Latest trends report on globalPest Controlmarket 2020 with upcoming industry trends, size, share, top companies profiles, growth report and forecast by 2025.

The report is a detailed study on thePest Control Marketwith details regarding an in-depth assessment of the industry vertical. The evaluation is performed taking into consideration a dual perspective of consumption and production.

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Speaking of the production category, the report provides details regarding the product renumeration, manufacturing of the product and the gross margins of the firms manufacturing the products. With regards to the consumption, the study elaborates about the product consumption value and the product consumption volume along the status of import as well as export of the products.

An outline of the competitive reach:

Competitive segmentation:

TerminixRollinsRentokil InitialAnticimexKillgermEcolabMassey ServicesBayer AdvancedBASFSyngentaHarrisSpectrum BrandsSC JohnsonGarden TechOrthoWillertHomeProductsBonide ProductsMGK

A brief of the regional landscape:

Regional segmentation: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America.

What is the main objective of this section?

The report provides an overview of the regional segment of this industry.

Important details covered in the report:

An outline of the product spectrum:

Product segmentation:

Bed Bug ExterminationFly ControlFruit Fly Control

What is the main objective of this section?

The report provides an overview of the product reach.

Providing an overview of the report:

Data related to the application terrain:

Application segmentation:

ResidentialCommercialAgricultural

What is the main objective of this section?

The study states details regarding the classification of the application spectrum.

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Assessment of the application-based segment of the Pest Control market:

What is the main objective of this section?

The report provides details regarding the competitive spectrum of the Pest Control market.

Details from the report:

Information related to the growth margins of the firms, manufacturing expenses, renumeration and product costs are provided in the report.

The research report offers data related to the level to which the industry has been evaluated. Data with respect to analysis of the possibility of new investment projects undertaken as well as the research conclusions are inculcated in the report.

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Development Trend of Analysis of Pest Control Market

Marketing Channel

Market Dynamics

Methodology/Research Approach

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Global Pest Control Market 2025 Report: Industry Growth, Opportunities, Vendors, Shares, Competitive Strategies And Forecasts - Packaging News 24

An Australian company is taking the guess-work out of pest management, through real-time information of insect detection in orchards and farms.

RapidAIM is the digital pest surveillance and management system for agriculture, using novel patented, low-power sensors that detect the presence of insects in a growing environment.

"They are based on the capacitance-type sensor, and as insects enter the trap, they get detected and discriminated," CEO and Founder, Dr Nancy Schellhorn said. "So, we run algorithms in combination with our sensors, and the information is sent to the cloud, in real-time, and a customer can see on their mobile app whats happening in their orchards and across the farm. Producers can have confidence about not having pests and confidence when pest appear and where. But better than that, producers can then take management action, and see if their management is working. We want to be able to save producers costs, reduce crop loss and give confidence that pest management is working."

Photo: Dr Nancy Schellhorn at the evokeAG. 2020 conference

A key benefit, according to Dr Schellhorn is that the sensors are low-power, which means that the system is price-point competitive with insurance sprays and manual monitoring, but it provides a high-resolution of pest populations and a "high-confidence" of the control effectiveness. Another advantage of the system is early detection.

"Deploying a grid and putting a lot of these devices out there, for example, an orchardist may want one per two hectares, that gives producers confidence with a high-probability that pests are not in the orchard," she said. "But if you make a detection, then you know what is going on. That's why getting a high-resolution of what's going on is important for management."

The RapidAIM system has only recently commenced commercial sales in September 2019, and have just improved their communication systems by switching to the narrowband Internet of Things (IoT), from communications that previously required gateways. There are already plans to upgrade to global radio, for international coverage.

Dr Schellhorn says the company has two main types of surveillance.

"First, we roll out wide-scale surveillance grids across regions," she said. "So, we focus on those global pests that don't recognise the borders of farms or regions. Then second, we upscale to growers for their orchards. We just started that, and we are providing surveillance for fruit fly across a couple of regions every 200 square kilometres. Now we have several growers who subscribe to Orchard Protect on their properties where theyre using RapidAIM on their borders. With deciduous crops, this is where we first see detections early."

Photo: Adam Upton, from Upton Agronomy, deploying RapidAIM IoT devices.

Dr Schellhorn adds that most importantly the system reduces the need for insurance sprays. Those sprays that are applied because managing pests is a guessing game and producers cant take the risk of damage. So far RapidAIM has found that there are not only productivity benefits for governments, by reducing costs by 30 per cent, but to individual growers.

