AmericanHort Connect - November 2022

Preparing

the Future

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 worker productivity. We surveyed members of AmericanHort and the green industry to collect information about the prevalence of horticultural industry labor shortages, how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted farming operations, and the extent to which labor-saving technologies are helping mitigate the problem. We received responses from a broad sample of greenhouse and nursery operations spanning the entire United States. Survey results show a high prevalence of labor shortages throughout the horticultural industry.

Nearly two thirds of survey respondents indicated that they were unable to hire all the employees they wanted during 2021. After accounting for apparent data entry

errors, the average labor shortage across the sample was 18% of the workforce that growers needed to operate at full capacity. To put this in perspective, the average grower who would have normally hired 100 workers but faced a labor shortage would have only been able to hire 82 workers during 2021. About 60% of growers indicated that COVID-19 caused them to experience additional labor shortages in 2021. The leading reasons included actual or suspected exposure to COVID-19, friends or family members exposed to the virus, and a lack of child-care options for employees. Eight out of every 10 growers indicated that they had incurred additional costs related to COVID-19 prevention measures, with some 43% paying more than $500 per employee. Seventeen percent of those who incurred Covid-related costs reported spending at least $10,000 on each employee.

Article provided by Zachariah Rutledge, Assistant Professor in the Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics Department at Michigan State University

The statistics in this article are a result of the 2022 Employment and Labor Survey

Survey respondents offered a variety of work incentives to help attract and retain employees, including health insurance, bonuses, and scheduling flexibility.

Nearly half of the surveyed growers started using a new labor-saving technology during 2021. Of those who did, 50% reported spending at least $100,000 on it. Interestingly, only half of the respondents indicated that the technology reduced labor’s share of their total operating costs. Thus, despite making large capital investments on technology, only some growers found that it actually reduced labor costs.

One solution to the labor crisis could be use of the H-2A visa program to bring in foreign-born workers, but many horticultural jobs are considered year-round, and the H-2A visa program can only be used for jobs that are temporary or seasonal in nature. Thirty five percent of the growers surveyed used the H-2A program in 2021. Half of those who used the program reported that they had employment opportunities for H-2A workers longer than the current maximum of 10 months, revealing significant demand for a year-round or long-term agricultural guest worker program. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA), which passed in the House during 2021 and is currently being prepared for the Senate, could help address this issue. Under Title 2 of the House version of the FWMA, 20,000 H-2A workers could work year-round for up to 3 years, which would allow horticultural crop

producers, and other agricultural producers with year-round needs, access to a reliable, legal foreign workforce. The cap on yearround workers would be adjusted each year, based on labor metrics or an emergency determination if significant labor shortages were found.

The results from this survey reveal that greenhouse and nursery growers are facing significant labor constraints and that current policies are failing to meet their needs. While growers are taking actions to help mitigate production losses through the use of work incentives and technology investments, many continue to face challenges securing an adequate workforce. Without changes to existing policies or innovative market solutions, this problem is not going to go away.

AmericanHort’s advocacy team continues to work to address the workforce needs of our industry.

To learn how you can help, visit AmericanHort.org/Advocacy/Get-involved.

“…the average grower who would have normally hired 100 workers but faced a labor shortage would have only been able to hire 82 workers during 2021.”

The 2022 Employment and Labor Survey will be available to AmericanHort members in early November.

Watch your email for details on how to get your copy.

The Inflation Reduction Act— A High Level Review on Energy

Article provided by APPI Energy, an AmericanHort Affinity Partner

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:

• The bill includes a total of $369 billion in clean energy tax credits and funding for climate and energy programs.

• The bill contains a range of incentives and tax credits to spur emissions-free energy, electric vehicles, EV chargers, nuclear power, energy storage, and carbon capture, to name a few.

• Independent analysis estimates that the bill will reduce U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40% by 2030

• The legislation includes $4.5 billion in funding for states to provide rebates for the purpose of new electric appliances including ranges, cooktops and wall ovens. The Department of Energy will allocate funds to individual states, and each state will choose how to use those funds.

