As mentioned in last edition, AEPMA is pleased to announce that the 2 new Codes of Practice in Termite Management have been launched on our website.  

The Codes set out industry standards of conduct and are guidelines for fair dealing between pest managers and their customers providing a transparent dispute resolution process.    We encourage all Pest Managers, who have not yet done so, to become signatories to these Codes as they will provide a valuable marketing edge.  

In the New Year, AEPMA will commence a marketing campaign to promote the 2 Codes to members of the public.  

Further information regarding these Codes can be found on the AEPMA website (www.aepma.com.au).

Two exciting new innovations from Sundew Solutions are set to change the way inseciticidal dusting is done: the StarrdustPRO DUCKBILL Duster and the StarrdustPRO ‘ONE-SHOT’ 400g pod.

“For as long as I can remember pest controllers have complained about how messy and time wasting decanting insecticidal dusts is,” commented Mr David Priddy, CEO Sundew Solutions.

The StarrdustPRO ‘ONE-SHOT’ is a ready-to-use pod that screws straight onto the StarrdustPRO DUCKBILL Duster head.  It is prefilled with 400 grams of premium StarrdustPRO Industrial Strength dusting powder.  

Click here to read full article

In another win for the Fair Work Ombudsman’s accessorial liability campaign, an employee has been handed a hefty fine for being knowingly involved in award breaches and a subsequent cover-up. 

The employee, a HR manager with a large restaurant business, was found to have been involved in the creation of false time and wage records in response to a FWO request for evidence of award compliance. Further, the court formed the view the manager knew for a long time that underpayments and other award breaches were occurring but did nothing about it. 

The employee argued she was in an invidious position, that she was herself a victim because she would have lost her job, and consequently her Australian resident visa, had she not complied with her boss’ instructions. Further, she argued that the owner of the business was connected by friendship with her family and, culturally, she would have been unable to defy her employer.    

Click here to read full article

An AEPMA NSW ACT State Council meeting was held on 13 November 2017. Thank you to Colin and Jodi Urey from Drop Dead Pest for the use of their Boardroom and refreshments. The meeting was well attended.

We were pleased to welcome Life member Mr Greg Moon to the meeting.  After the usual procedures of apologies and accepting the previous meeting minutes we got straight down to business.  Communications have been received from NSW EPA advising us of the introduction of new training permits in July 2018 (may become functional from May 2018). The relevant Web pages and Fact sheets are presently being designed or updated. The permits will be valid for two years. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available.  

Click here to view full article.

Syngenta Professional Pest Management’s new label extensions have been given the green light from the APVMA, further boosting the company’s investment in pest control research and development.

The APVMA has approved a label extension for DEMAND Insecticide, extending its use to include residual control on ornamental foliage and shrubs with re-application intervals of no less than 10 weeks.

Syngenta’s termiticide, ALTRISET, has also had the protection period on its label extended – it is now registered to deliver up to 8 years’ protection from subterranean termite attack in areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn, and up to 4 years in areas north of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Dale Hudson, Business Manager, PPM at Syngenta, says both label extensions will be of huge benefit to pest controllers. “The Demand label extension to include foliar applications provides an exciting opportunity for pest controllers to offer additional services to their customers,” says Mr Hudson. “Similarly, achieving 4 and 8 years on the Altriset label confirms the long-term efficacy of this great product for the control of many species of termites in Australia”.  

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2018 is set to be another big year for AEPMA, with our National Conference being held on 19-21 September.  Following on from the popularity of FAOPMA 2016, AEPMA has decided to once again hold its conference on the Gold Coast, this time, at The Star Gold Coast (formerly Jupiters Casino).

Just a few hundred metres from the iconic beaches of the Gold Coast, with seven restaurants, five bars and a world class casino and theatre, The Star Gold Coast will provide an ideal location for members of the industry to come together to gain new ideas, new connections, insights into the ever-changing pest control market and strengthen existing relationships. 

AEPMA is looking for your help to identify the most innovative and exciting speakers, with the theme of the conference being “Pest Management: The Changing Marketplace”.  

Click here to read full article

FERAL snakes, turtles and birds are invading our suburbs and authorities are calling for help to stop them before they ­commit serious environmental damage.

With warmer weather, these foreign invaders will be increasingly active and easier to spot.

Such is the biosecurity risk posed by the American corn snake to agriculture, the NSW Department of Primary Industries has urged the public to ­report any sightings.

Corn snakes believed to have been illegally kept and that have either escaped or been released are turning up in the suburbs.

The department was contacted last month after a tourist stumbled upon a corn snake in a toilet in Cremorne. Other corn snake sightings have been in Ashfield, Helensburgh, Kincumber, Bomaderry, Shellharbour, Glenbrook and Dapto.

A 1.5m-long corn snake was also photographed near Lithgow and remains in the wild.

Click here to read full article

Sumitomo Chemical has acquired 82.9% of shares in Botanical Resources Australia, as well as its affiliated companies (the BRA Group) from the shareholders.  

BRA Group focuses on the production of insecticidal compounds pyrethrin. Following the transaction, the group will operate as a consolidated subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

The remaining 17.1% stake of the BRA Group will be held by McLaughlin Gormley King Company, which is 86.5% owned by Sumitomo Chemical. 

Extracted from the pyrethrum flower, pyrethrins are insecticidal compounds with the same basic chemical structure as synthetic pyrethroids.  Pyrethrins are commonly used in insecticides for household, vector control, pest control management and crop protection.

The BRA Group was established in 1996 and based in Tasmania, Australia, with 70 employees. With this acquisition, Sumitomo Chemical Group intends to use the technical know-how of the BRA Group in production and sales of pyrethrins.

The company also expects that the acquisition will enable it to form a more stable supply system for pyrethrins by using new production bases for pyrethrum subject to different climate conditions.

Last week, Sumitomo Chemical decided to extend its global collaboration agreements with crop protection company Nufarm.  Both companies entered a strategic business tie-up in April 2010.  The collaboration is focused on developing mixtures of existing chemicals and new mixture products using Sumitomo Chemical's fungicide portfolio. Under an extended deal, the firms agreed to continue their ongoing developmental programmes.

Article from chemicals-technology.com (24 November, 2017)

Simon Humphrys from Invasive Animals CRC is moving to an exciting new role with Animal Health Australia from January 2018.  Simon started with the Invasive Animals CRC back in 2005, where he was first employed as the Commercialisation Manager.

Simon has done a fine job working with ACTA, Connovation, USDA and GRDC over the years facilitating/managing the research to enable commercialisation of ACTA’s PAPP bait (Dogabait and Foxecute) and sodium nitrite (HogGone) product, as well as manage the research into a new rodenticide and a lethal trap device.

Simon wanted to share some words with you all: 

"To everyone that I’ve worked with so constructively over the last 12 and a bit years, I’d like to say thanks! Thanks for making me feel and recognise how much you all appreciate your jobs’ which make such a difference to the people that manage so much of Australia’s amazing landscape. I trust that all the passion and dedication I’ve witnessed in people working for the invasive species sector, I’ll find familiar in my new role at Animal Health Australia”.

With Christmas just around the corner, on behalf of the Board and staff at AEPMA, we wish you and your family a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year

Please note that the AEPMA office will close on Wednesday 20th December and reopen on Monday 15th January 2018.  If you have an urgent matter, please contact your Executive Director, Stephen Ware, on 0418 976 643.

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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• AEPMA Office Closure - 21st December 2017 - 12th January 2018
• NSW Branch Meeting at Tea Gardens - 3 & 4 February 2018
• SAVE THE DATE!  AEPMA 2018 National Conference on the Gold Coast - 19-21 September 2018