Julia Ratcliffe, a technical consultant with The Bug Factory, a company that supplies insects for natural pest control, examines marijuana plants for pests at the MediJean medical marijuana facility in Richmond, B.C., on Friday March 21, 2014. The B.C. government says medical marijuana companies won't be able to take advantage of a property tax break that was designed for agriculture. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

image credit: Photo for: Medical pot grow-ops won't get tax break in B.C.

The province has plugged a loophole that could have let new medical marijuana producers dodge most of their property tax bills by gaining farm tax status.

They're now excluded from the list of agricultural uses that qualify for the lower agricultural tax rate.

Several Lower Mainland cities had feared they might lose property tax revenue if new cannabis producers set up on industrial land and then ask B.C. Assessment to convert them to farm tax status.

"There's a collective sigh of relief among municipalities," Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin said of the decision, which takes effect in 2015.

The provincial government is also advising municipalities not to try to ban medical marijuana operators from the Agricultural Land Reserve, cautioning that they might face a court challenge.

Several cities have passed bylaws allowing pot producers to operate only on industrial land, so the highly secure bunker-like buildings don't effectively pave over productive farmland.

While the province views medical pot as a viable ALR use, it would not qualify for farm tax status there either, joining the ranks of gravel pits, wineries and other activities allowed in the ALR but denied the reduced tax rate.

The federal government has so far issued five medical marijuana production licenses in B.C. to operators in Central Saanich, Maple Ridge, Whistler, Nanaimo and Spallumcheen.

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Medical pot farms won't get property tax break

Ladybirds versus Spraying - Natural Pest control against Aphids - Garden experiment
WEBSITE: http://heirloomseedsaving.com/

By: How to Videos Organic Gardening Beekeeping by Work With Nature

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Ladybirds versus Spraying - Natural Pest control against Aphids - Garden experiment - Video

Published: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.

A Port Orange man who committed burglaries while posing as a pest control worker was sentenced Tuesday to five years in a state prison, officials said.

Johnny Swanger faced up to 30 years in prison after he was convicted April 24 on charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling, dealing in stolen property and practicing pest control without a valid license, according to a release from the State Attorneys Office.

For several days in January 2013, Swanger, who is ordered to pay restitution to his victims, targeted older and terminally ill individuals, according to the release. Swanger, 46, stole jewelry worth several thousands of dollars after the victims invited him into their homes, believing he was going to treat the residences for pests.

Swanger will be subject to 10 years of probation with drug offender conditions upon his release from prison, according to the release.

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Pest control worker impersonator, burglar gets 5 years' prison

Provided

AVF investigators Georg Jander and Katja Poveda have received $498,000 in USDA funding to harness potato plants natural response to environmental stress. Their findings could deliver a sustainable pest control strategy that works with invading pests to increase crop yields and reduce insect damage.

Most farmers fight a constant battle against damaging insects. In a plant science version of keep your friends close but your enemies closer, Cornell researchers are working with a common potato pest to see if they can activate the natural defenses of potato plants by managing the bugs, rather than eradicating them.

The researchers aim to harness the plants physiological responses to environmental stress such as infestation as a sustainable pest control strategy that increases yields and reduces insect damage at the same time.

With seed funding from a 2011 Academic Venture Fund (AVF) award from the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, entomologist Jennifer Thaler, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, led a multidisciplinary team that worked with farmers in the Andes to learn more about how infestation by the local scourge of tuber moths actually helped some potato plants produce up to twice the usual yield of potatoes by harvest. These plants responded to a moderate infestation by overcompensating and ramping up production above the losses caused by the insect.

A team members previous research had identified one Colombian potato variety that responds to moth damage with robust yields. The AVF fieldwork pinpointed a second variety that is an effective trap crop. By growing a decoy plant that the moths especially like to eat alongside the potato with powerful natural defenses, farmers are able to control the amount of damage to the majority of their crop enough damage to activate the extra growth, without excessively taxing the plant. This push-pull strategy could help farmers around the world get bigger harvests from each acre of existing farmland, without pesticides, say the researchers.

Now plant biologist Georg Jander, associate professor, and assistant professor of entomology Katja Poveda, collaborators on the AVF research, are launching a study of the overcompensating potato variety to determine what genetic and physiological factors kick-start the plants growth.

