MONTANA WEED CONTROL ASSOCIATION



MONTANA WEED CONTROL ASSOCIATION

Western Spring Weed Manager Training

March 21st – 22nd, 2018

Dillon, MT

Location: 4-H Building, Beaverhead County Fairgrounds

Hotels: Best Western Paradise Inn (406)683-4214

Dillon Super 8 (406)988-0908

AGENDA

Afternoon, Wednesday March 21nd

|9:00 AM –12:00 PM |Dan Clark Weed Board & Commissioner Training (lunch provided) |

|12:30 PM |Registration |

|1:00 PM |MWCA Updates |

|1:15 |MDA Updates |

| |Dave Burch- Montana State Weed Coordinator, Montana Department of Agriculture |

| |406-444-3140 dburch@ |

| | |

| |Dave Burch is the State Weed Coordinator for Montana and has 36 years’ experience in weed management; County Weed Coordinator for|

| |Liberty, Lewis & Clark & Jefferson Counties, Owner of a Commercial Application Business, Grant Coordinator for Montana Department|

| |of Agriculture – Noxious Weed Trust Fund Program for three years and State Weed Coordinator/Program Manager, Interim Bureau Chief|

| |for MDA for 16 years. Was a Governor appointed representative on the Montana Noxious Weed Summit Advisory Council and now sits |

| |on the Governors newly formed Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council. Was a board member for the Center for Invasive Species |

| |Management-MSU, past President of the Western Weed Coordinating Committee and the Montana Weed Control Association. Currently am|

| |a member of the State Weed Coordinator Alliance, and an executive member of the Missouri River Watershed Coalition; a seven state|

| |organization. Instrumental in moving Montana into the “Invasive Species” arena by supporting and fostering invasive species |

| |legislation and an on the ground management program in Montana. Has secured over $10 million dollars in federal funding in |

| |addition to administrating the Montana’s Noxious Weed Trust Fund program with a permanent cap of $10 million dollars and annual |

| |grant program of over $2 million dollars. |

| | |

| |Dave will give updates on Agricultural Services Bureau Programs including Weeds, Nurseries, Pesticides etc. and will discuss |

| |potential changes within these programs. He will also update coordinators on EDDMapS PRO and discuss trainings for this program. |

|2:00 |Annual Plant Control with Esplanade and Exceptional Bare Ground Weed Control |

| |Steve Saunders- Bridger AgVentures, LLC / Consultant for Bayer Crop Science in MT & WY |

| |406-580-1027 yeehawmt@ |

| | |

| |Steve is the President of Bridger AgVentures, LLC and is currently working part-time as consulting sales rep for Bayer |

| |Environmental Service providing sales support and stewarding of their IVM and R&P businesses in Montana and Wyoming. He also |

| |provides consulting services to other entities conducting rangeland inventory, resource assessment, mediation of groups for |

| |operational management and practices, manage and oversee weed control and vegetation management applications and projects, |

| |provide natural resource site assessments and utilization/planning documentation. Steve is a retired Rangeland Management |

| |Specialist from Dow AgroSciences where he put in 32 years. He has worked with County Weed Districts, state and federal land |

| |management agencies, dealers, commercial applicators and ranchers and farmers across Montana, Idaho and Wyoming providing sales |

| |support and product stewardship. Steve has a Bachelor of Science in Ag Production/Range Sciences from Montana State University |

| |where he graduated in 1977. Steve is also a Past-President of the Montana Weed Control Association (1997), a Certified |

| |Professional in Range Management - Society for Range Management, Past-Chair of Society for Range Management’s Leadership |

| |Development Committee, and a Past-Member of Montana State University’s Beef Advisory Committee representing Montana StockGrowers |

| |Association. |

| | |

| |In this presentation, we will explore how to control annual plants in native rangeland grass plant communities. Annual plants are|

| |controlled with Esplanade because of the unique herbicide properties of Indaziflam. This herbicide is selective because the |

| |herbicide ties up in soil due to organic matter and percent OM determines the depth of movement. Higher OM, the shallower it |

| |moves, the lower the OM, is moves deeper to ½” in soil. Since most annual weed seeds germinate within the top ½” of soil and the |

| |Esplanade herbicide is there to inhibit survival of annual plant seedlings and kills the newly emerging seedling root, it |

| |effectively controls both annual grasses and broadleaf plants. This annual plant control is truly rangeland restoration and not |

| |weed control. We are using Esplanade 200SC to restore rangelands dominated by annual grasses and forbs. Come hear how Esplanade |

| |can transform annual plant dominated ranges in your program. Exceptional bare ground weed control is usually required by law or |

| |contract. Learn how the weak spots in bare ground weed control is usually from annuals that break the season-long weed control |

| |prescription. Esplanade 200SC can be helpful adding annual plant control that aids in maintaining season-long bare ground weed |

