Urban pest management conference set for Jan. 8-10 in College Station
Workshops provide integrated pest management insights and continuing education units
Registration for the 79th Urban Pest Management Conference and Workshop hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Bryan-College Station Jan. 8-10 is open.
The event features expert instructors and offers training opportunities in pest insect biology, novel pest management approaches and pesticide safety. The wide range of courses related to integrated pest management scheduled over the three days covers topics from insects like bed bugs, termites and mosquitoes to rodents and weeds.
The main conference will be from 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Jan. 8 and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. A full conference schedule is available online.
More than 30 Texas Department of Agriculture-approved continuing education units, CEUs, will be offered over the three days. Exhibitors will also be onsite and will participate in brief forums led by AgriLife Extension during the first two days.
Registration is $275 per person until Jan. 7. Late registration Jan. 8-10 is $300.
Robert Puckett, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension entomologist and associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Entomology, said the event is a good opportunity for professionals to learn the latest integrated pest management techniques from experts.
“This conference offers an amazing lineup of speakers who will cover subjects incredibly relevant to pest management,” Puckett said. “We cover a lot of valuable information in three days.”
Technician training course
An eight-hour technician training course for noncommercial applicators will be available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Rollins Urban and Structural Entomology Facility, 2556 F&B Road, College Station.
The state-approved training course will be conducted by Don Renchie, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension program leader and pesticide safety education program coordinator, Bryan-College Station.
The course is for prospective technicians and noncommercial applicators but will prepare commercial applicators for taking the Texas Structural Pest Control Services general exam. The training includes information on pesticides, equipment, application, laws, safety, labels, pests and integrated pest management.
Short courses on the agenda
Three different workshops are scheduled from 8 a.m.-noon Jan. 10 at different locations. The workshops include:
- Rodent Workshop with Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension senior program specialist for school integrated pest management, at the Rollins Urban and Structural Entomology Facility. Two pest, one integrated pest management and one laws and regulations CEUs will be available.
- Structural Fumigation Workshop with Gregory Aguirre, owner/operator of Elite Exterminating, at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Facility, 3100 F&B Road. Four safety CEUs will be available.
- Commercial Kitchen Insect Management Workshop with Mike Donewar and Tony Holm, sales representatives with Target Specialty Products, at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 220 Rock Prairie Road, College Station. One pest, two integrated pest management and one safety CEU will be available.
