Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Janet Hurley, 877-747-6872, 972-952-9213, ja-hurley@tamu.edu
AMARILLO – A regional one-day “School IPM Program” for integrated pest management coordinators will be held June 11 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 6500 W. Amarillo Blvd., Amarillo.
Janet Hurley, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist for school integrated pest management in Dallas, said all Texas public school districts must have an integrated pest management program and must appoint and train a pest management coordinator to oversee all pesticide and pest control operations.
Integrated pest management, or IPM as it is known, can be used by anyone with proper training, Hurley said, and AgriLife Extension is the only state agency that conducts required training in school IPM
To help school IPM coordinators in the Texas Panhandle obtain their mandated six hours of credit every three years, Hurley said she is bringing her training to Amarillo.
The program is scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and the fee is $135. Advanced registration is requested through https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu. Enter “IPM” in the search to find the class. Registration at the door will be $155.
IPM is an approach that provides quality pest control using the least hazardous chemicals and techniques, she said. The method relies on detailed knowledge of pests to prevent infestations; and if prevention fails, the method encourages use of safe and highly targeted pesticides.
“If you’re a new IPM coordinator and have not yet taken the six-hour mandatory training, this class is for you,” she said. “But whether this is your first time, or you just need a refresher course, this class will help coordinators understand their role in the school IPM program and help prepare them for Texas Department of Agriculture inspections.”
The course will cover legal requirements for schools, an introduction to IPM, how to monitor schools under the new requirements and a hands-on exercise to understand the difference between Green, Yellow and Red category pesticides.
All participants will receive a three-ring notebook with necessary forms and paperwork on school IPM program implementation, Hurley said.
In addition to the training, Hurley said if schools in the area would like her to review their program, she can do that as well for free.
For more information about school IPM, go to http://schoolipm.tamu.edu or call 877-747-6872. For questions about registering with a purchase order or to request W-9 forms call 979-845-2604.
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