Pest Manager of the Year - Applications are now open

Nominations are now open for Pest Manager of the Year 2021, once again very generously sponsored by BASF.

Nominations will close on the 15th of June with winners being announced at Pesticon.

“BASF are proud to be supporting the Pest Manager of the Year awards for its 11th consecutive year,” says David Elmouttie, BASF Business Manager for Professional & Specialty Solutions. 

“BASF continue to applaud all those whom are nominated for embodying the progressive values which we at BASF share and practice in our own business.

Each year, we are a witness to an impressive range of entries, showcasing companies with a genuine commitment to keep raising the standard of service within the Pest Control Business at every level.”

Categories for this year's competition are as follows:

• Business Award Two Classes:  Pest Management firms employing 10 or more people, pest management firms employing fewer than 10 people.  National Pest Manager of the Year will be awarded from nominees in these two categories. 
• Micro Business, which is a category for pest management businesses with fewer than three employees
• South Pacific Pest Manager of the Year, open to AEPMA member businesses both large and small operating in the South Pacific Region.

The top 3 companies from each category will be selected based on their written and website material and will progress to the judging stage of the competition.

If you would like to nominate for Pest Manager of the Year, please click here (PDF Version) or here (Word Version)

Pest Manager of the Year Guidelines are available for download here 

Pesticon 2021 – It’s all about the Social!! - Register now & SAVE

With planning well in hand for Pesticon 2021, attention has now turned to the social side of the conference.  After such a long time apart as an industry, this year Pesticon 2021 offers attendees some ideal networking opportunities.   Here are just a few highlights of what to expect at Pesticon 2021.  We’ll be kicking off the event on the Wednesday evening in the Exhibition Hall with the Welcome Reception – this year kindly sponsored by Sentricon – a chance to catch up with old friends and make new connections.

PWAPM will be hosting their networking breakfast on the Thursday morning, sponsored by Ecolab.   A variety of prominent female speakers and panelists from within the Pest Management Industry, will present on industry trends, business learnings and opportunities.  The event aims to connect and foster constructive conversations between women in the pest management industry. The event is open to all delegates and non-delegates of the conference, and is FREE to attend.  More information can be found on the PWAPM website.

The Thursday evening, will once again see the much anticipated announcement of the “Pest Manager of the Year” for 2021 – kindly sponsored by BASF.  At this year’s event, we have been fortunate to secure comedian, Andrew Nason to perform and MC the awards ceremony.   Andrew has been a stand up comedian for over 25 years, with his style as a great storyteller, exceptional one liners and bantering with the crowd - he is sure to entertain the audience. Why not get a group together at the conference and make a table at the dinner!!  

Attractive early bird rates are now available. Full delegate packages starting at $450 for members and $475 for non-members with further savings for 2 or more delegates.

Don’t delay! Secure your place early - BOOK NOW & SAVE!!  For more information, and to register, simply visit the AEPMA Conference Website

Nominations for the 2021 PWAPM Excellence Award are now open.

Nominations for the 2021 PWAPM Excellence Award are now open.

The 2021 PWAPM Excellence Award seeks to recognise and highlight the achievement of a woman who has advanced in the pest management industry. 

Nominations are now open for inspiring women within the industry who embody leadership qualities and embrace the principles of corporate social responsibility. 

The PWAPM Excellence Award winner will be recognised as a woman in the pest control industry that has not only shown outstanding leadership but has dedicated her time and energy in making notable contributions to the development and growth of other women within the industry. 

The nominations will be open to women working in upper management, sales representatives, manufacturers, technicians, insurance and research organisations. 

Entries will be provided by a nomination. You do not have to be a PWAPM member to enter. 

Nominations and completed applications to be provided by 26th July 2021, closing time 5pm. 

The winner will be announced at the gala dinner held at the National Pesticon Conference on the 23rd September. 

Thank you to BASF for sponsoring the Excellence Award.

To nominate please click here

Hear what the 2020 Excellence Award Winner - Michelle Downs from Lethal Pest Control has to say about the award in her interview. 

AEPMA  Membership Renewal

If you are thinking of joining AEPMA or have not renewed your membership yet, here are the steps to sign up!

1. Go to www.aepma.com.au
2. Click on Industry Portal
3. Log in with your username and password (valid for current members)
4. Click on “Manage My Account”, then go to “Memberships”, click on “Renew/Upgrade” button
5. Fill in the online payment form

Your membership will automatically be updated

• IMPORTANT – Check your profile details and amend if necessary.

AEPMA Annual General Meeting

The AEPMA Annual General Meeting will be held via Teleconference on Thursday 24th June 2021 at 8am (AEST) 

Please find dial in details, agenda and proxy forms minutes from the 2020 AGM and the 2021 Financial Reports here

Please RSVP by 5pm Wednesday 23rd June via email info@aepma.com.au or by phone 1300 307114 

Changes to training and licensing in WA for the pest management industry

Pesticide Training & Licensing: CPPM30119 Certificate III in Urban Pest Management

 On the 13 February 2020 the Department of Health WA notified all interested parties of Skills Service Organisation, Artibus’ support for the teach out period for CPPM30119 Certificate III in Urban Pest Management from the Property Services Training Package. The teach out period was granted and extended until the 29 September 2021.