•

Incentives for domestic manufacturing, along with current potential tariffs on imported equipment, are expected to boost U.S.-made parts for solar projects.

• The Investment Tax Code (ITC) for most on-site projects will increase from 26% to 30%.

ITC Breakdown—What’s Changed and How Does it Impacts Businesses

The Internal Revenue Code provides an ITC for investments in commercial solar. This is to be used as a dollar-for-dollar reduction to U.S. federal income tax.

To qualify for the ITC, the commercial solar energy system must be located in the U.S. and be the following:

• Tangible, depreciable, or amortizable property (for federal income tax purposes)

• Under the 80/20 rule, energy property may be considered new even if it contains used components as long as that portion does not exceed 20% of the total value

• Claimed on IRS form 3468

The ITC for most on-site projects will increase from 26% to 30%. This is a 10year extension of the ITC, returning to the original value of 30% and carrying it through 2032.

There is also the potential to go beyond that for commercial businesses:

• 10% bonus ITC for using domestic products/components or utilizing a brownfield

• 20% for low-income areas

• ITC has always been based on date system becomes operational, therefore most likely retroactive to JAN 01, 2022

• The carryback for the ITC (for companies that don’t have sufficient tax liability to offset the tax year their system was placed in service), went from 1 year to 3, and can be carried forward 22 years for commercial businesses.

• Commercial projects over 1 MW will have the same benefits, however 60 days after the IRS guidelines come out (they have not yet, and it may take several months), they will be subject to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements in order to receive the 30% ITC. Requirements will be waived for any project that has commenced prior to release of guidelines. It is estimated that these requirements

could raise costs by 10% or more, therefore acting now is wise.

• Keep in mind that after site visit, proposal, approval etc., interconnection could take months, therefore it could be close to a year before the project commences. Again, acting now is wise.

Nonprofits and local/state government entities can get the ITC refunded to them (as they normally cannot utilize tax incentives—they do not pay taxes). Details and parameters around this will continue to unfold.

Key Takeaway:

It is wise not to sacrifice the gains of the ITC for solar projects by waiting.

Additionally, as time passes, the inflationary impacts on the solar industry, as well as supply chain issues and rising electricity costs, make now an ideal time to not only consider, but to act on solar.

The best place to start is by speaking to a trusted advisor. Our team of experts are well-positioned to guide you on your current and future energy needs. Get started with a no cost, no obligation energy assessment today by connecting with us online here, at info@appienergy.com or by calling (800) 520-6685.

GOSEEK &

In each issue of Connect, we’ll be “hiding” a new small graphic. When you find it, email us at ConnectSeekAndFind@AmericanHort.org, and tell us where you found it.

For this issue, respond by December 1.

Congratulations to last month’s winner!

Heather Zindash

The Soulful Gardener, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Making the Transition

Article provided by Chris Cimaglio, managing partner of BEST Human Capital & Advisory Group, ccimaglio@bhcagroup.com

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. We empathized with them, and they began to apologize for their emotions. “There is no need to apologize. This is all positive,” we said. “You are grieving the business, and this is an important part of your journey and transition to what’s next.”

According to an Exit Planning Institute (EPI) report, over 75% of business owners who sell their business profoundly regret it within a year after the sale. Many owners end up grieving the loss of their business for years. Many say they have lost their identity and their reason for being. How do we avoid this seller’s remorse, and what steps can we take during the exit planning process to mitigate these feelings of regret?

Chip Conley, founder of the Modern Elder Academy, says, “We need to stop retiring from something and retire to something.

There are three values people take from their company ownership—a sense of purpose, wellness, and community. They seemingly lose all three when they retire, and it can even accelerate their mortality by several years.”

During the exit planning process, it is important to plan where the owner will find their purpose, wellness and community after the sale or outline a personal vision of what life looks like after the business. It helps frame and answers the question, “What are we retiring to?” In addition, when working with owners on their emotional readiness for the transition, “preparatory grief” or dealing with grief before the event happens is another way of preparing for the day they sign the papers and hand over the keys.

