Introduction to The Fumigation Company

The Truth About Fumigation In this pilot episode of All Things Fumigation, host John B. Mueller teams up with longtime industry ally and guest moderator Kalah Schmitz. Together, they lay the groundwork for bold, real-talk about fumigation in today's high-stakes structural and commodity fumigation landscape. With a combined six decades of field and leadership experience, John and Kalah break down what fumigation is, what it isn't, and what led John to launch The Fumigation Company. They swap stories from the field about the myths and mechanics of this commonly misunderstood practice, from the outdated thinking that still lingers in parts of the fumigation industry to misunderstood labels, regulatory myths, and field missteps. Kalah, former leader of the Food Protection Alliance, steers the conversation with humor and insight, bringing clarity around pest fumigation versus fogging, EPA regulation, optimizing performance, and more. If you're in grain, food safety, pest management, or just wondering how the "big hammer" of pest control really works, this episode kicks off the series with no-nonsense conversation, practical takeaways, and a fresh take on what good fumigation really looks like. Key Segments [02:50] John's Journey in Fumigation [07:49] Who Needs Fumigation? [10:40] Fumigation Safety [12:07] Compliance, Labels, and the EPA [13:31] Industry Innovations [15:36] What Are Fumigants? [19:28] Low to No Residual Toxicity [21:37] The History of Fumigation Science [24:50] Why Fumigation Is Still Relevant [29:06] The "Science Cowboy" Philosophy