Based on legal advice and changes to the approval processes for the provisional pest management technician licence, the Department has arrived at a compromise which allows delivery of the new training package in compliance with the Health (Pesticide) Regulations 2011.

Trainee students undertaking this training package must apply for a Provisional licence prior to conducting any supervised pest management treatments offsite from the educational facility. This requires the currently enrolled trainee student to submit an application for a provisional licence with the following information:

A letter or confirmation (or email) from the registered training organisation the student has successfully completed the theory portion of the respective unit(s),
A letter of employment (or email) from their employer or prospective employer, a registered pest management business who will be providing direct and personal supervision of the student until they complete their training course.

Once the provisional licence is granted the trainee may complete the practical portion of the unit as part of their practical assessment. The provisional licensee must continue to complete the remaining units to attain their full technician licence.

The Department has contacted the respective registered training organisations and the affected registered pest management businesses of the changes. In addition, the Department is updating guides, application forms, Frequently Asked Questions and releasing an industry newsletter.

Please contact Amy Tran, Chemical Hazards on (08) 9222 2000 or by email: doh.chemicalhazards@health.wa.gov.au for further information.

Further information can be found here

We are really excited to announce that our live 2021 Agserv Pestech shows are going ahead after the Covid driven postponement of 2020!

Come and catch up with all the news, views and gossip from our major suppliers, your colleagues and our friendly Agserv staff.

This year we will have booths and presentations and support staff from Bayer, Bell, Dow, FMC, PCT, Sherwood, Sundew and Syngenta.

Lock the dates into your calendars:    

• August 16 -  Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta 
• August 17 – Club Macquarie, Newcastle
• August 18 – Twin Towns, Gold Coast
• August 19 – Calamvale Hotel, Brisbane
• August 23 – Malvern Valley Golf Club, Melbourne
• August 24 - SAJC Morphettville Racecourse, Adelaide
• August 26 – The Burswood Camfield, Perth

Please come and join us at 12 noon to enjoy a great lunch, catch up with old friends and perhaps meet some new ones. Take time to browse our extensive tradeshow featuring the latest and best in chemicals and equipment, along with a great mix of Pest Control service providers. 

And there will be some great give-aways and door prizes too!
More details will be available soon.

FipForce HP (High Performance) Termiticide & Insecticide

The formulation chemists at Sherwood have nailed it again. We are excited to inform you about some significant improvements to the product FipForce HP (High Performance) Termiticide & Insecticide that delivers an increase of up to 50% in hole spacings when drill and inject is required.

In May 2021 we introduced FipForce HP Termiticide & Insecticide (which is a significant upgrade and investment in FipForce Aqua) using the latest high performance polymeric surfactants to deliver up to 33% time savings compared to standard fipronil products in the Australian market.  FIPFORCE HP (as in ‘High Performance’) sets the new benchmark in non-repellent Fipronil soil treatments in Australia in particular for drill and injections through concrete.

FipForce HP has been approved to inject at up to 300mm hole spacings in sand and 250mm in loam, which reduces the number of drill holes required and brings a fipronil drill and inject treatment up to an inline with bifenthrin and imidacloprid label rates. Not only does a new fipronil job become faster to prepare and complete you now get the benefit of not having to drill an extra hole in between existing plugs when retreating older bifenthrin or imidacloprid treatment zones.

Read more here 

Stored product pests – a challenge for pest managers

Dealing with stored products pests can be a real challenge for pest managers, especially when it comes to identification and treatment recommendations. Although considered 'minor' pests, a wide range of insects fall within the category.

Many small species of Coleoptera beetles and Lepidoptera moths attack and destroy foodstuffs, with a few common pests being the grain weevil, lesser rice weevil, grain borer, rust-red grain beetle and warehouse moth. These insects exploit stored products as a food source or a habitat and pose a risk of spoiling food supplies in both people’s homes and food processing plants.

They cause economic loss through damage and contamination, making foodstuffs unfit for human consumption, destroying items such as grain, cereal, fruit, nuts and seeds. Most stored product pests are tropical or sub-tropical in origin, preferring warm, relatively humid conditions. It’s been estimated that one third of the world grain crop is lost each year during storage, much of it due to insect attack. 

Read more here

Fully Funded Skillset Training for your Organisation

The Institute of Strategic Management (ISM) have FULLY FUNDED (supported under the (SFR) Skills for Recovery program) Construction, Project Management, Leadership, Management and Workplace Leadership courses in limited numbers - filling fast !

Backed with 20 years of experience in delivering incredible results for organisations.

All courses under SFR are fully funded and ready to lock in now for skill and knowledge building for your people.

Learning Delivery

Delivery can be easy with 3 modes available.

