Department Of Labor Opens Dialogue With Employers
The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor is hosting a national online forum where employers and workers can share ideas about the challenges they face as the nation moves toward reopening business and positioning the economy for a strong rebound. Topics include: reopening businesses commuting safely working safely accommodating members of vulnerable […]
New Coalition Seeks to Lift Up Importance of Immigrants
In the face of rising politicization of immigrants and immigration resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, a new coalition known as #AllOfUS has launched. #AllOfUS seeks to make the case that immigrants are critical to COVID-19 recovery efforts. Coalition leadership ranges from the National Association of Evangelicals and the Southern Baptist Convention, to the National Immigration Forum, to […]
Will Latest Presidential Proclamation Hurt Horticulture?
By: Laurie Flanagan & Craig Regelbrugge On April 22, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation halting the issuance of new green cards for 60 days. The proclamation applies to foreign nationals seeking permanent resident status who are currently outside the United States. It excludes health care workers and those who are in the country seeking to change […]
Main Street Lending Program Details Released
The Federal Reserve has released more information on the Main Street Lending program. In a press release, the Fed announced that it was expanding the scope and eligibility for the program through a series of measures to include a third loan option with increased risk-sharing by lenders for borrowers with greater leverage, lowering the minimum loan […]
COVID-19 Headlines for Horticulture
Some key COVID-19 developments over the past two weeks: Congress has refreshed funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), allowing the reopening of a program that many horticulture businesses have turned to for loans that may be at least partially forgiven. The latest Treasury/SBA “frequently asked questions” finally provides some clarification on whether H-2A and […]
HRI Hosts Ralstonia Webinar
Jill Calabro, Ph.D. May 06 2020 Ralstonia solancearum race 3 biovar 2 (RSr3b2), a federal quarantine pest, was recently confirmed in a single geranium variety in a greenhouse in Michigan. This is the first confirmed case in the U.S. since 2004, after which it was eradicated. Diseased geraniums planted in the landscape can potentially infect other plants, […]
The Importance Of A 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast
It is no secret that the recent pandemic has wreaked havoc on the global economy, pressuring businesses across all industries to take severe measures to “weather the storm” to ensure their survival. As businesses, both large and small, are forced to rapidly address their liquidity positions, we increasingly hear about actions aimed at preserving cash […]
Details Matter
As I write this column, the country is in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, with almost 900,000 cases and over 49,000 deaths in the US to date. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Coronavirus (COVID-19) has wreaked havoc from a national health perspective, as well as an economic perspective. But before I discuss the economic […]
Women in Horticulture Interview Series – Susie Raker-Zimmerman
Susie Raker-Zimmerman, AmericanHort Chairwoman of the Board, Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants & Mary Beth Cowardin Vice President Membership and Strategic Engagement. In this interview, we will hear from Susie Raker-Zimmerman, Vice President of Raker Roberta’s Young Plants.
Families First Coronavirus Legislation
President Trump signed the first coronavirus response measure (PL 116-123) into law on March 6. That law provided about $8 billion for immediate response efforts to the Health and Human Services Department, State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and Small Business Administration. On March 18, the House revised and passed the “Families First Coronavirus […]