In 1969, psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross identified five stages of grief in her book, “On Death and Dying.” She noted that those experiencing grief on losing a loved one (and a business can be considered a “loved one”) go through five emotional stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

There is consistency when these five stages are applied to exit planning. According to Patrick Downing, a psychologist who has worked with exiting business owners, “Grieving the loss of a business is not a seamless process, and there will be flip flops back and forth between the emotional stages—it is not a linear progression. It is all about finding cognitive strategies to help guide you through the emotions that hit you. It helps steer the emotions in a way to help process a sale of the business.”

Exit planning itself can be akin to a grieving process.

DENIAL

There is one indisputable fact—100% of owners eventually will exit their business. It could be through family succession, sale, liquidation, closure, death or any number of reasons—many of which are outside the owner’s control. According to the EPI, 50% of these exits are involuntary, and 40% of business owners lack even a basic continuity plan (should something happen to the owner). When it comes to exit planning, denial is the biggest hurdle. When we talk to business owners and ask when they plan to exit, the typical answer is three to five years. Ask them three to five years from now, and their answer again is three to five years. Denial is clinging to a false reality, and it plays a significant role in why 70 to 80% of businesses don’t sell.

When we are asked by business owners when they should start exit planning, our answer is always a resounding “NOW!” Whether the owner is in their 20s or their 60s, we have never heard a client complain that they spent too much time planning. Planning leads to business optimization, better decision-making and less ownercentricity, all of which will drive up value in a buyer’s eyes. According to John Dini, author of Your Exit Map, “Five years is a reasonable

planning time. Ten years is better. There is no time frame that’s too far out to be thinking about your exit.”

Many owners get stuck in denial indefinitely. Overcoming denial is not easy, and it takes a lot of time, effort and focusing on the bigger picture. We start with a preparedness assessment and a valuation because denial often manifests itself in postponing a departure and what an owner perceives as the fair market value for the business.

How can one get past denial? Examine your fears, think about the consequences of doing nothing and identify the irrational beliefs and your reality. Most importantly, talk to someone—a trusted business advisor, friend or loved one you trust and express those fears and emotions. Many owners we talk to express gratitude and relief that they have someone to talk to because they cannot share their concerns with those in the business.

ANGER

Once a business owner identifies those fears, irrational beliefs and emotions that led to their denial—it is only natural to become frustrated. We have seen owners become frustrated when examining their preparedness—“I should have been doing this years ago.” We also see it when they receive a financial valuation of their business that came in lower than what they were expecting—“Can’t they see what I see?”

Unfortunately, no appraisal can account for the blood, sweat and tears the owner has poured into the business. This stage is also a time of reluctance to make a change (they can’t see a path forward) and inevitable regrets—things they should’ve done, changes they should’ve made and affixing blame.

How to get over the anger? Lean into it—don’t try to avoid it. Also, give yourself grace. According to Patrick Downing, “This is a time for owners to appreciate what they have accomplished in their business—the clients, customers, and families they have helped. It helps work through the negative cognitive thoughts, beliefs and attitudes surrounding their exit from the business.”

BARGAINING

Hope is not a strategy, and this stage usually involves the hope that an individual can avoid a cause of grief or regain some control after the denial and anger stages. While negotiation is generally welcome in exit planning, this type of bargaining is different, detrimental and usually involves changing the timing or postponing exit planning.

Bargaining is essential because the owner is willing to concede the outcome but wants more time. This stage can be uncertain, but thankfully without the denial and anger that can create major planning obstacles. Eventually, when there is no bargain to be had and the temporary pause has ended, it leads to the fourth stage: depression.

DEPRESSION

According to Patrick Downing, the most profound depression he has seen in retirements is among high-level entrepreneurs—“They simply can’t deal with what happens when they are just ‘John Smith,’ and not the president of some company.” During this stage, the owner will despair at recognizing their mortality.

