Print this Article | Send to Colleague

Tamara Tibbett-Arendt of American Pest Control Company is still in the lead with five (5) new members. In second place are Baron McDonald of Clark Pest Control-Lodi and Janet Thrasher of Thrasher Termite & Pest Control with two (2) new members each. The contest runs through May 31, 2011. $1000.00 will be awarded to the winner and there will be an additional drawing for another $1000.00. Click here for contest rules.

2011 PCOC FUMIGATION BANNER BONANZA CONTEST

Dow AgroSciences is again sponsoring the 2011 Fumigation Banner Contest. The rules are the same as last year and we have provided a link to view the complete set of rules here. This contest will also end on May 31, 2011. The will be four (4) winners again this year. I have only received three (3) contest submissions at this time. Please mail all submissions to:

Electronic submissions may be made at: billgaither@pcoc.org

NPMA/PCOC BED BUG SYMPOSIUMS

The resurgence of bed bugs has created significant concern among anyone responsible for providing housing to the general public. In response, NPMA has partnered with PCOC, the National Apartment Association, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association to deliver a workshop series designed to educate these audiences in effectively responding to the threat of bed bugs. This is a not-to-miss opportunity to interact with potential customers from the hotel and lodging, apartment, property management, and university housing markets.

On May 2, 2011 in San Francisco, May 4^th in Orange County and on May 5^th in San Diego PCOC and NPMA will be hosting all day seminars on bed bugs. Our target audience will be the Hotel Industry, Apartment Managers Association and Property Managers and other related Associations. These seminars will include presentations on bed bug facts and will include a panel of PCO's to answer questions. At each location will be an exhibit hall where PCOC member companies will be able to sponsor a booth and be available to interact with the Seminar Participants. More information and registration will be made available in the near future.

DISTRICT ELECTIONS

Now is the time to start consideration for the election of new District Officers and Directors. Districts need to complete their elections no later than April 30, 2011 and submit the results to the PCOC office no later than later than May 1, 2011. By following this timeline it allows PCOC staff the necessary time to prepare for the annual Leadership Academy.

PCOC ANNUAL ELECTIONS

At the Annual Meeting during the Convention this year the following positions are up for election.

Executive Committee All positions

PCOC CARES Trustees Two positions

PAPCO Trustees Two positions

Scholarship Trustees Two positioins

All nominations must be submitted in writing to Lee Whitmore by May 15th in order to appear on the preprinted ballot.

MORE BED BUG NEWS

NPMA has come out in support of HR 967, the Bed Bug Management, Prevention and Research Act of 2011, introduced by Representative Jean Schmidt R-OH. The measure was introduced in response to the dramatic resurgence of bed bugs in the United States in recent years and aims to find ways to help Americans cope with this pest.

Specifically, the bill authorizes a federal bed bug research funding program to resume research that has been neglected for 50 years; requires efficacy testing for minimum risk pesticides to protect consumers from products that don't effectively manage bed bug infestations; adds criteria the EPA must consider for the registration of a public health pesticide so as to help provide professionals and consumers more safe, affordable and effective tools; establishes a Bed Bug Prevention and Mitigation Pilot Program to provide subsidized treatments for those on fixed and lower incomes.

According to the NPMA, 95% of pest control professionals reported treating bed bugs over the past year, up from 25% of professionals in 2000. Moreover, bed bugs have been identified as the single most difficult pest to treat by the pest control industry.

AFRICANIZED HONEYBEE RENEWAL CERTIFICATION

Attention: All PCO's Certified To Control Africanized Honeybees

The Board of Directors of the Pest Control Operators of California has approved a program for the renewal of the Africanized Honeybee Certification program/course.

Effective immediately all persons who have previously completed the AHB course must comply with the following conditions:

(1) All certified licensees must perform a check in with PCOC to update their status, ie: Employer, mailing address and license status with either or both the SPCB and DPR. This check in process will be done through the PCOC website online and will begin May 1, 2010 and must be completed by June 30, 2011. Anyone who does not complete the check in process will be dropped from the AHB database maintained by PCOC. Staff will have the flexibility to accommodate licensees who fail to check in during this time period because of extenuating circumstances such as active duty overseas or other similar situations.

(2) After the initial check in, certified licensees will be sent an email annually to the email address they have established in the system (the licensee will be able to go online at any time and update their profile and contact information, including their email address) reminding them to check in to confirm their contact information and status as an active (or inactive) certified licensee.

(3) Thereafter every six (6) years certified licensees would be required to retake the full certification course.

(4) Thereafter every three (3) years (in between the six year renewal) every certified licensee will be required to take an one (1) hour online class on the PCOC website. The AHB subcommittee will create and post a 1-hour class annually, which will be available to all AHB certified Licensees to take each year. Some classes will focus on updates on a particular nuance of AHB management; other classes may focus on updates on the AHB movement, stinging incidents, new technologies and other timely issues.

(5) AHB Licensees who last took the full AHB Certification course prior to 2009 will have to take the full AHB Certification class by the end of 2014. This allows a full four years to accommodate these licensees to get into the system of retaking the full AHB Certification course every six (6) years.

(6) AHB Certified Licensees who last took the full AHB Certification course in 2009 or later will have to take the full AHB Certification class with six (6) years of when they last completed the class.

• Lack of compliance with standards. Hopefully this is due to length of time since some have taken the course rather than a desire to purposefully violate the standards.
• Desire to maintain highest levels of integrity and professionalism within this industry/statutory certification.
• No system by which to maintain an up-to-date database of certified licensees. Counties, State Agencies and the public have all complained that our database is all but useless because it contains licensees who are no longer in the industry, or who are certified, but longer desire to control honeybees.

All AHB Licensees (PCOC members and all non-members) must contact PCOC staff for login and password information. The AHB licensee then must go to the PCOC website; http://www.pcoc.org/. Click on the Find/Hire a Pest Control Company button, then click on the add/update your listing line. Click on the update your listing box.

ALL AHB LICENSEES MUST UPDATE THEIR LISTING TO INCLUDE CURRENT EMPLOYER, ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFORMATION.

The update will be automatically forwarded to the PCOC staff.

It is the responsibility of the AHB Licensee to complete the update before June 30, 2011 or you will be dropped from the AHB database.

Pest Control Operators of California
www.pcoc.org

The Voice of PCOC digital magazine