"We are just now working with growers to understand what it saves them," Dr Schellhorn said. "What they are telling us is that they are not having to spray weekly and worry about whether the pest is still there; they know whether it is there and then take action - or they have confidence in knowing that they dont have to spray. Another benefit is they really like knowing if their management is working. It also gives great transparency to any of the wholesaler and trading partners that they have their pest problems well and truly managed."

While reducing the sprays is not only a good thing for efficiencies and reducing the risk of insecticide resistance, RapidAIM says it also opens the door for biological and microbial products that are coming onto the market.

"Traditionally, growers have found the use of biocides to be challenging and not as stable, so there's not a lot of confidence that they are working," Dr Schellhorn said. "What this does is it allows them to start using those products and discover where it is working in their orchard, if it is working and where they may need to re-target. We're really about sustainable, best practice pest management, and RapidAIM makes that happen."

For more informationDr Nancy SchellhornRapidAIMnancy@rapidaim.io http://www.rapidaim.io

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The game-changing technology helping with pest detections - FreshPlaza.com

The tiny samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus) seems to be making itself at home in the United States, wherever its host, the brown marmorated stink bug, has settled. Many states hope to boost the parasitoid wasps presence as a biocontrol by augmenting those wild populations with planned releases.

BMSB, an invasive species from Asia, has done a lot of damage to U.S. fruit crops in the last decade. The stink bugs natural enemy, the samurai wasp, followed it here and was first detected in the wild in Maryland in 2014. The wasp has been spreading ever since, said Marianna Szucs, an assistant professor and entomologist with Michigan State University.

In 2018, Szucs lab first discovered a wild population of the parasitoid in Michigan. Once found in the wild in a state, regulators typically allow for population redistribution, and her lab at MSU started releasing samurai wasps at strategic fruit locations the following year. They want to increase the wasps population densities and distribute them more evenly around commercial fruit regions. Her team is concentrating on releases near apple orchards, where BMSB poses the biggest threat. In 2019, they released 4,000 adult wasps throughout the state, Szucs said.

Its too early to know if the released wasps are targeting BMSB yet or if theyre even establishing a stable population. They will do another release next year, Szucs said.

Szucs and her team rear their population of samurai wasps in a laboratory, using BMSB egg masses from a facility in New Jersey. Adult wasps lay their eggs on BMSB egg masses, and young wasps eventually hatch, she said.

The mid-Atlantic region, where BMSB and the samurai wasp first showed up in the United States, has seen reductions in BMSB populations in some areas where samurai wasps are known to be established, said Tracy Leskey, director of the U.S. Department of Agricultures Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory. She said researchers in West Virginia, Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are distributing wasps within their states and hope to see decreases in BMSB populations over time.

Weve seen a fair amount of emergence, which is exciting, Leskey said. All of us are hopeful this will have an impact.

Nik Wiman, an orchard specialist for Oregon State University, started a statewide redistribution program in 2016, the year the wasp was found in the wild in his state. His team confirmed that the wasp can successfully overwinter at a number of release sites in orchard production areas around the state. But its too soon to tell if the established wasps are affecting BMSB populations.

Were trying to learn about environmental adaptations that might lead to success in different regions, he said. Were hoping we can confirm establishment and overwintering in southern Oregon this year. As of last year, we werent able to do that.

Several years after its arrival in Oregon, growers now report BMSB causing significant damage to the states specialty crops, and attempts to control it wreak havoc with integrated pest management systems that took years to develop. It would be a shame if growers had to start relying on the widespread use of broad-spectrum insecticides to protect their orchards, Wiman said. Hes hoping the samurai wasp will be effective enough to help growers avoid that, he added.

Even for established wasp populations, it will take time to catch up to the stink bug numbers. Wimans team releases wasps every year, but rearing them in the lab depends on a steady production of eggs from BMSB colonies, he said.

In Washington state, Joshua Milnes, the pest board program coordinator for Yakima County, releases samurai wasps in downtown Yakima where homeowners reports indicate a BMSB hotspot in hopes that they will intercept the pests before they move into surrounding agricultural areas. Once BMSB gets into orchards, its difficult to combat, he said.

Milnes released more than 233 wasps in Yakima last year, and he wants to release more this year. He said the wasp can play a major role in controlling BMSB populations, but its not a golden solution. Its unrealistic to expect the wasp to eradicate BMSB entirely, but he said the parasitoid could bring the stink bugs population down to a low-equilibrium density to the point where BMSB is just another bug.

Its going to take a long time for that to happen, Milnes said. Biological control is a process.

Milnes was the first person to detect a wild population of samurai wasps in Washington in 2015, when he stumbled across a parasitized BMSB egg mass near Vancouver, on the southwest side of the state. Hes been releasing wasps ever since.

