[Termite Control] Termite News & Notes

Dow AgroSciences Receives
Florida Stewardship Award

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) named Dow AgroSciences the winner of its 2009 Commissioner’s Award for Pesticide Stewardship. Anderson (Andy) Rackley, director, Agricultural Environmental Service, FDACS, presented the award in January to company representatives during its Pesticide Review Council meeting in Gainesville, Fla. The award recognizes the company’s ongoing Caretakers training and stewardship program to support the proper use of Vikane gas fumigant to control drywood termites and other wood-destroying insects in structures.

"Caretakers is a model for how to make sure pesticides are used safely and effectively," said Commissioner Charles H. Bronson. "The Caretakers program is so effective that we have required other companies to follow this approach when they have registered structural fumigants."

Established in 1995, the Caretakers program is one of the longest-running product stewardship training programs in the pest control industry. Under the Caretakers program, all fumigators who use Vikane gas fumigant must complete an annual Caretakers workshop that covers label and equipment updates, safety procedures and environmental safeguards. In addition, the stewardship program emphasizes hands-on training, technical assistance by Dow Agro-
Sciences specialists and periodic on-the-job quality assurance reviews to ensure proper fumigation procedures are being followed.

"Dow AgroSciences is very grateful to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for this special recognition," says Dave Morris, commercial leader of the Dow AgroSciences Pest Management business. "It is an especially gratifying recognition for Dr. Ellen Thoms, fumigation technical expert, and senior sales specialist Rudy Subieta, who with others at Dow Chemical pioneered the stewardship efforts for Vikane in the late 1980s that became the Caretakers training program."

Dow AgroSciences is the second pesticide manufacturer to receive the FDACS Commissioner’s Award. The company was nominated for the award by the Certified Pest Control Operators Association of Florida.

The FDACS Commissioner’s Award for Pesticide Stewardship was created to recognize industry leaders who have demonstrated a strong commitment to stewardship programs. Criteria for award nominations include promoting a sustainable economy; protecting citizens and the environment; fostering an active partnership between the manufacturer, distributors and applicators; and maintaining an on-the-ground presence for outreach, training and surveillance to guide the program to maximum effectiveness.

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Premise ‘Buy Two, Get One Free’ Promotion Returns

Bayer Environmental Science has launched special savings on Premise 75 WP. The "Buy Two, Get One Free" promotion, part of the company’s Backed By Bayer promise, runs through May 15.

"With swarm season right around the corner, we want to ensure our customers are armed with the resources they need, while still being mindful of their business’s bottom line — and the value Premise delivers allows us to do exactly that," says Eric Lentz, termite marketing manager for Bayer Environmental Science.

For a limited time, pest management professionals who purchase two Premise 75 WP cases will receive one Premise 75 WP case free of charge. All Premise formulations can be purchased at your local distributor.

For more information on the Premise 75 WP "Buy Two, Get One Free" promotion, ask your Bayer Field Sales Representative, visit your local Bayer authorized distributor, visit www.backedbybayer.com, or call Bayer customer service at 800/331-2867.

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Europe wakes up
to termite threat

Termites may have been the No. 1 structural pest in the United States for longer than most can remember, yet at a recent one-day conference organized by PestBusiness.com and held in Paris, France, it was made clear to the delegates that these pests are now a real threat facing Europe too.

On Feb. 4, more than 70 delegates from more than 50 companies representing the pest control research, service, distribution, manufacturing and academic market sectors gathered at the first European termite market conference.

Opening the conference, Rob Fryatt joint organizer from PestBusines.com, said, "Termites are a growing and spreading pest across Europe. As organizers of this event, we felt the moment was right to address this insect and to bring together an array of experts from around the world to help us explore the biology of this pest, the market and the technologies available for its management."

As the first speaker, Rod Parker of Agricultural Information Services, explained that this rapidly growing and expanding market is valued, within Europe, at more than $20 million, and it is predicted to grow to $30 million by 2012. Seventy-five percent of the market is in France, but Spain and Italy are fast developing and there are soon likely to be significant additional markets in countries such as Greece and Turkey.

So what has caused this rapid growth in the market? As the second speaker, Rob Fryatt of Xenex Associates went on to explain, the market expansion is due to a number of factors coming together all at once. Not surprisingly, first of all is the spread of termite infestations across Europe. Second is the consumer’s growing awareness of the problems they cause, coupled with increasing intolerance of the problem, accompanied by a sharp rise in their disposable income, so consumers now have the means to purchase treatment for a pest they may have been prepared to live with 20 years ago.