| |control. This is breakthrough bare ground weed control and rangeland annual plant restoration that will change your program. |

|2:45 |Break |

|3:00 |Prioritization Status and Field Identification of Aquatic & Riparian Plants in Montana |

| |Karen Laitala- Powell County Weed Coordinator |

| |406-846-3348 klaitala@ |

| | |

| |Karen Laitala has been the Powell County Weed Board Coordinator since early 2009. She has also worked as the Blackfoot Challenge |

| |Weed Coordinator since 2013. Before moving to Montana, Karen worked for the Nez Perce Tribe Biocontrol Center in Lapwai, Idaho |

| |and on weed management research projects in range and cropland environments in Washington. She received a BS in Environmental |

| |Field Biology, with an emphasis on botany from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, and an MS in Plant Science from the |

| |University of Idaho, Moscow. While at The University of Idaho, her master’s research focused on Eurasian watermilfoil management |

| |and the use of benthic barriers as a control measure. |

| | |

| |Karen’s presentation “Noxious Aquatic and Riparian Plants of Montana” will provide an overview of the adverse impacts of exotic |

| |plants on Montana’s aquatic ecosystems. The status of each species on the Montana Noxious Weed List will be discussed as well as |

| |the associated management criteria required if detected. Tips for basic field Identification of invasive aquatic and riparian |

| |plants will be presented including comparisons with native plants that closely resemble invasives. |

|4:00 |Bees and Herbicides from a Local Perspective |

| |Allison Wentzel, Wentzel Apairies |

| |montana.beeline@ |

| | |

| |Allison graduated of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, California with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education and a minor in |

| |Environmental Horticulture. She currently runs Wentzel Apairies, a family business established in 1942. She moved to Montana in |

| |2004, and she currently lives in Twin Bridges with her husband and two boys. They run 100 head of beef cattle and farm around 400|

| |acres of Sainfoin for hay and seed. |

| | |

| |Allison will discuss how she and her family operate a honey bee business and manage noxious weeds on their ranch as well as what |

| |she has seen in regards to bees and herbicides in Montana and California (where they winter their hives). |

| | |

| |Honey Bee Dynamics in Montana |

| |Alyssa Piccolomini- Entomologist, Montana Department of Agriculture |

| |406-444-3790 APiccolomini@ |

| | |

| |Alyssa is a recent graduate from Montana State University with a Master’s degree in Entomology where her primary focus was on the|

| |susceptibility of the alfalfa leafcutting bee to pyrethroid insecticides. After graduating in July Alyssa took a position with |

| |Montana Department of Agriculture as the State Entomologist, which is responsible for the registration and inspections of |

| |beekeepers, analysis of alfalfa leafcutting bee larvae, and general insect identification. |

| | |

| |Alyssa will discuss much of the current conversation about honey bee populations in that they are experiencing a decline in their|

| |population, but the source of this decline is not entirely understood. For her presentation, she’ll discuss several factors that |

| |may contribute to colony loss, a few management practices used by beekeepers to mitigate loss, overall populations trends, and |

| |the impact herbicides have on honey bee colonies. |

|4:45 |How Can You Utilize Your Grazing Practices to Manage For Weeds |

| |Billy Whitehurst- PAS, Makale Livestock LLC |

| |406-490-3910 makalelivestockllc@ |

| | |

| |Billy Whitehurst has served on college faculty at two land-grant universities with an emphasis in livestock production. He is the|

| |principal operator of a range based multi species livestock operation and a nutritional consultant with Performix Nutrition. His|

| |areas of expertise include life stock behavior grazing management ruminant nutrition and livestock handling. He has a masters |

| |degree in animal and range sciences from Montana State University Bozeman. |

| | |

| |Billy will present information on the use of grazing and how it can benefit your overall weed management programs through |

| |different grazing practices. |

|6:00 |Supper |

Morning, Thursday March 22rd

|8:00 AM |The Natives are Getting Restless: An insider’s look at managing aggressive native plants in Scotland |

| |Linda M. Lyon, Ph.D.- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Montana Western |

| |406-683-7075 linda.lyon@umwestern.edu |

| | |

| |Linda Lyon is an ethnobotanist and certified environmental interpreter trainer. Lyon worked for many years in Madagascar with local |

| |communities to understand traditional land-use systems and encourage the conservation of medicinal plant knowledge. Currently, Lyon |

| |is spearheading the University of Montana Western community and campus garden that supports the university's sustainability mission |

| |by growing organic heirloom vegetables for the cafeteria. In addition to her campus garden and teaching responsibilities, Lyon is the|

| |faculty adviser for the campus environmental sciences club, Terra Verde, which sponsors annual Earth Day and Earth Hour events for |