In this state, the owner may become uncommunicative and closed off, and may also be depressed about a buyer’s offer, the due diligence process, or even their future

identity or legacy. Some owners struggle mightily with this stage—they are just too emotionally wrapped up in the business. Consequently, this can be an ideal time for the owner to switch gears, have fun optimizing their business for a sale, and pour themselves into the planning. According to John Dini, “As the company grows in your chosen direction, you could just be having too much fun to leave on your originally planned date. There is no antidote for depression quite like having fun and finally making the leap from working in your business to working on your business. In addition, this is where your trusted advisor can keep you focused and be an important sounding board.” According to Downing, “Now you have to redefine your life, and this can be a creative time with no playbook but starting at ground level again.” Fun for some, scary and uncertain for others, but necessary.

ACCEPTANCE

We initially thought that our clients, the ones who burst into tears, were in a state of depression. They assured us it was quite the opposite. “I can’t fight it, so I might as well prepare for it. I’m going to be okay and ready for what comes next.” Acceptance! They have since been active in optimizing their business and preparing it for sale.

Having just met with a business broker— their target date to sell is this fall.

Downing says, “Exiting a business is often an issue of identity. Is your work who you are? Preparatory grieving of the business is an important step when it comes to an end. So many do not prepare for what happens when they sell a company.”

You can have the finest advisors, achieve value for your life’s work beyond your expectations, and be financially set for

your retirement. However, if you are not ready emotionally—then you could be one who “profoundly regrets” the sale of your business and end up grieving it for years. Exit planning is not just about the transaction but also the transition of your life. Grieving the loss of your business upfront will allow you to leave it on your terms.

Mas t ery Series

SUCCESSION & EXIT PLANNING

The topic of succession and exit planning can be intimidating, but there are many stories of successful transitions to new owners and to family members in the horticultural industry. Let us help you learn from these stories during the AmericanHort Mastery Series: Succession & Exit Planning.

Taking place November 2, 9, and 16 from 1–4 PM, ET, this Mastery Series will help guide you through the process of succession and exit planning. AmericanHort has pulled together a panel of experts ranging from CEPAs (Certified Exit Planning Advisors), accounting, legal, financial planning, and organizational development professionals who will help you form a succession plan for your business.

Register today at AmericanHort.org/Succession

Another Advocacy Win for the Green Industry

Additional visas nearly double the amount available and help address peak season needs.

AmericanHort applauds the news released on October 12, 2022, from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) that they will be issuing a regulation to make available to employers an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary non-agricultural work visas for the fiscal year 2023. This amount nearly doubles the 66,000 H-2B visas normally available, providing much needed labor relief and the opportunity for better business planning in the coming year.

To help support more advocacy wins like this, consider signing up to receive PlantPac solicitations.

Email EvanL@AmericanHort.org to sign up.

“We are pleased with this announcement due to the much-needed relief it provides to our landscaping industry to find additional workers they desperately need to operate. We look forward to continuing to work hard with the H-2B Workforce Coalition to urge Congress to address the outdated H-2B visa cap and pursue long-term relief,” said Craig Regelbrugge, Executive Vice President of Advocacy, Research, and Industry Relations.

In addition to 20,000 visas reserved for nationals of Haiti and the Northern Central American countries, the remaining 44,716 supplemental visas will be available to returning workers who received an H-2B visa, or were otherwise granted H-2B status, during one of the last three fiscal years. The regulation will help meet demand during peak season by allocating the remaining supplemental visas for returning workers between the first half and second half of the fiscal year, which began October 1, 2022. Reserving visas for nationals of Haiti and Northern Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador advances the Biden Administration’s pledge to address irregular migration from those countries.

Advocacy Committee Chairman Michael Frantz, Frantz Wholesale Nursery, Hickman, CA

For additional details on this announcement, and to access the full press release, visit AmericanHort.org/NewsRoom.

Additional H-2B Work Visas Made Available for Fiscal Year 2023

“PlantPAC is an effective way for our industry to support the elected leaders who champion our issues. Your contributions are valued and critically important to this effort.”

5 Tips for Retailers on Supply Chain Changes

By Katie Gustafson, Marketing Communication Specialist, AmericanHort, KatieG@AmericanHort.org

We all know the issues in the supply chain and how they are impacting retail business today. During a recent AmericanHort webinar, Keep Your Cash Flow Going. You Earned It So Keep It, a discussion took place on best practices around inventory availability, brand changes, and keeping retail margins in line with rising retail landed costs. Here are our top five takeaways from that discussion.