Milnes was excited to find more wild wasps two years later, about 200 miles east of Vancouver in the semiarid habitats around Walla Walla. That find revealed that the wasp could survive in the states varied ecological regions. Vancouvers wasp populations seem pretty well established five years later, and the populations in Washingtons more arid eastern regions show promise, too, he said.

by Matt Milkovich

Related:Raising a stink for BMSB researchBMSB is still raising a stink

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Parasitic wasps invited to a BMSB buffet - Good Fruit Grower

By Terry Schrimscher, Sponsored Content

For many families, the changing seasons can spark an interest in household tasks. The arrival of spring, in particular, can be a signal to plant a garden or do landscaping. It may also inspire homeowners to freshen up with new paint or a good spring cleaning.

If you are working on some routine maintenance around the home or preparing to list your home on the real estate market, it might be wise to add pest control to your task list. A termite infestation can damage your home and reduce the value of your property. In fact, a termite inspection is a routine part of the closing process in most real estate sales.

We know that termite swarm season will be coming up in another month or two said Fred Smith, General Manager of Vulcan Termite and Pest Control. Customers are going to see termites around their windows, around their doors, and we feel its our obligation to the public to jump on those calls just as quickly as they come in, said Smith.

Vulcan Termite and Pest Control began as a small family business, in 1965, and quickly expanded from termite control into a full pest control service. Today, the Pelham-based business works primarily in five counties surrounding Birmingham.

According to Smith, Vulcan services a lot of homes in the Trussville area and has reached into Anniston, Gadsden and Huntsville, among other.

We do a lot of work up on Smith Lake, said Smith. A lot of our customers in the Trussville and Pinson areas have lake houses. Weve been blessed with the opportunity to go to those customers houses and take care of their lake house and their home here in town, he said.

It gives you a good feeling when your customers believe in you so much that take you with them to work on their vacation home, said Smith.

Trust is one of the main reasons Smith believes the company has continued to grow throughout its nearly 55 years in business. Vulcan currently employs 32 people and has expanded into commercial work servicing local restaurants and office building.

One of the things weve been blessed with is the people who have been here for a long time, said Smith. Ive got several employees that are working on their 20th year with the company. Ive been here for 20 years. One of the things, I believe, we do well is training, he said.

Vulcan retains a board-certified Entomologista scientist who specializes in the study of insectswho regularly reviews the latest pest control techniques and updates the training for the termite and pest specialists who interact with their customers.

Vulcan recently added wild animal control as a new service for customers. Specialists have removed everything from armadillos and racoons from property to squirrels from attics.

Hows your wildlife is one of our advertising sayings, said Smith. Were taking care of those things that get up in your attic and cause problemsthose things that go bump in the night. We do a lot of exclusion work with wild animals. We dont like to kill them if it is not necessary, he said.

Smith offered a word of caution on the process in dealing with wild animals. Many regular pest control companies are not equipped with the correct tools and training to remove the animals safely. Some customers will by a trap for the animals and find out the hard way that trapping the animal is only part of the process.

Vulcan can remove the animals safely and also inspects the home to seal any holes or entrances the animals might use to return. The company offers a warranty period for an added sense of security for customers who might have a recurring unwanted animal guest.

People looking for termite, pest control, or wildlife removal can find Vulcan Termite and Pest Control online at vulcantermite.com. For more information, visitors can use the contact form on the website or call the office at (205) 624-0100.

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Protect your investment with Vulcan Termite and Pest Control - Trussvilletribune

A record number of people came out to the Mazatzal Hotel and Casinos ballroom Monday night to learn who would win the coveted Best of the Rim awards.

This year, some 3,000 Rim Country residents cast 280,000 votes for their favorites in 143 categories.

The Roundup will run a special section in an upcoming issue with the winners and five finalists in all categories.

The Tonto Apache Tribes Mazatzal Hotel & Casino once again won honors for best customer service large business and All Stages Carpet Care for best customer service small business.

The Old County Inn was named best business in Pine-Strawberry and owner Michael Dahling was named Best Businessperson in Pine-Strawberry.

In Star Valley, Plant Fair Nursery won for Best Business and owner Glen McCombs was named Best Businessperson in Star Valley.

Shane Keith, with Keith Family Flooring, was named Best Businessperson (male) while Realtor Wendy Larchick, with At the Rim Team Keller Williams, won honors as Rim Countrys Best Businessperson and Overall Best Business in Payson and Rim Country.

