Spring IPM Seminar in Dallas Next Month

Continuing education doesn't have to be a painful experience.
Last fall's IPM Seminar attracted nearly 400 applicators.

If you're a pesticide applicator in need of CEUs this year, I have some good news: no more yellow chairs.  For years, pesticide applicators have come faithfully to the Texas A&M AgriLife Center in Dallas for continuing education training.  And for years one of the consistent evaluation remarks we've received is that we need to "do something about" the hard, 1960's era Fiberglas chairs.

Starting next month we're no longer going to be sitting in those chairs for pesticide training. Instead, this spring the IPM seminars will be moving off campus to the nearby Richardson Civic Center.

The 2017 Spring IPM Seminar is scheduled for Thursday, February 23.  We have an excellent line-up of speakers, and offer a good lunch.  Cost will remain the same for 2017.

To register for the 2017 event, go online to http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/IPM.

For a copy of the program, including directions to our new location, click here. This year's speakers and topics include:

• Michael Kelly, with the Structural Pest Control Service/TDA in Austin, will speak on Pesticide Rules: What's new and what it means to you.
• Sam Kieschnick, with Texas Parks and Wildlife in Dallas.  Urban Wildlife, including biology and behavior of bobcats and other troublesome mammals.
• Dr. Casey Reynolds, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, will talk on Herbicide Selection, including understanding how different herbicides work, and how to select the best product for your needs.
• Doug Van Gundy, Zoecon/Central Life Sciences, will talk about Pesticide formulations and their uses, also important for selecting the right product.
• I will speak on Control strategies for the crapemyrtle bark scale, an important and difficult to control pest of the most common flowering shrub in north Texas.

If you attend, I can't guarantee that the new chairs will be any better (they won't be any more durable). The new facilities, however, will be great. We'll have more space, in a more comfortable environment, and bigger screens.  I believe you'll appreciate the change.

Spring IPM Conference in Dallas

It's hard to believe that the Spring IPM conference is just around the corner.  But in just a little over the month we'll be offering our annual
Spring CEU conference at the Dallas Center.  Speakers this year include Ross Eckstein (Mastering fire Ant Control), Laura Miller (Rose rosette disease and its management demystified), Dr. Casey Reynolds (Sprayer Calibration to Maximize Your Weed Control), Janet Hurley (Pesticide regulatory update), and me talking about Neonicotinoid insecticides and the environment: What you need to know. Talks will provide CEUs for both Structural and TDA in General (Pest, L&O, Weed), Laws and Regs, and General (IPM).

Early registration is $70, and it includes a meal.  In addition to the five presentations, there will be an outdoor sprayer demonstration and a short update on a new pest, spotted wing Drosophila, by our new Extension program specialist, Mr. Erfan Vafaie.

So if you want to get an early start for 2014 on your continuing education, this is the best place to come. To register, go to AgriLife registration site.   For a copy of the brochure with more program information and directions, click here.

Spring Pest Management Training 2013

Skunk and armadillo control is one of the topics covered in
this spring's pest management training.

I thought I would share an upcoming training opportunity that might be of interest to Insects in the City readers around north Texas. Next week, March 7, is the Spring Pest Management Seminar at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas. This year's program should be a good one, and (if you need it) will provide you with all the CEUs you need for another year, whether you are a certified non-commercial applicator through TDA, or licensed through the Structural Pest Control Service with categories in pest control, turf and ornamental, and weed control.

This year's speakers include Janet Hurley, providing an update on the new pyrethroid rules, Charles Adams with Sherman ISD speaking on skunk and armadillo control, Ross Eckstein from Syngenta covering weed control, Dr. John Rowland with Bayer Environmental Science talking about insects of urban landscapes, and me, talking about mosquito control.  Three of our speakers are new to the seminar series, so this will be a great opportunity to get fresh insights and new IPM information.  I'm especially interested in the skunk and armadillo talk from Charles Adams.  Charles has many years of experience in school IPM and running his own wildlife control business. I've listened to Charles teach, and he really knows his wildlife.

Registration is online and can be accessed here--type in keywords "Spring IPM".  For a copy of the program brochure, click here.  Cost is $70 if you get your application in by March 4, otherwise it's $85 at the door.  Lunch (brisquet and chicken BBQ) is provided.  Hope to see you there.

CEU Opportunity in Dallas next week

Live in north Texas and still need your CEU credits for 2012? Our office at the Texas AgriLife Center at Dallas will be offering a 5-hour training next week on Thursday, March 1.  Speakers will include Melody Lee (TDA), Dr. Jim McAfee (Extension), Micah Pace (Texas Forest Service), Rob Cook (US EPA) and myself.  You can preregister through Monday, or register the day of the training (you save $15 by pre-registering).  

To register online, go to   https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/events/index.cfm.  Search on the keyword "IPM" and select the link for 2012 Spring IPM Seminar at the Dallas location.  When you get there, click on the Enroll Now button.  A flier with the schedule, titles of talks and location is available by clicking here.

This is always a good conference, and the food is good too. I hope to see some of you next week.