The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is hosting a webinar that will cover spotted lanternfly biology, egg mass scraping, and an update for Massachusetts and Connecticut. The webinar is free and part of our quarterly update series.  

This session is eligible for the following education credits: 1 Mass. pesticide license credit (ALL categories and license types!), 1 MA Forestry License credit, and the following association credits: 1 MCA credit, 1 MCH credit, 1 MCLP credit, ¾ ISA credit, or ½ MQTW credit 

Attendance for the full live session and response to all poll questions is required to receive these credits. 

 What will you learn?

• Life Cycle of the Spotted Lanternfly
• Impacts on Maple and Other Tree Species
• Potential Impacts on the Maple Industry

 Extension Educator, Brian Walsh, will discuss what is known about the spotted lanternfly (SLF) and observations about maple trees that provide insight as to the impact the insect could have on the industry.

Date and time: 11/16/22 10:00-11:10AM ET

Registration: bit.ly/MDARSLFWebNov22 

https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/newsletters/hort-notes/hort-notes-2022-vol-335

https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/landscape-message-july-8-2022

The July 19^th, 2022, CONN-OSHA Breakfast Roundtable topic is “Lyme Connection - BLAST Tickborne Disease Prevention Education”

This will be a Zoom virtual event.

You must register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.Register Here!

UMass Extension’s Green School (UMass Extension)

October 25, 2022 – December 15, 2022 | 3 hours (plus break) on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons | $900 early bird, $1,025 regular, scholarships available

A comprehensive 60-plus-hour-certificate short course that offers fundamental horticultural training in a compact time frame. The program is designed for professional practitioners such as landscapers, lawn care providers, nursery operators, sports field managers, public and private grounds managers, arborists, professional gardeners, landscape and garden designers, and others in the green industries. Both experienced professionals and those aspiring to be will benefit from this course.

Registration deadline October 18.

For early-bird tuition rate, register by September 15.

According to The Advocate

The Massachusetts Glyphosate Commission released the Phase I report that was earlier commissioned by MDAR to begin the process of complying with legislature’s scientific review of the popular herbicide. Eastern Research Group (ERG), the same contractor that assisted the Commonwealth on the recently concluded Mosquito Control for the 21st Century Task Force, completed the 20-page overview of available information, key assessments, identification of stakeholders for future consultation and next steps. Since the funds made available by the legislature were far less than what the market demanded for a complete review, the commission divided the task into two phases. Once phase I is complete, the commission plans to ask the legislature for sufficient funds to complete the study.

https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/landscape-message-june-10-2022

As you know products that contain neonicotinoids and have certain use patterns will have a classification change from General Use to Restricted Use on July 1, 2022.  In order to help inform the manufacturers, dealers, sellers and applicators of which products will be changing from general use to restricted use, the Department has created the list of neonicotinoid products that currently are and will become restricted use beginning July 1^st.  You may find the list at the link below.  Please note that this list is subject to change.

Additionally, MDAR is anticipating that there will be more of a need for companies to follow the Direct Supervision regulations with this change.  Therefore, MDAR has updated its Direct Supervision Frequently Asked Question document as well. 

https://www.mass.gov/doc/list-of-neonicotinoid-pesticides/download

https://www.mass.gov/doc/direct-supervision-frequently-asked-questions-faq/download

Taryn LaScola-Miner, Director, Crop and Pest Services Division