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 […]
Effective Advocacy Starts with a Relationship
AmericanHort leader Mike Gooder, of PlantPeddler in Cresco, Iowa understands that effective advocacy is essential to business success. He knows that it all starts with a relationship. And to put it bluntly, Mike’s on a roll. Earlier this year, Plantpeddler hosted U.S. Representative Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) for a facility tour. Then, she and Gooder met […]
Federal Order Targets New Virus on Tomato
A new viral disease on tomato has been intercepted in a few spots in the U.S. Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) was first identified in a southern California greenhouse in September 2018 in grafted tomato plants and has also been found in specific production facilities in Mexico, and in Ontario, Canada. In October 2019, […]
Building Horti-‘Culture’ is a Labor of Love
According to a 2015 USDA study, nearly 58,000 jobs become available each year in agriculture-related fields, but only 61 percent are filled by qualified graduates. North Carolina State University’s associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, John Dole, has stated that the University has more employers calling them than they have students […]
Priorities For A Thriving Industry
By: J James Owen, Jr., Virginia Tech; Anthony LeBude, North Carolina State University; Jill Calabro, HRI; Jennifer Boldt, USDA-ARS; Jennifer Gray, HRI; and James Altland, USDA-ARS. Horticulture is a key player in specialty crops and agriculture as a whole. In fact, our industry generates one third of both all specialty crop revenue (over $19 billion each year!) and its workforce. […]
The Magic Of Measuring Your Marketing Investment
By: Mary Beth Cowardin, Vice President Marketing & Member Engagement Today, there are countless ways to measure your marketing effectiveness and take the mystery out of knowing which marketing efforts work best. Whether you are using basic measures such as the number of visitors to your website, or more sophisticated research and measurement practices, it is critical […]