-
News you can use
- Tips to prevent barn swallow nests this spring
- Last Call for School IPM Coordinator Spring Classes
- Last Chance Virtual School IPM Coordinator training
- Statewide pest management trainings for school coordinators start in March
- From pests to pollutants, keeping schools healthy and clean is no simple task
Category Archives: Newsletter
SPN Spring Updates
Hello everyone, I realize that it has been a quiet late winter and early spring from the school IPM team; however, this newsletter is designed to catch you up. For those of you who are looking for school IPM coordinator training, AgriLife Extension has three two-day events coming this year. Our prices are still the same since 2007, $210 for both days, $135 for one day only. If you attend the first day you will receive a certificate that indicates, you have taken the 6-hour required course. In… Read More →
Texas bats to emerge soon: Learn more about the risks, benefits of bats.
Bats are beginning to become active in some southern parts of the state, and while cold fronts could reduce activity, it is a good time for the public to be aware of the benefits and risks associated with Texas species. Janet Hurley, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management specialist, Dallas, said Texas residents should expect bat activity to increase as temperatures climb. Hurley said bats are typically more prevalent in areas with agricultural fields in proximity, but cities like Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Waco, Temple and… Read More →
SPN: Pesticides: Proper use key to produce food, protect human health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, recognizes February as National Pesticide Safety Education Month. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Pesticide Safety Education and Extension faculty encourage the public to take the time this month to better understand the role pesticides play in our daily life and how to properly use them, since pesticides can present potential dangers when misused, mishandled, or incorrectly stored. “During National Pesticide Safety Education Month, we should reflect upon the vital role that pesticides play in protecting our health and ensuring a stable food supply while also… Read More →
Rabies Awareness & Prevention Poster Contest for K-12th Grade
Mark your calendars! The Texas DSHS Zoonosis Control Branch annual Rabies Awareness & Prevention Poster Contest is accepting submissions until April 8, 2022. Parents and teachers of children in grades K-12, this is a fun way for them to learn about the risks of rabies and much more. Students will learn: 🦇The importance of rabies vaccinations for pets 🦇Respecting wildlife from a distance 🦇Notifying adults of exposure to an infected animal The Zach Jones Memorial Fund provides generous prizes for winners in each age group (K, 1-2, 3-5,… Read More →
Integrated pest management coordinator training 2022 dates set
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has announced the 2022 schedule for integrated pest management, IPM, coordinator training. Both one and two-day course options are offered. The first one-day school IPM coordinator training is Jan. 27 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in Lubbock. This course is for new and veteran school IPM coordinators who need the 6-hour class to qualify as their institution’s responsible IPM coordinator. The cost in $135 per person with advance registration, the fee includes training materials and lunch. Register in… Read More →
Announcing the 2022 School IPM Coordinator Training
Howdy Everyone, AgriLife Extension is pleased to announce the 2022 school IPM coordinator training schedule. Make your plans to attend one of these trainings so that you can stay in compliance with TDA. Remember new IPM Coordinators must attend a 6-hour school IPM Coordinator training class within 6 months of appointment. And ALL school IPM coordinators need 6 hours of refresher training every three years. All public schools in TX are required under Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 4, Part 1, Chapter 7, Subchapter H, Division 7 School… Read More →
SPN: A Bird’s Eye View of Integrated Pest Management Compliance
This article was first published by TASB Risk Management Fund on February 23, 2021 by Campbell Gill. I am using this as a way for you to take time to review your IPM program and see what needs to be updated at your district. Controlling the pest population at your school district or community college isn’t as simple as spraying pesticides. Fighting off annoying critters without negatively impacting the health of your community and the environment requires a delicate balancing act of responsible pesticide use, staff training, and… Read More →
Be on the lookout for armyworms
Pest management professionals who care for lawns should be on the alert for fall armyworms this fall. Higher-than-normal populations of this lawn-eating insect have been reported from many areas in Texas this past summer and we have started to see them in San Antonio and Austin areas. While fall armyworms are nothing new, according to Wizzie Brown, Extension Program Specialist for IPM in Austin, these worms started appearing in home lawns in late July to early August. Usually, infestations take place in late summer or early fall, but… Read More →
SPN: Welcome Back to Campus: let’s not bring in unwanted guests
Where has the year gone? Our campuses are bracing for full student and staff occupation, but are you ready for the pest invasion as well?? Did you know that schools have four more times occupants than office buildings for the same amount of floor space? (Schools for Health.org) And yet we don’t always think about how to manage these areas to keep pests like ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, ticks, fleas, mice, rats, and a whole lot more out of our buildings. In this newsletter are some tips everyone… Read More →
Youth gardening programs grow great kids
There are numerous benefits when youth participate in the Junior Master Gardener Program. Research has shown that outdoor interests, physical activity, and good nutrition all yield positive benefits for youth. And research also shows gardening is an excellent way for young people to connect with nature and learn about personal responsibility, commitment, and teamwork. “Through Junior Master Gardener youth programs we engage young people in novel, hands-on group and individual learning experiences that help them develop a love of gardening and an appreciation for the environment, while also cultivating their… Read More →
.