The Virginia Pest Management Association announced today the re-launch of a newly re-designed Website which will enable seamless navigation by way of mobile and smartphone devices.
VPMA’s site – www.VPMAOnline.com – was upgraded by BCS Website Services, a Richmond-based Website hosting and development company.
VPMA is a 70-year-old trade association representing the interests of more than 3,000 Virginians working in the pest-management business.
Read more: VPMA Launches New Website Upgrades To Reach Multiple Devices
The Virginia Pest Management Association (VPMA) is happy to share the great news that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has appointed Charles T. Church, President of Getem
Services, and a member of the VPMA Board of Directors to the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VBACS). Charlie moves into the Commercial Structural Pesticide Applicator seat vacated by Kevin Kordek, who served the maximum allowable time of 8 years on this Board.
“As an outgoing Board member, I am proud to say that the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services is composed of great people who feed, clothe and deliver forestry products to Virginia and the world. Over the past eight years, the VPMA has established trust and value with this group as the first non-Agricultural Board Member. We brought experience and enlightenment regarding the importance of the pest management industry’s contribution to protecting health and property and relevance to their daily lives,” says Kevin Kordek. “I have every confidence that Charlie Church will continue with this tradition as a strong and balanced voice of the VPMA and its members. Charlie brings a great deal of knowledge, experience and leadership to the Board and he will be welcomed with open arms.”
The VBACS is a policy board in the executive branch of state government that may promulgate public policies or regulations, promote the agricultural interests of the Commonwealth, and advise the Governor on the state of the agricultural industry. Policies and regulations enforced by the Office of Pesticide Services within VDACS are under the authority of this Board. The VBACS is also charged with adjudicating violations of the regulations.
VPMA President Rhonda Elmore says “I would like to personally congratulate Charlie on his appointment by Governor Northam to the VBACS. This seat is incredibly important to our industry and I know Charlie will thrive in his new role with pride and integrity and will be an amazing advocate for Virginia pest management professionals.”
Prior to 2012, the authority over pesticide regulation was held by the Pesticide Control Board (PCB). VPMA Past-President, Joe R. Wilson sat on this Board from its inception in 1989, protecting the interests of the pest management industry, until June 30, 2012 when the PCB was abolished, and its duties were transferred to the VBACS.
Charlie steps into this seat previously held by past VPMA leaders with a great background in leadership. Charlie is a 3-term past president of VPMA. He is currently serving his 20th year on the VPMA Board as a Director. He also chairs the Safety Committee, and serves on the Finance and Legal, Legislative and Regulatory committees. In the Industry for 45 years, Charlie is the President of Getem Services, a company started by his grandfather in 1922. Charlie says of this appointment, “I am so thankful for this opportunity to serve my industry and the whole Commonwealth as a member of the VBACS. I hope to serve in the tradition of Joe Wilson and Kevin Kordek, with the best interests of the pest management industry – protectors of health, property and the environment – and the citizens of Virginia.”
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VPMA is a professional organization of approximately 225 member companies employing over 3000 people throughout Virginia and generating over $280 million in annual revenues. It is dedicated to promoting the interests and general welfare of the pest management industry and to supporting scientific, technical and business research in the areas of pest management. For more information, please call our Executive Director, Andrea Coron, at 877/875-8722 or visit our website at www.vpmaonline.com
Chilly fall weather is here to stay, and with the arrival of cooler temperatures comes the reemergence of one of the most common cold-weather home invaders – the rodents.
Rodents are notorious carriers of a slew of illnesses and bacteria, and a buildup of their droppings can worsen asthma and allergy symptoms. They are capable of chewing through drywall, insulation, wood and electrical wiring, increasing the potential risk for fires. Mice are able to fit through openings the size of a dime and rats a quarter, though through their gnawing they can gain access through even smaller openings.
This afternoon, Governor Terence R. McAuliffe, surrounded by Delegate David Bulova (D – 37th District) and representatives of the Virginia Pest Management (VPMA), signed into law House Bill 1516 which allows for the use of remote trap checking technology to determine if there is wildlife in a trap.
Pest Management and Wildlife Control Professionals provide trapping services to protect homeowners’ properties from nuisance wildlife. Current Virginia law requires trappers to visit their traps daily to satisfy the state required check of a trap. In recent years, remote trap technology products have entered the marketplace that allows the trapper to monitor the trap from a mobile device or office location. The technology has won positive review from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Read more: Governor Signs Bill to Improve Small Business Efficiencies
Are you, or someone you know headed south for Spring Break? Next to your flip flops, sunscreen and bathing suit, be sure to pack your insect repellent! If you are going to Mexico, South or Central America or the Caribbean – including Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, be aware that the Zika virus, a disease causing pathogen spread to humans through mosquito bites, is gaining momentum through local transmission. This means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with Zika virus, spreading it to people. For further information, consult travel advisories published by the US Centers for Disease Control at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-information.
A painful, mosquito-borne viral illness has surfaced across the United States, carried by recent travelers to the Caribbean where the virus is raging.
Chikungunya, a viral infection transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, originated in southeast Africa and was first described in Tanzania in 1952. Subsequently, it has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and has become well
Read more: New Mosquito Borne Illness Concerns PMPs in Virginia
Calling on Virginians to observe April as Virginia Pest Management Month, Governor Terrance R. McAuliffe encouraged the public to understand and appreciate that "pest management professionals help protect Virginia's food supply, homes and the environment from disease and pest related illness by practicing environmentally friendly pest control methods".
Read more: GOVERNOR MCAULIFFE PROCLAIMS APRIL AS PEST MANAGEMENT MONTH IN VIRGINIA
After a long, dark winter, the bright sun and the warm winds of spring are, well, a breath of fresh air. The only downside? Termites and other pests in and around your home are ready for business as well.
Termites have been swarming, Carpenter Ants are seeking out homes to build new nests and Carpenter Bees are drilling into soffits and trim boards. All manner of pests are awakening to begin their life's mission of feeding, nesting and reproducing in our home environment. These annual rites of spring should fill us all with a sense of awe at the beauty of the natural world around us but should also remind us that some pests can damage our homes and, in some cases, our health if not properly controlled.
Click here for the full press release.
Date: JUN 07 2023
Date: JUN 13 2023
