Overtime Rule, Temporary Status, H-2A in Recent Employment News
In employment and workforce-related news, the Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division is expected during March to propose a new salary threshold for its so-called “white collar” exemptions from overtime pay. Wage & Hour is expected to propose that workers who earn less than $35,000 a year automatically eligible for overtime pay for all […]
AmericanHort and HRI Celebrate A Million Pollinator Gardens
AmericanHort and our foundation, the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), joined with co-founders of the National Pollinator Garden Network and others to announce the achievement of the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. The goal of a million gardens to help sustain the health of diverse pollinator populations was not only achieved, but it was also exceeded. Here […]
EPA Pick Confirmed; Farm Credit Pick Generates Controversy
The Senate voted 52-47 to confirm Andrew Wheeler as Secretary of the Environmental Protection Agency on February 28. AmericanHort supported Wheeler’s nomination, signing a support letter in January addressed to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. More than 30 other organizations also signed the letter. Wheeler paid a visit to McCorkle Nurseries, Inc., in February, to […]
H-2B Updates
H-2B Cap Hit – On February 22, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2019 was reached on February 19. According to USCIS, it used a computer-generated process, or lottery, to determine which of the petitions received on February 19 […]
EPA, Andrew Wheeler, and WOTUS
Andrew Wheeler, the acting EPA Administrator, looks to be on track to be approved as the permanent Administrator. AmericanHort recently joined a group of 30+ organizations to urge the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to quickly confirm his nomination. Wheeler’s experience as a career EPA employee and time spent as staff director and legal […]
A Surprise or Two in New Tax Regulations
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continues to issue final regulations relating to the tax reform package that was passed at the end of 2017. In mid-January, the IRS issued some final regulations for section 199A, which pertains to some in our industry. AmericanHort members enjoy the benefits of our partnership with K-Coe Isom, a leading national […]
Chlorpyrifos Case to Continue en Banc
The chlorpyrifos debate continues, as the Ninth Circuit Court granted EPA’S request to rehear the case en banc. This means that the Chief Judge and a panel of ten randomly drawn judges will rehear the case in late March. The prior, three-judge panel decision will not be cited as a precedent in any court moving forward. […]
H-2B and Federal Spending Bill
On February 15, President Trump signed into law a funding bill for several federal agencies including the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The funding law includes the same H-2B discretionary language as last year, which gives DHS the authority, in consultation with the Department of Labor, to increase […]
Takeaways from the 2018 IGCA Congress
A café covered from floor to ceiling with coffee plants, bumblebees made from hay bales, creative bonsai displays, and extensive opportunities for learning and networking… that was just the tip of the iceberg at the International Garden Center Association’s (IGCA) 2018 Congress. The IGCA Congress is a week of touring cutting-edge garden retail centers in […]
Visual Merchandising Tips to Prepare for a More Profitable Season
Authors: Joe Baer, Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director, ZenGenius & Jalpa Patel, Senior Visual Merchandiser and Interior Architect, ZenGenius At ZenGenius, we believe that everything has a right place, at the right time, for the right reason. Knowing where to place your products and how to arrange them can make all the difference between a […]