BEST ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY/HOME (MEDICAL)

BEST ATV/MOTORCYCLE STORE

Payson Chevron/Rim Detailing and Chore Solutions

OReillys Auto Parts

Payson Tire Pros & Automotive

BEST BANK OR CREDIT UNION

From Head to Toe Essentials Salon

Ironhorse Signs & Vehicle Graphics

BEST HOME CLEANING SERVICE

BEST CLEANING & RESTORATION (COMMERCIAL/FLOOD RESTORATION)

Sunshine Cleaning & Restoration

My Chiropractor of Payson

BEST COMPUTER REPAIR SERVICE

BEST DERMATOLOGY PRACTICE

Payson Dermatology & MOHS Center

AM Jackson Electric & RJC Electric

Rouds Fine Home Furnishings

BEST GAS/CONVENIENCE STORE

BEST HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB

BEST HEALTH FOOD/VITAMIN STORE

George Henry Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR

BEST HOME TV & ELECTRONICS

Arizona Care Hospice & Hospice Compassus

BEST HOTEL/MOTEL/CABINS/B&B

BEST LANDSCAPING & TREE SERVICE

Bob Lee & Sons Tree Service

Payson Chevron/Rim Liquor

BEST LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY (MEDICAL)

Sonora Quest Laboratories

BEST GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTICE

Banner Payson Health Care

BEST NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

BEST HOUSE & COMMERCIAL PAINTER

S & C Plumbing and George Henry Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

BEST PROPANE SERVICE COMPANY

Alliant Gas / Pinnacle Propane

Mobile RV & Trailer Repair

BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE

Payson Tire Pros & Automotive

BEST BREAKFAST RESTAURANT

BEST HAMBURGER RESTAURANT

Old County Inn & Pizza Factory

El Rancho Mexican Food & Cantina

Lisa Taylor, Taylor Accounting & Tax Inc.

Art Lloyd, Lloyd Law Group & The Dana Law Group

Annie Cerna, JJs Barber Shop

Juliedon Petersen, Colorz Salon

Autumn Kinzer, Payson Premier Dental

Dr. Kristin Wade, Payson Premier Dental

Dr. David Cluff, Banner Health

Dr. Troy Ford, Payson Eye Care

Kevin Dick, Kevin Dick Investment Management Group

BEST FRONT DESK CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON

Monica Savage, Payson Fire Department

Jimmy Carson, Jimmys All Trades

Scott Crabdree, Crabdree & Shepherd Insurance

Kyrie Brown, A Rejuvenating Massage

Kaylee Cobb, From Head to Toe Essentials Salon and Spa

BEST NURSE OR NURSE PRACTITIONER

Deborah Nichols, High Country Family Care

Craig Miller, DJ Craig Weddings & Parties

Rita Regalado, IMS/LabCorp

Gina Perkes-Tidwell, The Copper Needle

BEST REAL ESTATE ASSISTANT

Susan Ortega, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

Wendy Larchick, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

Wendy Larchick, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

John German, Chapman Auto Center & John Stanton, Payson Roundup

BEST TOWN COUNCILOR/PAYSON

BEST TOWN COUNCILOR/STAR VALLEY

Dr. Lorenzo Gonzales, Rim Country Veterinary Clinic

Heather Watson, El Rancho

Peter Aleshire and Teagan Smith

Worlds Oldest Continuous Rodeo

Wendy Larchick, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE (SMALL BUSINESS)

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE (LARGE BUSINESS)

Wendy Larchick, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

BEST BUSINESS IN PINE & STRAWBERRY

BEST BUSINESSPERSON IN PINE & STRAWBERRY

BEST BUSINESS IN STAR VALLEY

BEST BUSINESSPERSON IN STAR VALLEY

BEST BUSINESSPERSON (FEMALE)

Wendy Larchick, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

BEST BUSINESSPERSON (MALE)

Shane Keith, Keith Family Flooring

BEST BUSINESSPERSON IN RIM COUNTRY

Wendy Larchick, At the Rim Team/Keller Williams

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Best of the Rim 2020 winners | Local News - Payson Roundup

Once again, U.S. policy for human spaceflight is under debate. As reported by SpaceNews, the House Science Committee is pushing a policy more directed to Mars and away from commercial participation. That is sensible if you believe that the purpose of human spaceflight is exploration and that its rationale is geopolitical. That has been true for all of the Space Age, and I believe it will remain so.

Commercial development of space certainly does not need humans in space. In fact, it would be a diversion for commercial interests to have to deal with humans. Not even the U.S. Defense Department has an interest in human spaceflight. Putative lunar or asteroid commercial goals dont need humans robots will mine asteroids or build lunar bases (if anyone does). Tourism is a commercial goal that needs humans (although in the days of self-driving cars, buses and airplanes, maybe less so). But tourism should not be the basis of government-funded space development, unless the trend toward serving only the wealthy continues unabated.