Once we have identified the mechanisms by which the tuber moth promotes tuber growth, Jander explained, we can apply these mechanisms to increase yield in other potato varieties. The new project recently received three-year funding of $498,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Potatoes are indigenous to the Andes and remain a staple crop in South America, where more than 3,000 varieties are grown. The AVF-funded research confirmed local farmers interest in sustainable pest control.

We learned that farmers value the health benefits from an alternative pest management strategy much more than we anticipated, Poveda said. They are aware of the health consequences of using insecticides and willing to change to alternatives if they do not compromise the productivity of the crop. In the third year of the USDA grant, the Cornell team will return to Colombia to test the potato in field trials across different altitudes, soils and climate conditions.

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Pest attacks can lead to bigger crop yields

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) June 24, 2014

The World Franchising Network has published its fifth annual list of the 50 Top Franchises for Veterans and results were featured in the June 20, 2014 issue of USA Today in the Franchising Today section. Outdoor Living Brands, World Class Franchisor is proud to announce three of their home-based franchise opportunities have been featured in this years list adding to the companys growing list of awards and accolades.

The World Franchising Network selected 50 franchisors from over 300 companies requesting evaluation for inclusion in the article. There was no cost to participate in the survey. Each participating franchisor was required to submit a completed questionnaire. The questionnaire noted both the absolute number of and the percentage of the total number of operating units owned or managed by veterans, as well as the number of veterans in senior management that earned over $80,000 per year.

We are thrilled to have Archadeck Outdoor Living, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives and Mosquito Squad designated as three of the Top 50 Franchises for Veterans. It is a great honor and one that I am very proud of, explained Shemar Pucel, Franchise Recruitment Consultant with Outdoor Living Brands.

In 2014, Outdoor Living Brands launched their Veteran Awareness Campaign s in hopes of educating and assisting active, transitioning and retired service men and women who are interested in leading their own team and investing in franchise opportunities throughout the nation. The campaign was spearheaded by Ms. Pucel who stated; The Veteran Awareness campaign is a very important project for us here Outdoor Living Brands. There are several members of the Outdoor Living Brands family who grew up in military households in addition to our vast group of franchisees who have also served or continue to serve while operating their franchise.

As a part of the Veteran Awareness Campaign, Outdoor Living Brands continues to work with respected organizations including, Recruit Military, GI Jobs, Vetrepreneur and the IFA to spread the word and visit with veterans across the country. Outdoor Living Brands offers special discounts with the VetFran program for all of their franchise opportunities. In addition, they have recently launched a new web page specifically focused to highlight the opportunities currently available for military veterans. The page includes featured testimonials from all four branches of the armed forces.

With franchisor headquarters in Richmond, Virginia, Outdoor Living Brands is proud to have been named a World Class Franchise in 2014 for all four of its brands: Archadeck Outdoor Living; Mosquito Squad; Outdoor Lighting Perspectives and Renew Crew.

For instant answers to veterans outdoor living franchise opportunity questions, call:

Archadeck Outdoor Living at 888-382-5018 Mosquito Squad at 888-308-3018 Outdoor Lighting Perspectives at 888-308-7138 Renew Crew at 888-276-8601

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Archadeck Outdoor Living, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives and Mosquito Squad Named Three of the Top 50 Franchises for ...

How Did The Project Lawn Look The Second Year?
My project lawn from 2013 was a huge success and many of you have learned from that as I gave you step-by-step lawn treatment instructions along the way. And so I also wanted to show you how...

By: The Lawn Care Nut

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How Did The Project Lawn Look The Second Year? - Video

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

It's heating up outside and the summer is a time where thieves are on the lookout for lawn equipment. It's a hot commodity now because many of us use it to keep our lawns manicured.

It's what you would expect to see on a warm summer day in the College Grove subdivision of Montgomery...residents like Joshua Presley mowing the yard. But what many in this neighborhood say they wouldn't expect is for thieves to be eyeing their lawn equipment.

"I keep it in a little building in the backyard, but it's not locked or anything like that," said Montgomery Joshua Presley. "So I haven't even thought about that possibility."

