AmericanHort Advocacy Spurs DHS Action on H-2B Visa Cap Announcement  

By Rachel Pick  The H-2B visa cap for the second half of Fiscal Year 2025 was likely reached sometime during the week of March 3. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately announce that the cap had been reached or when employers could begin applying for returning workers with start dates on […]

Takeaways from Tuesday’s Special Elections 

By Rachel Pick  The election cycle has begun, as voters in Wisconsin and Florida headed to the ballot boxes for a series of special elections. Democrats scored a victory in Wisconsin, marking their first major electoral success since Trump took office. Candidate Susan Crawford defeated GOP-backed Brad Schimel in a high-profile race for the Supreme […]

USDA Announces Emergency Commodity Assistance Program 

By Rachel Pick  The USDA announced up to $10 billion in direct payments to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. Administered by the Farm Service Agency, ECAP aims to help producers offset rising input costs and declining commodity prices.   Eligible producers who reported acreage for the 2024 […]

Continuing Resolution Passes  

By Laurie Flanagan, DCLRS  On Friday, President Trump signed into law a bill to fund the Federal Government through September 30, 2025, averting the threat of a government shutdown. The funding bill cuts non-defense spending by about $13 billion from the previous year and increases defense spending by about $6 billion. Under the bill, federal […]

AmericanHort Requests Tariff Exemption to Protect Horticulture Industry  

By Kamron Newberry  Last week, the AmericanHort Advocacy and Government Affairs team met with USDA Secretary Brook Rollins’ staff to discuss the potential impact of tariffs on the horticulture industry. With critical inputs sourced from Canada and Mexico with few domestic alternatives, these tariffs pose a significant challenge. In response, AmericanHort has formally requested an […]

The Trump Tariff Roller Coaster 

Since President Trump’s election, AmericanHort has been actively engaged in discussions, meetings, and roundtables with the Trump Administration, USDA, USTR, the Commerce Department, other federal agencies, Congress, and key stakeholders on tariff-related matters. This remains a rapidly evolving issue, with developments unfolding by the hour. Just this week, AmericanHort staff and members met with USDA […]

Attracting and Retaining Gen Z: Insights for the Future Workforce

The modern workplace is a melting pot of generations, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, each shaped by unique cultural experiences, values, and expectations. During a webinar in the AmericanHort Grow Forward series for emerging professionals, leadership development expert Dr. Lauren Griffeth shared the importance of understanding generational diversity to appeal to the next generation […]

Cost Pressures in the Green Industry: Insights from the Index of Prices Paid by Growers

As production costs rise, growers need accurate data to guide pricing and financial decisions. Dr. Charlie Hall, Chief Economist at AmericanHort, provides an annual report on cost trends in the green industry, focusing on plant propagation, production, and shipping. The Index of Prices Paid by Growers, part of the Your MarketMetrics program, has tracked inflationary […]

Hold on, the Trump Tariff Roller Coaster isn’t Over Yet 

As this week’s news cycle on tariffs comes to a close (maybe), we would like to provide you with the latest updates and share the newest information available.  Canadian and Mexican Tariffs President Trump has signed two executive orders that temporarily delay tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April […]