1. Face to Face – A trainer will focus on your people either at our Jones Bay Wharf - ISM Location or your required site.
2. Online – For delivery online, outline your timetable and we will schedule your people in.Our trainers are experienced and creative in E-Learning and will support learners through to completion.
3. Blended – The best of both – Mixed delivery of Face to Face and Online sessions, allowing for scheduling and connection at your required site or at our Jones Bay Wharf - ISM Location

We can work with what’s best to meet your organisation's busy schedule or let’s discuss your requirements together.

Availability

As discussed, dates are not listed as we will work with you to suit what’s best for your people and organisation.

As a note it is best to schedule all delivery prior to November to reduce stress and learners can relax knowing all learning and assessments are completed prior to seasonal break.

Next Steps

Let us discuss together your requirements or answer any queries, identifying delivery locationm if a Face to Face or Blended option is required, listing dates and times (tentatively)that can work for your participants and RESERVE PLACES as these are in limited allocations.

Do not hesitate to discuss any training solutions where we can support your people with further skills and knowledge to make better managers and leaders for your organisation and thank you for your interest in ISM.

More information can be found here

The registration page is now open for the 2021 Environmental Biosecurity Webinar Series – Knock Knock, Who’s there? Drawing attention to our most unwanted visitors.

The series of seven monthly webinars and discussions will focus on the recently released National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases (EEPL) and explore the list’s purpose, its development and how it will help manage risks to Australia’s biosecurity. Each webinar will be 90 minutes, including three speakers and 30 minutes of facilitated discussion.

The first webinar ‘Biosecurity. A weakness in one is a vulnerability to all’ will provide an introduction to the series and highlight the importance of managing biosecurity risks across the spectrum of human, agricultural, environmental and marine health. We will hear from three experts who will provide their latest insights on biosecurity and the transdisciplinary approach to one health.

2021 Environmental Biosecurity Webinar Series:

Knock Knock. Who’s there? Drawing attention to our most unwanted visitors

• Where there’s a path, there’s a way. An overview of pest entry pathways. 3 June 2:00-3:30pm(AEST)  
• Pests & ecosystems – exploring risks to forests and parklands. 1 July 2:00-3:30pm(AEST)
• Pests & ecosystems - exploring risks to marine environments. 5 August 2:00-3:30pm(AEST)
• Pests & ecosystems - exploring risks to freshwater environments. 2 September 2:00-3:30pm(AEST)
• Opening the toolbox. Tools and technology for detection, control and eradication. 7 October 2:00-3:30pm(AEDT)

To register for the webinar series and for more information, visit the Eventbrite registration page.

Once registered, you will be emailed the Microsoft Teams joining link and program for each session as they become available (approximately 2 weeks before each webinar).

If you would like to watch recordings from last year’s webinar series, please visit the Environmental Biosecurity Webinar Series information page.

Help for regional communities impacted by the mouse plague

A support package will be rolled out to help farmers, small businesses and households manage a mouse plague in regional NSW

Emergency relief for Grain Farmers

Broadacre crop farmers will have access to free treatment of grain for use as mouse bait on the perimeter of paddocks

Mouse bait rebates for households, small businesses and primary producers

Households, small businesses and primary producers who are eligible will be able to apply for rebates to help manage the cost of mouse baits.

Protecting your health during a mouse plague

Mice may carry diseases that can spread to humans. Follow NSW Health advice on how to stay healthy and reduce the risk of infection

More information can be found here

The Snakes Will Follow – Ominous Sequel

As the mouse plague continues to ravage western New South Wales, pest control experts have played down fears the rodents could roll over the mountains to ydney – but there's an ominous warning about what might come next.

Footage of the mega-mischiefs of mice tearing through crops and infesting homes and vehicles in rural NSW have made headlines worldwide.

Farmers have estimated their losses of fodder and stored grain as worth up to $150,000 apiece, an especially hard blow coming as it did on the back of the best crop many have had for years after an extended drought.

Read more here – ABC News 

One of the deadliest snakes in the world has been found hiding inside a rat-infested air conditioning unit.

Stuart Mckenzie, the snake catcher tasked with tracking it down and capturing it, posted video footage of the encounter online describing it as "a little bit sketchy." The video was shot in in Queensland, Australia.

Read more here – Newsweek.com

The problem of feral deer in Tasmania is reaching a level where the government is being warned the animals could soon cause "significant damage" in Wilderness World Heritage areas — while near urban areas, the options of sedatives and nets has again been raised.

There are predictions Tasmania's feral deer population could reach a A new Senate Committee Report into the impacts of feral deer, pigs and goats in Australia has recommended state, territory and federal governments commit to eliminating feral deer populations in World Heritage Areas, areas of national environmental significance, and national biodiversity hotspots

Read more here - ABC News

SAVE THE DATE!!

• AEPMA Conference Pesticon 2021 22nd - 24th September 2021
• AEPMA AGM via Teleconference on Thursday 24th June 2021 at 8am (AEST)

AEPMA welcomes any contributions or suggestions for articles that you feel are relevant to the industry. Simply forward to info@aepma.com.au.

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