But just a few streets down from Presley, Lori Gemette says it's becoming a trend.

"The push mowers, the leaf blowers, the weed eaters; apparently they are looking for things that are quick access," Gemette said. "Hurry up, pick up and get out."

On Friday, Gemette says her teen daughter scared a thief in progress.

"She said well someone is on our back porch trying to steal dad's push mower and weed eater'," Gemette said.

Gemette says the fence was unlocked.

Police say you should lock your fence with a quality, heavy duty lock.

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Thieves targeting lawn equipment in the Montgomery area

Brittany Hillen

On vacation and forgot to arrange for your lawn to be mowed? Mowz has your back (depending on where you're located). The start-up has targeted the chore many of use dislike, allowing you to order lawn service from the comfort of your smartphone.

The startup, which is currently only servicing those located near Syracuse, New York, works with licensed landscapers who will be tasked with the physical job of mowing your lawn. Their services are commissioned in a way similar to how driving service Uber works.

Users download the app (available for iOS and Android) and enter their information, including a credit card for payment and the size of the lawn they want mowed. Based on the size provided and perhaps when you want it done, the service returns a quote.

The average price is $35, though it depends on the lawn's size. Once the quote is accepted, landscapers will be dispatched around the time you requested, will show up and mow your lawn, send you a picture of their work, and your card will be charged for their service.

SOURCE: Digital Trends

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Mowz startup lets you get your lawn mowed via your smartphone

Sophomore television arts major Frank Licka died Tuesday, June 17 after a riding lawn mower accident at his work.

Licka was mowing grass for the Frankfort Square Park District before bystanders found him collapsed next to the lawn mower Tuesday afternoon.

He was transported to Franciscan St. James hospital in Olympia Fields. An autopsy determined his death was caused by multiple injuries suffered in a lawn mower accident.

Tinley Park police said it was unclear whether the lawn mower tipped or rolled over, but they are investigating the accident. The lawn mower was upright when police arrived at the scene.

Other workers were mowing grass in the area, but authorities were not sure if anyone was near him at the time of the accident.

Frankfort Square Park District Director Jim Randall released a statement on Tuesday about Lickas death.

Frank Licka was a valued employee of the Frankfort Square Park District and a dear friend and colleague to many, the release stated. Frank worked for our agency during his high school summer years and, most recently, as a college student.

Licka had just completed his freshman year at Bradley, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and the Ballroom Dancing Club.

To honor Lickas memory, flags on campus flew at half-staff for three days.

Services for Licka were held Sunday, June 22 at the Kurtz Memorial Chapel in Frankfort, Illinois.

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Student dies after lawn mower accident

BAY CITY, MI A 61-year-old Bay City man is facing a criminal charge after neighbors complained to police that they saw him mowing his lawn while completely naked.

About 6:51 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, police responded to Bobby O. Blodgett's home in the 300 block of McDonald Street in the city's Banks District after someone called 911 to report he was mowing his lawn naked. The caller, 40-year-old Jason S. Linton, told dispatchers he yelled at Blodgett to put some clothes on, and that Blodgett had done so, police reports show.

Linton told a responding officer that he and his teenage son were visiting his mother-in-law in the neighborhood and that they were in her back yard when they heard a lawnmower start up.

"Then the guy came walking out and started cutting his lawn in the nude," Linton said. "I yelled at him and told him that he needed to put some clothing on."

Linton said that though there is a privacy fence separating the yards, there are gaps in it that one can see through.

Linton's mother-in-law, Nancy M. Mercier, told the officer that a similar incident happened the week beforehand when Blodgett mowed his lawn wearing only lady's stockings.

"I don't need to see that," Mercier said. "I know he has a privacy fence but I can see through it."

The officer spoke with Blodgett, who maintained Linton and Mercier were mistaken regarding what they claimed to have seen.

"I was out in the back yard today mowing my lawn in my bikini briefs," he said, according to police reports. "I had on my underwear. I made a mistake. I was not naked. It won't happen again. I was never naked."

The officer did not arrest Blodgett, but told him a report would be sent to the Bay County Prosecutor's Office for review. The officer also advised him to dress appropriately when in his yard.

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Police: Bay City man mowed lawn in the nude, charged with misdemeanor