A speaker from the United States, termite researcher and trainer, Dr. Ted Granovsky of Granovsky Associates, Bryan, Texas, spoke about being a professional. He stressed that clients’ needs and expectations have been rising, so the experience of all technicians undertaking treatments must be first-class, and emphasized that knowledge is the key. "The old scenario of ‘hire them quick, fire them slow’ was gone. It takes at least a year’s worth of training before a technician really understands the technicalities and knows how to handle a customer," he said. "Personally, I don’t feel technicians understand the importance of communication with the customer, nor the significance of tip-top paperwork. Both of these aspects are increasingly important as the industry moves towards green pest management."

The seminar also featured three speakers from Australia. Steve Broadbent, technical director of Ensystex International, tackled the wide scope of the evolution and biology of termites. Peter May of Brisbane-based BioProspect explained the story behind the Termilone product his company is developing as a timber treatment, surface spray and also a barrier treatment against termites (see related article at right). Industry veteran Doug Howick represented the Timber Preservers Association of Australia and reviewed the positive impact and development of the Australian building codes on the quality of termite control work in that country.

Completing the international theme, international strategic business consultant Raja Mahendran covered the Asian termite markets. Japan at $58 million is the largest, and is twice that of the next largest market — India at $30 million.

The event was a wake-up call to the European industry. To help the industry plan for the future, the organizers have promised a second conference to be held in late 2011. In addition, a European Termite Market report has been prepared, which is available to purchase at www.pestbusiness.com.

Editor’s note: This article was written by Frances McKim, editor of Pest magazine. Visit www.pestbusiness.com for more information about the magazine.

TERMILONE market development deal signed with U.S. company

BioProspect Limited announced the signing of a new international market development agreement with Ensystex Corporation for its natural termite solution Termilone. Following an initial evaluation agreement signed in January 2009, North Carolina-based Ensystex now has agreed to undertake efficacy testing at its own cost for the registration of Termilone as a soil-applied termiticide with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.

BioProspect managing director, Charles Pellegrino, said the agreement was an important step in the delivery of an environmentally safe, low-toxicity product to major markets including the United States, Japan and Australia. "Ensystex has remained committed to Termilone since the signing of our initial agreement, and we are pleased to have taken our partnership a step further as we move to commercialize this important Australian discovery," Pellegrino said. The product’s active constituent, Erimophilone oil, had gained regulatory approval in Australia in February.

He said registration in Australia would assist registration in the United States and Japan, with BioProspect and Ensystex having the option upon the agreement’s conclusion of entering into a commercial agreement for the supply and distribution of Termilone to selected international markets. BioProspect chief operating officer, Peter May, said field trials with end-use products were being planned by Ensystex for the first quarter of 2010. They would include a termite colony control trial to be undertaken in Townsville, north Queensland, in the first quarter of 2010 over three months, and a residual efficacy trial at the same location over a two-year period. "Since the termite-resistant properties of Eremophila mitchellii (false sandalwood) trees were first identified, BioProspect has invested considerable resources in developing a product with extremely low human and environmental toxicity, and with applications both as a timber protectant and as a toxicant and repellent for use as a soil-applied termiticide," May said.

"The two-year international testing program to be initiated by Ensystex is rigorous, with Termilone undergoing tests under a variety of situations and locations, including under slab, perimeter trenching and application through reticulation systems," he said.

Ensystex President David R. Nimocks III said the new agreement was a milestone in the development of an environmentally friendly solution for homeowners and industry users. "Ensystex aims to be a leader in environmentally responsible and effective, long-term pest management solutions and we see Termilone as a key part of our future green product range. Ensystex distributes products in all the major pest management markets around the world, including the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific, allowing for rapid commercialization of Termilone products internationally," Nimocks said.

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I MAXXPRO PROVIDES NON-REPELLENT TERMITE CONTROL

MasterLine I MaxxPro is a non-repellent, odorless insecticide/termiticide that provides a superior barrier or zone around structures, manufacturer Univar USA reports. Its unique chemistry binds to the soil and does not easily move. Because MasterLine I MaxxPro is non-repellent, termites cannot detect it and they readily move through the treated areas. Not only will termites that directly contact the barrier die, but other termites that come in contact with affected termites will also die, according to the manufacturer.

MasterLine I Maxx Pro comes in two formulations: MasterLine I MaxxPro — a wettable powder — comes with two pouches of four water soluble bags per pouch. The liquid formulation — MasterLine I MaxxPro 2F — is 2 pounds of active ingredient per gallon, adding the convenience of a liquid formulation in a 27.5-ounce container (four per case). In addition, its patented on-wood use provides long-lasting protection of structures as well as superior control of ants, the company says.

MasterLine I Maxx Pro and MasterLine I Maxx Pro 2F offer a five-year guarantee.

For more information contact your local Univar sales representative at 800/888-4897 or visit www.masterline.com for more information.