Warm winter could affect tall fescue toxicosis in broodmares

Posted on February 8, 2017 by rhallberg

by Krista Lea, University of Kentucky

Mild weather this winter is likely the cause of higher than average concentrations of a toxic substance in tall fescue called ergovaline that has been observed in Fayette and Bourbon pastures in Central Kentucky, according to University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment experts,. Tall fescue toxicosis in broodmares, which is caused by ingesting ergovaline, is rare in the early months of the year due to typically cold winter temperatures.

Naturally occurring tall fescue is often infected with an endophytic fungus that can produce ergovaline, a known vasoconstrictor – something that causes the narrowing of blood vessels. This has been blamed for prolonged gestation and low milk production in late term pregnant mares. The UK Horse Pasture Evaluation Program sampled three farms in Fayette and Bourbon counties this year and found a handful pastures with higher than average ergovaline concentrations for the time of year. Continue reading →

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Tribal Pesticide Program Council Meeting – March 8-10, 2017

Posted on February 8, 2017 by rhallberg

The Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC) will hold its next semiannual meeting on March 8 and 9, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) in Crystal City, Virginia, at One Potomac Yard, Room S4370/80, and on March 10 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Room S7100. Tentative agenda topics include a discussion on the status of the pesticides in Indian Country report, a presentation on the FIFRA statute, and discussions on the following:

  • EPA’s draft Bed Bug Outreach Plan for tribes;
  • Pesticide risk assessments and EPA’s consideration of sensitive populations;
  • 2016 revisions to the Certification and Training Rule and how it will affect tribes; and
  • Successful risk communication techniques for tribal pesticide inspectors and managers.

Continue reading →

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9th International IPM Symposium – Call for Session Proposals Now Open

Posted on February 8, 2017 by rhallberg

The 9th International IPM Symposium program committee is now welcoming your proposals for symposium sessions! They may address any aspect of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) including research, extension, regulatory, policy and IPM in practice. For this event, your program committee especially encourages proposals that address our theme, and include IPM user perspectives in agriculture and communities, including growers, facility managers, consultants and others.

The Symposium is your premier global event for professional development, networking with colleagues and leading scientists, and learning the latest research and strategies for effectively managing pests in agriculture, communities, and natural areas, with the least impact on health and environment.   The 9th International IPM Symposium will be held March 19–22, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland at Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. Continue reading →

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Resistance management still important even with new herbicides

Posted on February 8, 2017 by rhallberg

In Southeast Farm Press

by Brad Haire

Herbicide-resistant weeds didn’t fall from the sky or rise from fields in a mutant mutiny, but they are here nonetheless. With new herbicide technologies going mainstream this season, growers must continue dogged resistant-weed management programs to preserve viable chemistries for as long as possible.

“In general, herbicide-resistant weeds become a problem over time when they are selected to survive by the overuse of a single herbicide or single mode of action. In all weed populations, there are very low levels or frequencies of herbicide-resistant plants in comparison to susceptible plants,” said Eric Prostko, University of Georgia Extension weed specialist during an American Society of Agronomy webinar “Growing for Tomorrow: How Weed Resistance Management Can Lead to Sustainability” Feb. 1 sponsored by BASF. Continue reading →

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The cockroach webinar is worth watching

Posted on February 8, 2017 by rhallberg

This post is reposted from Insects in the City

by Michael Merchant

In case you’ve never heard of him, Dr. Coby Schal is the Blanton J. Whitmire Distinguished Professor of Urban Entomology at North Carolina State University. As one of the most respected researchers in cockroach biology and management, Dr. Schal is a friend of the pest control industry, and a talented communicator to boot. All this to say that if you ever have a chance to hear Coby talk about cockroaches, you should take advantage.

So here’s the good news. On March 2, Cornell University’s StopPest program will host Dr. Schal for a cockroach control webinar specifically designed for people working in multifamily housing.  While designed for multifamily apartment managers, this session should also be useful for pest management professionals. Continue reading →

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