AmericanHort 2022-2024 Strategic Plan
AmericanHort’s board of directors approved the association’s 2022-24 Strategic Plan in July 2022 to provide a roadmap for the advancement of the association. Made up of five goals, this two-year plan is used to help guide the organization’s operations and resource allocation decision-making to ensure that actions and investments align with the association’s mission, values, […]
State of the Industry – November 2022
Our industry has shown remarkable resilience for generations. The rate of change in our industry has been strong for the past couple of years – and mostly good. In the coming season, slow and steady may win the race. Key Issues Affecting the State of Our Industry: Labor – the U.S. has record low unemployment, […]
2022 Greenhouse & Nursery Labor Employment Survey
Summary of Preliminary Findings Recent studies reveal that the supply of farm workers from rural Mexico, the main source of hired labor for US agriculture, is decreasing (Charlton and Taylor, 2016). Because the vast majority of hired farm workers in the United States are from Mexico, a negative trend in farm labor migration from Mexico […]
Making the Transition
A few minutes into our phone call, our client began to cry. Working on their career transition and preparing to sell their nursery, it suddenly hit them that their nursery business was their “baby” that they had spent over 30 years nurturing, and the fact they were moving on brought tears of joy and sadness. […]
Labor Shortages in the Horticultural Sector Will Remain Prevalent Without Policy Changes or Innovative Market Solutions
The United States is facing a declining supply of farm labor. Tighter border security, demand for immigrant labor in the service sector, and falling birthrates and an expanding economy in Mexico all contribute to the problem. When there is a shortage of labor, higher wages should cause farmers to substitute labor for technology that increases […]
The Inflation Reduction Act – A High Level Review on Energy
On August 16, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.While there is a lot to unpack from the bill, our focus here is on the energy component, which aims to invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and to reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030. Key takeaways: ITC Breakdown […]
5 Tips for Retailers on Supply Chain Changes
Key Takeaways from the webinar “Keep Your Cashflow Going. You Earned it, so Keep it.” We all know the issues in the supply chain and how it is impacting retail business today. During the webinar, Keep Your Cash Flow Going. You Earned It So Keep It, a discussion took place on best practices around inventory […]
Survey Results Send a Clear Message: The Green Industry Needs Agricultural Workforce Reform
Did you know the horticulture industry directly supports 2.32 million full and part-time jobs? It is also estimated that the green industry had a total economic output of $348 billion each year! It is clear that horticulture businesses are a significant player in the American economy. Yet, workforce challenges are a drag on the industry’s […]
Worker Shortages May Be Permanent
U.S. employers’ most common complaint across almost all business sectors is an inability to find workers. The Coronavirus pandemic and its aftereffects helped generate this continuing problem for many employers. Following the pandemic, roughly three million fewer workers are participating in the labor force today than in February 2020. In addition, more than 10 million […]
Women In Horticulture November 2022
Hear from Karin Walters, CEO, and Christa Steenwyk, Vice President of Marketing and Industry Relationships at Walters Gardens as they talk about the recent leadership transitions they’ve experienced as they grow the company to have a larger international presence in the industry. Sisters Karin Walters and Christa Steenwyk are excited to be taking on new […]