The human spaceflight programs of China, India and possibly Russia have a geopolitical rationale driven by national prestige and regional leadership. Smaller countries with nascent human programs likewise driven by national prestige are stepping forward as partners reluctant to be left out.

This leaves the United States with two choices: compete with developing nations in a new race to the moon, one it could possibly lose; or do what President John F. Kennedy did after the U.S. lost the early rounds of the space race to the Soviet Union set a more distant goal. In 1962, the stretch goal was the moon. Today, it should be Mars.

Diverting our human spaceflight program to support hypothetical commercial lunar interests is not sustainable; it is far too expensive and does not benefit commercial goals. The commercial industry, including NewSpace ventures, has one other interest being a government contractor. It is a matter of semantics whether to call that commercial or not. If the policy is to stimulate a commercial industry, relevant robotic programs would be the better approach.

The other driving factor is domestic politics. The House Science Committee position likely presages what will be national policy if there is a new U.S. president next year. Since none of the Democratic candidates seem to have a civil space agenda, they will likely be highly influenced by the positions Democrats in the House and Senate are currently staking out. That the House Science Committee is interested in Mars fits the geopolitical purposes of human spaceflight. NASAs current plan for putting more footprints on the moon does not.

Only two positive initiatives for human spaceflight have politically succeeded in the United States. President Kennedys determination to beat the Soviet Union to the moon was the first. The second was President Bill Clintons decision to build an International Space Station with Russia. (I dont count President Richard Nixons decision to develop the space shuttle as positive since it was a consolation prize for rejecting the Mars and space station recommendations).

Will the United States accomplish a third politically successful human spaceflight initiative? None of the back-to-the-moon initiatives of the past 30 years have made it and all (including the current one) have lacked popular interest.

The only new geopolitical driver I can imagine is international cooperation. Sadly, not under the current White House administration, but perhaps under the next one. If so, the House Science Committee bill might be a good starting point

Louis Friedman is co-founder and executive director emeritus of The Planetary Society.

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OP-ED | For the United States, a second race to the moon is a second-rate goal - SpaceNews

All Malibu dumpsters will be required to have locked lids by the summer of 2020. On Jan. 27, city council voted, 5-0, to bring back an ordinance requiring locking lids on dumpster bins at all times. The ordinance covers bins for commercial waste, organic waste and recycling. Dumpsters will also be required to have double plastic lids.

The desired outcome is to improve the cleanliness of these trash areas, prevent the presence of rodents and discourage the use of rodenticides, Environmental Sustainability Analyst Christine Shen said during her staff report on the item.

The current municipal code requires that solid waste container lids be closed at all times and that trash areas be kept in clean and sanitary conditions. The city can require locking lids if the code is not followed, Shen said.

In June 2019, the council directed Environmental Sustainability Department staff to bring back an ordinance requiring 24/7 locking lids by June 2020. Staff was additionally directed to implement the Enhanced Dumpster Implementation Program, Shen said, which involves monitoring by sustainability department staff and the issuing of warnings and corrections, Clean Bay restaurant inspections, follow-up inspections and complaints from the public.

Council was given a choice between two options, which were recommended by the Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee (ESS). Option one would target only repeat violators; option two would require locking lids for all businesses.

Jimmy Chavez, manager of Dukes Malibu Restaurant, spoke in favor of option one.

It wouldnt put costs onto every business, just the violators within the City of Malibu, since it takes a great deal of energy, training and education to keep your trash areas clean, and we feel strongly that we do a good job as do many other businesses in Malibu and shouldnt have to pay the additional costs to enforce that, Chavez said.

Other food service managers weighed in to agree with Chavez and point out that the locked bin solution might not be able to solve all pest issues.

Kian Schulman, co-founder of the environmental nonprofit Poison Free Malibu, came prepared with a seven-minute slideshow featuring photos taken between Jan. 17-19 of numerous dumpsters across the city that were not in compliance with current city ordinances.

Several of the Clean Bay city-certified restaurants for 2019 have been the worst offenders for trash control, Schulman said.

She criticized the citys efforts to enforce clean and sanitary dumpster conditions, describing Malibus dumpster problem as severe.

Cumbersome and frequent, multiple warnings just doesnt work. Education alone doesnt work. Two visits a year doesnt work. A straightforward 24/7 dumpster lid lock ordinance is simple to implement and enforce with clear, strong penalties, Schulman said.

Schulman said the staff reports statement that only a minority of businesses have poor solid waste practices is not true, and that very few businesses are obeying the existing code.

