You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Texas’ category.
A Texas AgriLife Extension Service entomologist at San Angelo was recently honored with the Superior Service Award in the specialist category.
Dr. Chris Sansone, associate department head and AgriLife Extension program leader for entomology, was nominated by his peers based on his AgriLife Extension work activities, philosophy and leadership skills, according to his nomination.
Sansone has 30 years of service with AgriLife Extension. He served as an AgriLife Extension entomologist in Williamson County before transferring to San Angelo as the West Central District’s entomology specialist. He has been in his current role as the entomology associate department head since 2003. He divides his time between supervising 30 AgriLife Extension entomologists located across the state and conducting applied research to answer clientele questions.
“Chris performs a tremendous service for Texas and the department of entomology by directing, guiding and training AgriLife Extension employees with diverse interests and obligations,” said Dr. M.O. “Mo” Way, professor of entomology at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Beaumont, who submitted Sansone’s successful nomination.
“Chris works very closely with our department headquartered on the Texas A&M campus at College Station, while still maintaining an active, productive Extension program at San Angelo.”
Randall Conner, Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association, Inc. executive director at Winters, said in his support letter that Sansone has been instrumental in bringing new technology directly to the producer.
“Chris has been closely involved with the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication effort, which started in this area,” Conner said. “He has adapted Integrated Pest Management techniques into many of his programs to provide the most cost-effective methods for insect control. He’s been involved in all aspects of agriculture in West Texas, including cotton, grain sorghum, corn, wheat, other crops and livestock.
“The Southern Rolling Plains is fortunate to have Dr. Sansone located within our area. This region has been a leader in agricultural technology and innovation, and we have been able to achieve this in part by the contribution of Dr. Chris Sansone.”
The Superior Service award is the highest recognition presented by AgriLife Extension.
Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
The Interstate Chemical Threats Workgroup (ICTW) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) hosted a webinar on December 15, 2011 entitled “Effective Policies to Reduce Exposures to Pesticides in Schools.”
Janet Hurley, extension program specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service, pointed out that states have been increasingly adopting school and childcare-specific pesticide regulations because of a lack of federal action. States have implemented regulations with mandates such as no-spray zones, interior and outdoor posting, pre-notification, reentry restrictions after applications, acceptable pesticide lists and school staff training. Hurley comments that such mandates are important to create more uniform success across an entire state, protect more people at one time and allow for more educational opportunities.
Michel Oriel, research scientist with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, reported on school-related exposure incidents throughout California and their effects on state regulations. Data showed that pesticides caused the most cases of chemical exposure to children. One such incident led to the establishment of California Safe Schools, a coalition of over 45 organizations, and prompted Los Angeles Unified School District to implement one of the most highly-regarded IPM programs in the country. The success of this policy also led to the California Healthy Schools Act.
Sherry Glick, national pesticides and schools coordinator with US EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, focused on the benefits of IPM, breaking components down into four sections of a pyramid: education and communication, sanitation, maintenance and cultural practices, and pesticides. She advocates for verifiable school IPM, meaning ongoing and sustainable IPM that includes understanding pests, setting action thresholds, monitoring and removing pest-friendly conditions.
The final presenter, Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides, encouraged precaution in creating pest management policies. Feldman stated that many pesticides are considered safe despite the fact that exposure can cause serious health issues, especially to children. Existing pesticide registration laws set an acceptable risk threshold for pesticides based on assessments of exposure and target population groups. However, there are complexities with the real-world use of chemicals that aren’t assessed, such as mixtures and synergistic effects.
All panelists agreed that although pre-notification of pesticide applications is an important strategy to reduce exposure, implementing sanitation and exclusion to eliminate the reasons pests are present is the most effective approach.
The NCUE emphasizes innovation and research on household, structural and public health arthropod pests. The conference goal is to facilitate open communication of information among pest management professionals and scientists in industry, academia and government.
The 2012 National Conference on Urban Entomology (NCUE) will take place May 20-23, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. To register for the conference, go to http://ncue.tamu.edu/.
Travis County is one of the most recent areas of Texas to be invaded by crazies - in this case, Caribbean or Rasberry crazy ants, said entomologists with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
The cayenne tick has been identified as one of the vectors of equine piroplasmosis in horses in a 2009 Texas outbreak, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.
Read the rest of the story at USDA Agricultural Research Service.
COLLEGE STATION – Early identification and accurate information are vital in effectively responding to human and animal interaction with ticks, said experts in the entomology department at Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in College Station.
In 2008, Keller Independent School District (KISD) discontinued their contract with pest management services and transitioned to an in-house IPM program. Three years later, the district leads an effective IPM program that prides itself on preventative action, educating school leaders and implementing healthier, low-risk solutions.
Two Children’s Environmental Health Workshops will be held at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco during the fourth week of June, according to the event’s coordinator.
