OK. Now we're getting somewhere.

I must admit, I don't get the legalese sometimes. That's why I asked.

90% of my work is in towns under 50,000.

AndyVA They have done a bat exclusion and an attic restoration including insulation replacement for less then $1 a sq foot for the whole job including the removal of bats, full exclusion , remove and replace soiled insulation. Watch the video from A All Animal Control. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtt7nHznEa4

Two private companies bid within .04 cents a sf of each other and nearly $3 a SF over the USDAWS bid. People they did an entire County courthouse in West Virginia for about the cost of attic insulation.

I have copies of the bids from all three parties in my files. Red Ryder was the other bidder in addition to a A All Franchise.

I have no idea how this piece of legislation is going to shake out but I do know that I'll be receiving first hand information from all of you guys the minute a problem occurs. I would like someone from NWCOA to talk about this issue. I'm not going to say any bad things, Dave, before I hear their side of the story.


In the back of my mind, I get the feeling that this legislation was connected to Obamacare. ( It's just a thought )

Why wouldn't nwcoa alert no members and members alike about this?

Mr.Baxter-that was my point all along.I am not a member but I figured I would hear the other side of the story here knowing that members are on this forum-not meant to be a slam at all.

I really don't want to be defeatist but it is just more of the same and quite frankly will change absolutly nothing from the current staus quo. On it's face it gives the rural WCO the right to have commensal rodents, squirrels and woodchucks refered to them. For urban operstors like myself it'sd business as usual.
Yes, I could make the case for running USDA out of the smaller suburbs but what is the definition of adjacent, it can be construed to mean the entire metropolitan Atlanta market.
The three glaring ommissions beavers, bats and birds means absolutely nothing changes for me. Especially considering the act of specifies requests from PRIVATE entities only. The bulk of beaver and goose work in metro Atlanta falls under municipal control.
Sadly the NPMA and NWCOA have expended effort for zero return. I could jump on the band wagon and trash these organizations but I won't. I think everyone who has read my posts over the years no where I come down on NWCOA but I'll refresh your memory. I believe in a strong national industry organization that can swing a big stick but sadly NWCOA isn't strong enough, national enough and doesn't cover the entire industry. Maybe I'm wrong for withholding my support of NWCOA but I still haven't seen the changes I wanted to see when I took on the task of representing NWCOA for the state of Georgia. No contact by NWCOA or it's representatives to myself or the DNR has been made. We have a small group of WCOs here who would love to hear from them but sadly it is not so. Well enough anout NWCOA and back to bashing the USDA.
Did anyone really expect anything different? I and others on this forum and others have highlighted wrongful acts by USDA WS time and time again even to the point of exposing felony criminal activity. As anyone who has ever delved into the operations of USDA WS knows they are a law unto themselves, literally, as WS in Georgia as in most states operates under a memorandum of understanding that places their operations completely outside the laws of the state. Can we, NWCOA or NPMA really expect a rogue organization like WS to negotiate in good faith?
If NWCOA truly wishes to resolve this unfair competition issue then it is going to take one of two things, only one of which is truly viable, the first would be a massive grass roots campaign to educate the voting public to make the issue a front page issue that will effect the electoral outcome for the congress and the second would be a class action lawsuit on the federal level.
The former, considering the mass ignorance of the electorate, is a pipe dream the latter in this day of easy litigation is entirely doable though liable to bankrupt the complaintant.

Guys - In a nutshell...

You need to look at the root cause for new regulation. In my opinion, the fragmentation of our industry is to blame. We did it to ourselves. NWCOA is not obligated to communicate on Tman or to non-members. It may make sense, or it may not. Perhaps (and I am speculating), they did not have the funding or manpower to defeat it. Perhaps, they tried, but failed. Perhaps, there was no interest.

Now, look for a preventative action to prevent more of this from occurring. Perhaps, a strong well supported NWCOA is the way to go. The sooner we realize that there is a common interest(despite our differences), the greater our chance of continuing as an industry.

If you want to read more threads (like this), continue the behavior.

Sadly the only group(s) I see making inroads on USDA WS are the antis. While I can't agree with their ulterior motives I applaud their accomplishment of bringing the wrongful acts of the USDA WS to the public conscience.
This is where we really need to step into the discussion. If we don't and allow the antis to fight this fight we will end up with exactly what the antis want, no wildlife control at all either public or private. NWCOA or some other entity needs to step into this fray and make way for a middle ground approach. I know it may be anathema to even speak to the antis but if we don't we will fall victim to them as well. I myself have done the same on a smaller scale right here in Atlanta. One of my better lead sources for wildlife removal is from a group that is probably the leading anti trapping/wildlife control organizations in the state. I and the founder of this group were often at loggerheads with him causing me to lose work time and time again. This continued until he and I had a closed door sit down and hammered out our differences. I never did convert him or he I but when we came to the agreement that we shared a mutual concern for the wildlife and that my methods were not based upon cruelty but on the welfare of the species as a whole we agreed to disagree and he became an ally rather than an enemy. I still have a special relationship with his organization to this day. By doing so I have hopefully removed them as an adversary for what we do and they can focus their energies on other evils of this world.

I make this post merely as a warning to NWCOA. Reaching across the aisles is how it's done today and I don't even see NWCOA reaching to it's own.

Nwcoa is a group with many members (including me). I am reaching accross aisles. Come on guys...get involved.

I read it wrong the rural wco is screwed.

Warrior, like I said before, I'm kind of weak on legalese. Just what is "rural"? Is it just population?

Sgs, if I'm reading it correctly this time it means that if WS receives a call for control of the listed species only from a private entity residing in an [b] incorporated [/i] area with a population greater than 50k or those areas adjacent to must referred to the private sector. Everything else is fair game for them to keep for themselves or take from us.