Schulmans photos depicted, to name a few examples, five Malibu High School dumpsters with lids open, overstuffed dumpsters with open lids at Zuma Beach Plaza, a Malibu Village dumpster with a broken lid that has not been replaced, she said, since June 2019. Schulman also showed photos of dumpsters with rodent holes in their lids.

Many of the dumpsters featured belonged to Clean Bay Certified restaurants, Schulman said.

Schulman concluded her presentation by emphasizing the importance of returning to 24/7 lid locks.

Council Member Skylar Peak, a member of the ESS, explained why two different options were proposed even though we had said that we wanted them to be locked all the time.

I think theres no solution that everyones going to be cheerful and happy for, Peak said. Because, on one hand, we have people that are concerned about the environment that want them to be locked all the time, and then on the other hand, we have business owners that are expressing their concerns with costs and staff time, et cetera, et cetera.

Council Member Jefferson Zuma Jay Wagner, also a member of the ESS, mentioned dumpsters with bear lids as a previously discussed alternative option.

Mayor Pro Tem Mikke Pierson said that when he was a business owner in Santa Monica, he used locking lids because thats the only thing that would work. Pierson said he liked the bear lids that Wagner proposed because they cannot be overstuffed.

Waste Management Route Manager Steve Lee said that locking bins are already being delivered to Malibu. He said bear bins are not being used anywhere in the region.

These are definitely going to need to be a special order, Lee said. Theres a lot of mechanisms that go along with those containers, too, which are going to take quite a bit of maintenance.

Council Member Rick Mullen said it might be better to stick with the original plan of locking lids rather than trying to import lids from long distances.

Council members unanimously voted in favor of option two requiring locked bins citywide, with staff to bring back the official ordinance text at a future meeting.

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All Commercial Dumpsters Must Have Locking Lids By This Summer - Malibu Times

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) More than 60 food violations from six different establishments in Lincoln were recorded during health inspections by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.

They include:

The Fox Bar & Grill

The restaurant near 14th and Pine Lake was slapped with 15 food violations during an inspection on December 16.

According to the inspection report, an environmental health specialist recorded seven critical violations.

Among major marks include employees and a manager not having proper food permits from the health department.

The report also noted grilled chicken and hamburgers were not being kept warm enough and an employee didnt know the proper temperature in which they were to be stored.

Chicken and hamburger sitting on the grill were also recorded at 99 degrees, well below the required 130-degree minimum, according to the report.

The health specialist also ordered chicken sitting on a rail be thrown out after its internal temperature was too warm to be safe. Other chicken did not have a proper expiration date.

Chemicals were also being improperly stored on a dish machine and the restaurant did not have a proper plumbing system to ensure contaminants dont get into the restaurants water supply, the report stated.

The restaurant told 10/11 NOW: All violations have since been fixed.

Russs Market

Russs Market #21 at Coddington and West A in Lincoln received 12 food violations during a December 12 inspection.

Among five critical violations in the inspection report include food left sitting out on a cook line without ice. The report stated that it was unknown how long food had been left out. It was thrown away.

Meat stored inside a cooler in the kitchen area was found to be more than a week expired, according to the report.

Other major violations in the report include rotisserie chicken being improperly cooled, air fresheners being stored among produce and other sprays being kept above bakery items.

The store was also hit for storing bug spray in the kitchen. The report noted chemicals were not from a licensed pest control operator.

B&R Stores provided 10/11 NOW with the following statement:

Food safety is our number one priority and we take it very seriously. Once the health department issues were pointed out to us, they were corrected immediately and a response sent to the health department that met their expectations.

Issara Modern Asian Cuisine

The Asian restaurant at 14th and Pine Lake was inspected by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department January 3.

During that time, an inspector noted 16 food related violations, including three which were critical.

An inspection report noted a violation involving compliance with required food handler permits.

Food items, including tomatoes, tofu and eggs were being kept in a cooler without proper date markings. The foods were ordered to be thrown out, according to the report.

A hand washing sink was found without soap, dented cans stored on a shelf were thrown out and sauce items inside a cooler were not marked with dates.

Floors and walls inside the kitchen area were also found to contain food debris, the report noted.

A request for comment was not answered.

Subway

The sub sandwich chain location at Sun Valley and East O in west Lincoln was written up for ten violations during an inspection.

Two violations were noted as critical by the environmental health specialist.

According to the report, an employee did not wash their hands before putting on gloves to prepare food.

The inspector also wrote that clean pans were found sitting in dirty water soiled with food residue.

Other major violations in the report include missing paperwork and no probes for a thermometer.

The report also stated that refrigerated meatballs did not have a proper open date.

A request for comment was not answered.