1. Give your employees the tools and information to talk about price raises and other awkward topics.

With the ongoing labor challenges our industry faces, it continues to be of paramount importance to keep employees happy, informed, fulfilled, and supported. One of the hardest conversations an employee can have with a customer is, “Why is everything so much more expensive?”—especially if that employee is already struggling with inflation at home. Have transparency with your employees and a company-approved answer for that, and other awkward topics, so that they can be prepared for that question.

2. Inventory accuracy is mandatory.

Inventory processes may look different for everyone, but the only true factor to determining if it is a good process is if it is accurate. An accurate inventory process will decrease employee (and your own) stress, help with product visibility, and give you the option to move into e-commerce as the world continues to drive that direction.

3. Businesses need to focus on landed costs.

Catch your landed costs on the frontend, before product arrives, with the best estimate you can. This can be difficult,

especially with today’s supply chain issues, but is extremely important in allowing you to maintain your margins.

4. Omni-channel is changing and growing.

Omni-channel refers to all of the ways consumers are finding your business. More and more consumers are finding businesses and purchasing online. It is important to keep up with the market trend of online visibility by investing in your website, SEO, social media marketing, e-commerce and more— whether or not your actual sale is made online. (P.S. Inventory accuracy and availability is extremely important to consumers finding you online).

5. Evaluate your business personality with your customers.

Your business has a personality in the eyes of your customers—whether you set out to have one or not. It is important that the personality customers see is accurate to who you are and want to be. Some good options to learn the personality that your customers see is to create some focus groups or bring in a secret shopper.

To access the full webinar recording, visit AmericanHort.org/KC.

Spread the knowledge and pass along your Connect issue to other team members!

Don’t Forget! All your company associates are members of AmericanHort. Make sure they recieve member benefits by updating your company roster at AmericanHort.org.

Securing the Future Horticultural Research Institute: By the Industry, For the Industry

Article provided by the Horticultural Research Institute. Author: Sally Benson, HRI Contributing Author

The numbers tell a story:

In the 60 years since the establishment of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation has endowed $9.5 million in research grants and scholarships, drawing on funds contributed by horticulture industry professionals. Of that remarkable figure, $3.6 million has been distributed to more than 100 research projects in the past 10 years. This year alone, HRI will provide $417,039 to support industry-specific research.

The generosity of donors, paired with the foundation’s strategic and savvy investment plans, has created a total endowment of nearly $20 million, and it’s a figure that continues to grow. Remarkably, there are more than 200 named funds established by industry professionals, their businesses, and organizations. In addition, 103 scholarships have been awarded since 2007.

At the most recent fund-raising gathering of HRI members in July 2022, a record $882,000 was pledged on the spot. Three new funds were established, and existing fund sponsors announced additional contributions to the coffers.

“HRI has experienced incredible industry support, especially over the last five years,” states Alan Jones, HRI President (Manor View Farms, Monkton, Maryland). “The major investments made in HRI by the industry indicates that the work HRI accomplishes is valued and, in turn, allows us to tackle even more.”

But the numbers tell only part of the story. The people involved, the research conducted, the programs established, and the students supported all have contributed

to the success of HRI and, critically, to the ongoing success of the greater horticulture industry.

Sixty years ago, the Horticultural Research Institute was established on the premise that the most useful research—that which would provide practical, actionable solutions—should be determined by those professionals whose work is most directly affected: the horticulture professionals themselves. No one knows their day-to-day challenges better; no one understands their long-term goals more clearly.

From Day One, HRI has sought their input in order to drive the research that propels the industry toward growth and stability, vitality and sustainability. Industry professionals identify specific challenges and present their recommendations; HRI’s teams of industry volunteers then assess the industry relevance and scientific merit of grant proposals. Horticulture professionals also evaluate all scholarship applications.