| |the campus and local community. |

| | |

| |This presentation is of research conducted by Dr. Lyon while on sabbatical in Scotland in the fall of 2014. Using qualitative |

| |research techniques, she delves into the difficulty had by farmers and crofters in Scotland in controlling aggressive native plants |

| |in public and private range lands. |

|9:00 |MDT Overview |

| |Mike Miller- Roadside & Winter Maintenance Specialist, Montana Department of Transportation |

| |406-444-6991 mikmiller@ |

| | |

| |Mike began his career at the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) in 1999. His involvement with weeds began as an applicator |

| |while in the field. In 2008 he moved into Headquarters as a Maintenance Reviewer. At that time one of the duties Mike took over was |

| |the administrator of the $1.38 million-dollar MDT vegetation management program. MDT contracts directly with 51 out of 56 Counties in|

| |Montana. Mike’s current position has also led to his involvement with several weed related boards including; Montana Weed Control |

| |Association, Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council, Montana Noxious Weed Education Campaign and he has been appointed to the |

| |Governors Montana Invasive Species Council. |

| | |

| |Mike will give an overview of the MDT Integrated Weed Plan as well as their expectations from contractors to manage MDT roadsides in |

| |accordance to the plan. He will discuss their program and how it operates. A few of the topics Mike intends to discuss are; budgets, |

| |County contracts (105 agreements), revegetation on projects, future mapping, special projects and billing. The presentation will be |

| |followed by an open forum to discuss specific questions. |

|10:00 |Break |

|10:15 |Acid Herbicide Technology and Products |

| |Brooks Hammel- Branch Manager, Northwest Division Helena Chemical |

| |406-855-5855 HammelB@ |

| | |

| |Brooks earned a Bachelor of Science from Montana State University in Chemical Engineering. He has spent the past 20 years working |

| |with Helena Chemical in the Northwest United States. Brooks has been Product Manager for Helena for 3 years across 8 states and is |

| |currently the Branch Manager in MT, WY and ND in the agriculture, industrial plant management, and range and pasture sectors. |

| | |

| |Brooks will discuss an advanced class of chemical formulations offered by Helena Chemical and how weed managers across Montana can |

| |utilize their products and improve their weed management. |

|10:45 – 11:30 |De-escalating Tense Situations with the Public |

| |Roger Thompson- Madison County Sheriff |

| | |

| |Roger Thompson has spent the last 34 years in law enforcement. The first 10 years as an officer in King County, Washington. Roger |

| |also served as the Under Sheriff for 8 years in Madison County before serving the last 4 years as Sheriff of Madison County. |

| | |

| |Roger Thompson Madison County Sheriff will discuss pointers that may help County and Agency Personnel when dealing with an angry |

| |public. He will also discuss recognizing if a person may is upset about a situation or if they are just an angry type of person. |

| |Roger will also discuss tips you might implement if you find yourself in a dangerous situation. |

|11:30 – NOON |Montana’s Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (HB434) |

| |Rick Northrup- Habitat Bureau Chief Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks |

| |406-444-5633 rnorthrup@ |

| | |

| |Rick has worked for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for over 27 years. He started with the agency as a technician in Townsend |

| |before working as a biologist on private land habitat conservation at two work locations along the Montana Hi-Line. He next served |

| |as the game bird, flyway, and farm bill coordinator in Helena before his current position as Chief of the Wildlife Habitat Bureau for|

| |the past 6 years. Over his tenure, Rick has represented Montana on numerous regional and national wildlife conservation committees.|

| |He earned a MS degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from Montana State University and BS degrees in Wildlife and FisheMries |

| |Sciences and Environmental Management from South Dakota State University. |

| | |

| |The Montana Wildlife Habitat Improvement Act was passed into law by the 2017 Legislature. The purpose of the act is to make federal |

| |funding available to restore priority wildlife habitats by controlling noxious weeds. The legislation makes available up to $2M |

| |annually in federal Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration funds, which requires a dollar of nonfederal matching funds (cash) for |

| |every 3 dollars of federal grant funding. Projects are intended to be focused on ecologically-important wildlife habitats with |

| |landscape-scale benefits. Grants, which are paid in the form of reimbursed expenses, may be issued for up to five year’s duration. |

| |Priorities for funding include: lands that are open to public hunting and involve priority wildlife habitats; noxious weed |

| |infestations that directly impact habitat functions; broad partnerships; proposals with leveraging beyond the minimum match funding |

| |requirement; projects that retain or restore native plant communities; and projects operating at large landscape scales. |

This training is approved for credits in the following categories:

|Category |Credits |

|(10) Dealer |5 |

|(36) Aquatic Pest Control |2 |

|(37) Right of Way Pest Control |5 |

|(39) Demonstration & Research Pest Control |5 |

|(55) Regulatory Weed |5 |

|(60) Private Agricultural Pest Control |5 |

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