Kurry Xpress

The Indian restaurant at 14th and Pine Lake Road received seven violations during a health inspection January 8.

According to the inspection report, among the two critical violations include noncompliance with required food handler permits.

There was also no person with a valid prep or cook permit from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, the report noted.

During the inspection, the environmental health specialist found eggs being improperly cooled on a counter in a deep pan covered in a wrapping material.

The report also said meat was found to be improperly thawing on the counter.

The facility was also written up for using the wrong type of chest freezer. A commercial freezer is required, over consumer types.

A request for comment was not answered.

Habibi Kabob and Shawarma

Eight food violations were found during a January 7 inspection of Habibi at 84th and Holdrege in Lincoln.

The inspection report noted no employee with a valid prep or cook permit was on hand at the start of the inspection.

According to the report, the restaurant did not have a food handler employee list during the inspection.

Other violations recorded by the inspector include a broken hand washing sink, chicken being improperly thawed, pickles being stored on the floor of the facility as well as pans and clean dishes being stacked before fully dry.

Habibi provided 10/11 NOW with the following statement:

The food handler permit got renewed for the employee [and] the new employee got their food handler permit as well the same week. The health inspector was happy with how clean the restaurant was.

10/11 Clean Plate Award Winner

The 1011 Clean Plate Award for January 2020 was presented to general manager Jeff Meints and his staff at Hog Wild Pit BBQ, located at 33rd and Cornhusker Highway in Lincoln. According to city inspection records, the barbecue restaurant has among the best Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department inspection scores in the Capital City.

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Restaurant Report Card: The Fox Bar & Grill among six restaurants with more than 60 food violations - 1011now

More than two years have passed since the detection of what is arguably the most damaging tree pest ever to arrive in South Africa: the polyphagous shot hole borer (Euwallacea fornicatus). The beetle kills trees and there are no proven remedies.

The beetle is now present in nearly all parts of the country and in more than 100 tree species.

An invasion of this magnitude should have elicited a rapid response and the development of a strategic action plan. But that hasnt happened. South Africa has never had to deal with a tree-killing pest of this importance before. In addition, the country has limited resources and there has been confusion about which government department should take responsibility. As a result, there hasnt been a coordinated response to deal with the pest.

The tiny polyphagous shot hole borer beetle is 2mm in length and native to Southeast Asia. It has a symbiotic relationship with three species of fungi, including Fusarium euwallaceae. The fungus is a food source for the beetle and its larvae, but can kill susceptible host trees.

The list of host trees in South Africa continues to grow. Not all of these support the whole life cycle of the polyphagous shot hole borer. But its been found to breed in 25 species (both exotic and indigenous trees).

The greatest impact has been in urban environments such as Johannesburg. It has been detected on backyard avocado and roadside weedy acacias, but not yet in commercial orchards or plantations. The only commercial crop its been detected on is pecan trees.

In California and Israel, polyphagous shot hole borer went on to damage the avocado industry as well as trees in natural ecosystems. There are concerns that this could happen in South Africa too.

But it hasnt yet been declared an agricultural emergency plant pest and no formal response has been triggered. Based on the Israeli and Californian experiences, it could clearly still pose a threat to economically important crops in South Africa.

The proactive thing to do would be to list the beetle as an emergency plant pest.

South Africa is good at managing pests in agricultural settings. This falls under the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, specifically Plant Health Early Warning Systems. Where a pest is deemed an emergency plant pest, the South African Emergency Plant Pest Response Plan provides for a rapid response to prevent establishment, spread and coordination of communication between government agencies, academia and plant industry professionals.

For example, detection of the Fall Army Worm (Spodoptera frugiperda), a quarantine pest of maize and sorghum, triggered a rapid and coordinated response overseen by the national government. Provincial departments, academic institutes and industry stakeholders have been working together on aspects ranging from monitoring, training and diagnostics to pesticide registration, legislation and enforcement.

The Department of Environment, Forests and Fisheries provides for listing of invasive alien species that threaten biodiversity, through the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act.

The pest risk analysis for polyphagous shot hole borer (the process by which listing is facilitated) has been submitted, but the listing is yet to be finalised.

The countrys laws also place a duty of care on all land owners (private and public) to control invasive species on their land. They also require all levels of government from municipal through to national to develop monitoring, control and eradication plans for land under their control.

But systems designed for the agricultural or natural environment sector arent helping the management of a beetle thats wreaking havoc on trees in towns and cities.

This is also clear in how the country manages invasive species. It does this well when it comes to weeds and larger animals. But forest pests are barely represented.