Dan Batson, current HRI treasurer and president and CEO of Greenforest Nursery, Inc., in Perkinston, Mississippi, explains the concept:

“Those of us on the board, as well as HRI members and contributors, see this as a way for the industry itself to influence and maneuver the research that needs to be done through the universities,” he states. “We give them the ideas of what needs to be done in our industry: say, this is today’s problem, one that we need to have solved as soon as possible. The progressiveness of our industry is really dependent on people who can connect the research directly to our industry.”

Susie Usrey, vice president of customer relations for Monrovia, agrees. Susie and her husband, Bruce, long ago established research and scholarships funds, and Susie remains a staunch supporter. Research initiated by industry professionals and funded by HRI, she states, “is unique and very much needed, and handled very well. It has really made a huge difference in the industry.”

The critical influence of horticulture industry leaders identifying research needs cannot be overemphasized. “The advantage is in having industry leaders in the leadership of HRI, [who are] constantly assessing the marketplace for the most current issues that need to be studied and addressed,” asserts Dale Bachman, retired CEO of Bachman’s Inc. in Minnesota. “It’s the industry leaders who volunteer to guide the whole process of establishing the priorities, and going out and soliciting the funds, and ultimately making the decisions on what is to be funded.”

Again, who knows better how to ensure the long-term growth and strength of an industry than those whose livelihoods depend upon it?

The targeted studies that address immediate and long-term challenges, the outcomes of which directly assist horticulture industry professionals to solve problems and move forward, have run the gamut. They range from insect pest and disease prevention or control to mechanization solutions that support efficiency and precision.

“Without the experts working on some of the plant blights and insecticides and insect issues—and so forth—we probably would not have come as far as we have in the hort industry,” says Dennis Molitor, vice president of finance and accounting for Home Nursery in Albers, Illinois. “The other issue is

mechanization; we’re seeing more and more automated work issues. I consider HRI to be a huge asset when it comes to any kind of research and development for our industry.”

One area of research that has contributed to long-term industry sustainability involved pollinator health. Public concern about pesticide use, and the potential harm such chemicals can wreak upon pollinator populations, once was a public relations nightmare. Research into alternative treatments, as well as which plants the industry grows that attract pollinators and encourage a healthy population, provided solutions that helped on both fronts. Relying on trusted scientific findings, growers could treat their ornamental crops with effective alternatives, as well as grow plants proven to be beneficial to pollinators and popular among the gardening public.

“The research we did in the benefits of plants and how that contributed to pollinator health really gave our retail community something they could sink their teeth into,” offers Harvey Cotten, Ad-Hoc Development Committee Chair for HRI. “They were able to use it in their marketing efforts to increase plant sales,” to the longterm benefit of the entire industry, he adds.

The act of growing a plant is an investment in—and a commitment to—the future. And the act of investing in the horticulture industry, through targeted research and support of horticulture scholars, ensures that the future is vital, strong, and able to support generations to come.

This Giving Tuesday (or today!), please consider a financial contribution to HRI.

Text the word HORT to 44321 to give.

HRI is proud to be fully supported by green industry members.

Opportunities for Education & Connection

Webinars

Women In Horticulture Interview: November 2022

Karin Walters and Christa Steenwyk, Walters Gardens

November 1, 2 PM, ET

Succession and Exit Planning Mastery Series

MANAGEMENT

Presented by an expert panel of exit planning advisors

Class 1: Discovery

November 2, 1–4 PM, ET

Class 2: Prepare

November 9, 1–4 PM, ET

Class 3: Decide

November 16, 1–4 PM, ET

Register for all Events and Webinars by going to AmericanHort.org/Education

Smart Plants—Magical Interactions Between Flowers and Their Pollinators

Dr. Robert Geneve, University of Kentucky

November 3, 11 AM, ET

AmericanHort—State of the Industry Update

Economic and Political Analysis and Points of View for Our Industry

Presented by members of the AmericanHort Advocacy Team:

Ken Fisher, President & Chief Executive Officer

Craig Regelbrugge, Executive Vice President Advocacy, Research, & Industry Relations

Dr. Charlie Hall, AmericanHort Chief Economist

Sara Neagu-Reed, Director, Advocacy & