Tar Heel Pest Management News
December 2020


PCT School Update: Steve Troxler to Serve as Keynote Speaker

We are excited to announce our Keynote Speaker for the 2021 PCT School, North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler!
 
Troxler has served as Agriculture Commissioner since 2005 and has focused on developing new markets for N.C. farm products, preserving working farms and protecting the state's food supply. He grew up in Browns Summit, N.C. and is the founder, owner and operator of Troxler Farms. He is a past president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and is former chairman of NASDA's Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee.
 
"We are honored to have Commissioner Troxler serve as our keynote speaker for this unprecedented PCT School and are looking forward to hearing his views on the current state of our industry and agriculture in North Carolina," said John Adkins, NCPMA President and Chair of the PCT School Committee. "This year's PCT School may look different than years past, but we are looking forward to continuing our more than 70-year history of bringing the best training and speakers to North Carolina's pest management professionals."

For a full schedule, visit our website.

Register today! Early Bird Registration is open through Dec. 31! (Use Code EARLYMEMBER to receive Early Bird discount for members only)

MUST READ: Credit Requirements
Due to credit regulations from various states, there are a few things to keep in mind as you register in order to get your course credits.
  • No Device Sharing: Each individual must be able to view on their own device and must use the specific link provided by email. No device sharing will be allowed.
  • Individual Emails Required: Using the same email to register multiple attendees is not permitted. 
  • Internet Login Required: Calling in on the phone is not sufficient; attendees must watch the webinar live in its entirety and answer poll questions during to receive credit.  
  • Poll Questions Must be Answered: Polls will be deployed during the sessions. You must answer these questions to receive credit.
Our 2021 PCT School Presenting Sponsor


In This Issue
Endowment Update

We have launched the NCPMA Extension Program Endowment in Honor of Mike Waldvogel to support the ongoing work of NCSU, focusing on supporting positions that directly contribute to the education of our industry.

Contributions are being accepted by visiting
this site  or  downloading the contribution form.






Premier Technician Update

Our latest Premier Technician courses were held in November!

We were thrilled to welcome Marie Horner of Arrow Exterminators and Dini Miller of Virginia Tech who discussed Occasional Invaders and Bed Bugs.

A special thank you to all of the Premier Technician Strategic Founding Partners: BASF, Bayer, Bell Laboratories, Corteva, FMC and Syngenta!

For more information on our Premier Technician Training Program, visit our website.



Public Policy Update: A Word From Public Policy
Guest Post by Marie Horner, Chair of NCPMA Public Policy Committee

The election is over, but the balance of power has yet to be determined. There was a projected 161 million Americans voting in the presidential election making it the largest voter turn-out in U.S. history. Yet, we are still waiting to see the winning candidates in the Georgia Senate run-offs.  The results of these run-offs on January 5, 2021 will decide the control of the Senate. Why is this important? Because the Senate plays an important role in introducing and passing federal laws. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives must approve legislation before it is brought to the president to sign into law. A party that controls the House (Democrats), the Senate (to be determined), and the presidency (Democrat), has the ability to pass laws largely unencumbered by the opposing party. Next year's 117th Congress has the potential to be one of only 2 in the last 6 decades in which Democrats and Republicans have the same number of Senate seats at the beginning of the term.  This could cause very significant issues concerning preemption, WOTUS and the Farm Bill.
 
Here are the changes/updates we had in the NC House of Representatives:
 
Madison Cawthorn (R) won the race in the 11th congressional district which encompasses most of Western NC.  Madison lives in Hendersonville and is the youngest person elected to Congress. 
 
Kathy Manning (D) won the race in the 6th congressional district which encompasses the north central portion of the state and borders VA. Kathy resides in Greensboro where she is a wealthy philanthropist and attorney.
 
Deborah Ross (D) won the race in the 2nd congressional district which encompasses most of Wake County. Deborah is an attorney and lives in Raleigh.
 
Richard Hudson (R) was re-elected in the 8th congressional district and has been elected as the House Republican Conference Secretary for the 117th Congress.  In this leadership position, he will focus on prioritizing member development, keeping Republicans on offense, and coordinating Republican communications strategies.
 
The Public Policy Committee will work on creating information sheets on each of the above representatives that will help us build an effective relationship with each of them.



Meet the Board: Patrick Thompson
At-Large Director

Patrick Thompson's career has taken him from Capitol Hill to the pest management industry. He's now using his congressional experience on the NCPMA Public Policy Committee.
 
Patrick's career began in Washington, DC when he worked for a U.S. Senator. He then moved to Charleston, S.C. where he worked in government affairs for the local Chamber of Commerce. 
 
Five years ago, he entered the pest management industry to assist his father-in-law with the opening of the Pest Management Systems, Inc. Sandhills office. He spent time learning the pest management industry and serving as a pest technician before becoming the Team Leader of the Sandhills office. 
 
"I didn't know anything about pest control at the time. I didn't realize it was a huge industry with a strong local association and strong national association," he said. "At the end of the day, I enjoy working for people and helping people with their pest control problems day to day is more fulfilling for me."
 
Patrick enjoys being able to merge the skills he earned in his previous careers with his current work on behalf of the pest management industry.
 
"When I came on board, I was glad to use my background to participate in the public policy committee. I was happy to be able to call all of my old contacts," he said.
 
This is Patrick's first year serving as a NCPMA Board Member. He has been active in NCPMA events throughout his time in the industry.
 
Outside of the office, you'll find Patrick enjoying time with his wife and baby daughter and exercising or playing basketball.


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Upcoming Events

Don't miss these upcoming events:
calendar

Jan. 25-28, 2021


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