Another major challenge is that the borer beetle is particularly hard to manage because of its mating system, wide range of hosts and ability to survive in felled wood for many months. On top of this, heavily infested reproductive hosts become reservoirs of beetles, threatening the health of adjacent trees.

Read more: The spread of shothole borer beetles in South Africa is proving tough to control

Current best practice recommends removal of heavily infested trees in which beetles are breeding. Infested wood should be disposed of appropriately at designated dumping sites to reduce the risk of spread.

But in the absence of a national strategy to guide municipalities, responses to the pest have varied. Cape Town has perhaps led the way with a coordinated city response to the recent invasion in Somerset West. In conjunction with its Invasive Species Unit, the city has developed a management protocol. As one of the more recent areas to be invaded, its perhaps had the benefit of being able to better prepare for the arrival of this pest and learn from the experiences of other municipalities.

Research from California suggests chemical control may have an application in protecting individual high value trees. But this shouldnt be seen as a silver bullet.

In South Africas case, various research efforts are underway to shed more light on the beetle and its impact. For example, a unit at the University of Pretoria, the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute has been involved in surveillance and monitoring of the pest.

The multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer Research Network has recently been established. With members from ten different academic institutes, the network aims to align and coordinate research efforts by researchers from institutions across the country.

Now with funding made available by the Department of Environment, Forests and Fisheries, further research can be conducted under the framework of this network, to underpin science and data-based management advice.

But a great deal still remains to be done. South Africa would do well to reflect on how its responded so far.

Read more:
Trees in South Africa are under attack. Why it's proving hard to manage - The Conversation Africa

Pest control expert Rollins (NYSE: ROL) had an enviable record of 12 consecutive years of higher quarterly revenue and profits, but that streak came to an end last year when it missed earnings twice in a row. Its growth-by-acquisition strategy was catching up to the owner of Orkin and Western Pest Services as the addition of ever more companies to its roster required it to spend more on professional services such as IT to bring them into the fold.

Rollins seemed to get back on track again last quarter, as revenue and profits resumed their twin rise, but it just reported fourth-quarter 2019 earnings and it seems buying up businesses is still exacting a bit of a toll.

Image Source: Getty Images.

The nemesis of termites, roaches, ants, and all things creepy-crawly said revenue jumped 13.8% during the period to hit $506 million, generating net income of $50.8 million, or $0.16 per share, which was flat with last year.

Rollins said profits didn't rise this year because it had to increase its casualty reserves, which ended up swiping about a penny per share. Because the company is self-insured, it is required to carry certain letters of credit to secure workers' compensation and casualty insurance contracts coverage.

As it buys up more companies, these costs grow, and the acquisition of Clark Pest Control last year, the eighth largest pest control company and the biggest in Rollins history, helped cause an increase in premiums -- leading Rollins to increase its reserves for accidents and injuries.

One record that continues growing unabated, however, is Rollins' history of raising its dividend. Prior to the earnings announcement, the pest control leader said it was hiking the payout by 14% to $0.12 per share. It marks the 18th consecutive year Rollins' board has increased its dividend by at least 12%.

While Rollins has been rolling up the pest control industry under its umbrella, it still has been able to notch strong organic growth. That means that while the number of businesses it owns contributes ever greater amounts of revenue to the total, even as they age they're still doing good business.

Although acquisitions accounted for most of the revenue growth this quarter, the remainder was still up 5.7% due to pricing and organic growth. Rollins acquired 29 businesses in 2019 compared to 38 the year before, and it's not likely to stop anytime soon.

CFO Eddie Northen said in the earnings release, "We continue to invest in innovative technology as well as seeking out strong acquisitions that fit well into the Rollins family of brands."

Pest control is still a highly fragmented industry, which gives Rollins a chance to continue its spending spree, and so far it has proved adept at folding the companies it buys into the parent.

Still, most of the time these are very small businesses and won't hurt Rollins even if they fail. Although the multiple paid for Clark Pest Control was slightly higher than what Rollins typically pays, Rollins President and COO John Wilson told analysts, "we want to maintain discipline in our approach."

And as we move out of the winter months and into warmer spring weather, a time when insects become more active, Rollins will find its services in greater demand. It's looking for its mosquito business to be a particularly big opportunity.The business has been growing for three straight years and was up 30% in 2019, more than offsetting the decline experienced in bedbugs.

The last year was somewhat unique for Rollins, and chairman and CEO Gary Rollins said he's never seen a year like 2019 where there were so many one-time charges. He also said it was "the most disappointing year we have had for 22 years," but he believes it was a one-off period, with the business rolling higher in the future.

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Rollins Closes Out Disappointing Year With Revenue Beat - Nasdaq