New Member Benefit: Ship Safe, Compliant, Approved Plants With Plant Sentry™
AmericanHort announces the newest member affinity partner, Plant Sentry™, an online comprehensive plant compliance tool. Plant Sentry was built using feedback from green industry leaders, including advocacy partners such as AmericanHort, along with federal and state regulatory officials. As the shipment of live plants across state lines continues to increase, keeping track of all the federal and state regulations and restrictions can be […]
New Resource for Crown Gall on Rose
The National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) released a new fact sheet (PDF, 1.7MB) dedicated to crown gall on roses. This is a bacterial plant disease that is particularly devastating to members of the Rosaceae family, such as apples, blackberries, cherries, and roses. Crown gall, caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, can cause gall formation on any plant part, such as […]
What’s facing Congress this December
Congress has a lot to do in the remaining 13 legislative days of 2019. Here’s a look ahead at the big issues you can hope to see this December. Federal Government Funding Absent additional action by Congress, funding for the federal government is set to expire on December 20. What we know so far isn’t […]
H-2A Updates: Wages, Nursery Seasonality
Each year, in December, the Department of Labor (DOL) publishes the new “adverse effect wage rates” (AEWR) which are typically the wages required to be paid to H-2A agricultural visa workers, as well as any U.S. workers considered to be in “corresponding employment.” The AEWRs are derived from the USDA Farm Labor Survey and typically […]
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocols Modified
USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has modified the protocol for interstate movement of citrus nursery stock. This protocol, originally published in 2013 and modified in 2018, contains standards and requirements that a nursery must meet to obtain a certificate or limited permit allowing the interstate movement of citrus nursery stock from areas […]
ELD Deadline Approaching for AOBRD users
The deadline for trucks equipped with Automatic On-Board Recording Devices (AOBRDs) to switch to electronic logging devices (ELDs) is fast approaching, with AOBRD users required to make the switch by December 16th. Unlike other previous deadlines associated with the ELD, this deadline is not expected to be extended by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration […]
House Ag Labor Bill Advances
The bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act was recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives, and now bears the bill number H.R.5038. The reintroduction was prompted by a few technical corrections that followed an interagency technical assistance review. The bill has 49 cosponsors, including 23 Republicans and a number of moderate Democrats, ranging from House Agriculture […]
It’s Time to Talk Overtime
In late September 24, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule adjusting the earnings thresholds necessary to exempt executive, administrative and professional employees from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. The final rule also allows employers to count a portion of certain bonuses or commissions towards […]
DOL Releases Final H-2B Recruitment Rule
On November 15, The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a final rule that rescinds the H-2B requirement to advertise in print newspapers and instead requires that all jobs be posted on SeasonalJobs.dol.gov, which will be an expanded version of the existing DOL job registry. The new rule takes effect on December 16. Employers with […]
Successful H-2B “Day of Action”
AmericanHort teamed up with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Seasonal Employment Alliance, and the H-2B Workforce Coalition to host a “day of action” on November 13. Over 150 H-2B users from across the country, most from the landscape industry, came to Washington, DC to advocate for H-2B cap relief to be included in […]