It is important that you make your voice heard because without a unified industry, we can’t effectively fight for issues important to the structural pest management industry in the New England states. Can I count on you? Last but not least, I need you. The industry needs you. Your business needs—YOU. When it comes to NPMA’s grassroots campaigns and advocating for the industry—very little gets accomplished without the participation of our membership. And when NEPMA, NPMA or myself asks you to participate in a grassroots campaign, please follow through. These grassroots campaigns can be the difference between a tax break, a tax increase, or a product ban. The SPAR program has stopped a rodenticide ban in California, a huge tax increase in North Carolina, helped pass federal Zika funding, and countless other pro-pest management policies at the federal, state, and local levels. Pest management professionals aren’t people who sit on the sidelines. We know that those who are involved in politics the least, lose the most. In conclusion, if we disengage from the policymaking process at any point, we put everything at risk. So please, make your voice heard, and join me. Because together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.
Sincerely,
Ted Brayton NEPMA SPAR
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