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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
Keith Hamilton
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, 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
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
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Dear Friends:
As July begins with a bang (fireworks) and summer heats up, take a moment from your July Fourth Celebration to ensure that your membership dues for the 2016/17 year are scheduled for prompt payment to NPMA for joint NPMA/PPMA membership or to PPMA for Pennsylvania membership only. By now, you should have received your dues invoice and perhaps a second notice. Keeping your dues current is an essential part of maintaining a robust, effective organization which provides many benefits for its members. Help us help you! Back in Harrisburg we are keeping an eye out for the passage of the Commonwealth's FY 2016/17 budget. As you read this message, a budget will hopefully be on its way to Governor Wolf for approval in a timely fashion, unlike last year's 9-month delay!
As always, please reach out if we can be of service!
Team Versant
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White House Releases Pollinator Partnership Action Plan
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On Wednesday, the White House released its Pollinator Partnership Action Plan (PPAP), which responds to the President's emphasis on public-private partnerships and coordinating efforts to protect pollinators throughout the nation. This plan is very much in-line with the President's national strategy to protect pollinators, released by his task force last May. The plan highlights:
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- Pollinator Protection Plans (MP3s) for every state
- Providing additional land for foraging on public and private property
- Better and more pollinator research
- Developing and promoting Best Management Practices (BMPs)
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From the onset of the development of the pollinator task force in 2014 NPMA has been very engaged on pollinator health and the structural pest management industry. We will continue to work with Federal and State officials and NPMA members on issues concerning pollinator health.
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Upcoming Meetings
Be sure to join the Western Division on August 25th for their fall seminar. More information is to come!
The Eastern Division is planning their Fall Seminar for September 8. Check the website for more details!
The Annual Conference is planned for November 6-8 at the Eden Resort in Lancaster. Mark your calendar today!
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.
As noted above, lawmakers continue to hammer out a budget for FY 2016/17. In line with NPMA's report on the release of a Pollinator Partner Action Plan, the PA General Assembly also acknowledged the importance of our pollinators.
HR 924 Rep. Robert Matzie
Resolution designating the week of June 20 through 26, 216 as "Pollinator Week" in Pennsylvania. On 6/15/16 the resolution adopted in House (Y: 193/N: 0)
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Articles of Interest
| 06-23-2016 | Bipartisan talks on Zika virus break down ahead of July 4 recess
The House voted in the wee hours of Thursday morning to approve a $1.1 billion package to fight the Zika virus. But the measure was the product of a deal between House and Senate Republicans and Democrats do not support it, meaning lawmakers are once again headed home without a tool aimed at fighting the Zika virus at the... - Washington Post |
| 06-16-2016 | Fight against invasive pest reaches southeastern Berks
Spring Township, PA The battle to stop the spotted lanternfly, a threat to grapevines and wineries in Berks County - and perhaps all of Pennsylvania - has reached the outskirts of Reading, where Brooke Leister and Michael Valentine, two pest-busters for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, serve as... - Reading Eagle |
| 06-14-2016 | 14 invasive plants and bugs - and what you can do about them
Apparently accidentally introduced into eastern Pennsylvania, it was first collected in September 1998 in Allentown, but probably arrived several years earlier, according to the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension. It survives indoors in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and in other protected... - Easton Express-Times |
| 06-06-2016 | Butterflies flutter into new exhibit at National Aviary
The National Aviary's newest summer exhibit is taking flight with a different set of wings. For the first time, the aviary will showcase butterflies with its newly unveiled Butterfly Garden. "We were looking to do something different here for the summer," says Kurt Hundgen, director of animal collection. "We're 99.9 percent... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |
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