Dave I hereby appoint you the Chief negotiator ( I quit) and there are plenty of guys around to fill in all of the blanks.

1. NWCOA has some money claimed to be owned by other state associations. Its petty and costing hundreds of members by itself . This one dispute just figuring 100 members lost for four years @250.00 ea has cost NWCOA about 25K in lost revenue annually and over the last 4 years over 100K . My figure is low and beleived to be 400-500 potential members.

2. There are trainers like Tim Julien and Eric Arnold who NWCOA will not recognize as qualified trainers . For the record these are the same trainers who trained NWCOA's trainers.


Now go get em. Hope you are more successful then I have been. Start with Winkelman if you can get Paul to re-join the masses will follow . Good Luck!

Just don't reply to this- please make a new thread.

I still need to know how the PESTT ACT is gonna affect the common WCO in the US.

Here's the deal. I was going to discontinue my membership to NWCOA this year. I figured that this group of trappers was too stubborn to ever come together as a group (and I am right). I really never met most of you...so there is no emotion attached either way. I just minded my own business.

After talking with Krier, he explained that many guys laid the groundwork for the organization and spent countless hours of their own time to put it together and keep it going. Despite my own thoughts, I owed it to those guys to do my part to keep it going (if nothing else). It's an honor thing....to the past and present board. So, I write the check and forget about it. With the added expense, I have to work a little harder on my business. That is not a bad thing.

The PESTT ACT is not going to have an effect on most people. And, if it does, you will adapt and become better.

Gee Dave, I can't wait until you read my latest post.

Well lets see, the state of Montana just surpassed the 1 million mark in total population, I live in the biggest city we have Billings, our population is just over 100,000 and no other city even approuches that to my knowledge. My territory covers about a 100 mile radius and within that I don't think my client base is even 200,000 maybe more like 150-175. So looking at that PESTT ACT I'm how do you say in native talk, this pale face screwed like squaw. I talk periodically to our USDA-WS regional director and am usually left with the impression they are too busy chasing wolves and grizzly bears to worry about the small stuff I do. Being the level headed even tempered laid back individual that I am I'll just have to take a wait and see attitude.

Thanks warrior, that's how I'm reading it too. (now) Why can't they just use plain English?

Robb, unless WS starts to do squirrel and beaver jobs for home owners, I doubt this will effect me much but time will tell.

"The PESTT ACT is not going to have an effect on most people. And, if it does, you will adapt and become better."

I think that sums it up, pretty much.

Well Dave, I'm going to have to wait and see also but if the USDA starts taking business away from you, then you've got to figure the end of the world is close at hand.

SGS

I would not worry much about squirrel removal competition.

They can trap beaver now any zip code USA the population requirement is O and that is any body of water anywhere, any city, any county, any state. Thats Beaver Trapping Everywhere.

Talk about legalese para 2 is a doozy.

That term cooperative service agreement is how USDA WS did that courthouse in West Virginia I mentioned with the youtube link from A All Animal Control CEO Mark Dotson.

Paragraph Two This is where big dollars get thrown at local governments . This is a inter-agency strong arm agreement to work with the federal government. the federal government gifts just grow a stronger payment base between the feds and local and state governments . Incentives dry up . Competition
eliminated and the fed creates a unneeded dependency for overpriced services not just wildlife related. Remember the Affordable Care ACT also promised deep savings (sic).



and you guys missed these agreements mention a date in the future. That means its door knocking and palm greasing time for all of you who want to try to keep your rural beaver, muskrat, nutria accounts. Theoretically speaking a beaver agreement can grow into a squirrel, gopher, chipmunk or ground hog agreement because of inter agency agreements. Real neat stuff .


The PESTT Act is a wake up call and a call for arms - no not not weapons but for WCOs's to resolve differences and working together.

We are gonna need to lobby all under one Battle flag. MOU's are a waste of time. The PESTT ACT is proof of that.

The PESTT Act was a MOU Memorandum of Understanding between USDAWS and NPMA and NWCOA.

To summarize USDA was able to nail down specific work like beaver trapping and since this is part of the Farm Bill 2013 to be law.

There is enough legalese to do any work they want to anywhere under para 2 but I would be interested in if we even had lawyers sitting at the table looking out for the average small business Joe The Trapper.

I think the best and highest use of the PESTT ACT can be remedied by printing it on double ply, soft absorbent toilet tissue.

Before this bill USDA WS was not allowed to compete against the private industry (yet they did anyway) and now they will be allowed to compete with the authority of the US Congress. Real bad news.

We have nothing to lose and plenty to gain. Call Gene Harrington at NPMA and ask him to remove the PESTT ACT from the Farm Bill.

Contact your Representative in Washington and ask them to insist the PESTT ACT be removed from this years Farm Bill.

Wildlife Services is another breed. There is a big difference in trapping and having to follow the orders of USDA WS superiors whether it is morally right or wrong. The private industry can position themselves as the best choice for all wildlife services. Its gonna take some lobbying, image building to position ourselves in the right eye publicly and money. We can expect the government to spend money to position them selves as a sole authority making this a very hard task.

A quote this morning from a former USDA WS trapper. " I did part of the work in WA, NC and WV. It's the reason I quit trapping for years.

The private industry has so much more to offer the public and its time to raise awareness we can do it better. Local communities loose control of whats happening to wildlife around them when the feds step in. Why recognize the USDA WS when all the talent is within all of us as a industry.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/wildlifepro/2013/05/21/one-trappers-thoughts-on-the-pestt-act/

National Pest Management Assocaition
Government Affairs
P: (800) 678-6722 or (703) 352-6762
F: 703-352-3031
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Gene Harrington
Vice President of Government Affairs
gharrington@pestworld.org