Invasive plant species have been a hot topic in recent months. Everything from wild mustard to milfoil. But it wasn’t until I was at a city commission meeting with my daughter a few months ago that I realized that non-native seems to become synonymous with invasive. It seems there was some construction work that needed to be done and the contractor was wanting to have 60 year old Chinese Elm trees removed citing them as invasive.

Agricultural producers in Pennsylvania and surrounding states have been battling the Spotted Lanternfly since 2014. Management and control of this invasive species has been a major feat in the United States, and farmers in uninfected areas live with the fear that these hard to deal with bugs may move into their areas.

While the intention is good when employers hand out respirators to employees for job safety, it doesn't do much good if the employees are not trained on their proper use and care. Knowing how to wear the respirator correctly and keeping it in working order is critical.

Common examples include: Poa pratensis or Kentucky bluegrass (also known as smooth meadow-grass); Poa trivialis or “Poa triv”, which was once commonly used to overseed greens of the southeast and is also known as rough-stalk bluegrass or rough meadow-grass. Annual bluegrass is thought to have originated from a hybrid of Poa infirma (weak bluegrass) and Poa supina (creeping meadow-grass) that occurred approximately 2.5 million years ago in the interglacial ice ages of Europe.

The lawn and landscape are essential elements in any residential situation. Time and money are invested in the development, installation and upkeeping of the landscaping and the turf. When not installed or managed properly that investment can be perceived as a waste as the lawn and landscape do not fulfill their purpose.

Any adviser/consultant that spends the majority of their time advising growers or farm managers/operators on agronomic practices and can meet the standards of the program. Being certified adds credibility and shows that you are serious about what you do.

Ornamental and turf pesticide applicators are required to complete 10 credits of continuing education every five-year renewal cycle. In order to make things simple for you, Certified Training Institute has put together a new course bundle for ornamental & turf applicators:

Lab testing has confirmed the eagles’ deaths by this banned chemical. Authorities believe that old stocks of carbofuran are being used to kill vertebrate farm pests, which then in turn poison the eagles and other birds who scavenge from the poisoned carrion. Maryland Natural Resources Police are hard pressed to say whether the eagle deaths were caused unwittingly or intentionally. However, federal pesticide laws entirely restrict the use of any unlicensed or banned pesticide, and such products must be disposed of properly immediately after such restrictions are put in place.

“ The primary concern plaguing the beekeeping industry is the decline of honey bees around the world. Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is the leading cause behind this steady decline in honey bee numbers. There are a number of different factors affecting this decline. It is important to know the best practices concerning honeybee stewardship.”

Since the first outbreak of Zika in the United States in 2016, researches have been scrambling to find measures to prevent further spread of the disease. There are currently no approved vaccines or drugs for Zika, and so efforts have been concentrated on controlling the mosquito population that carries the disease: Aedes aegypti.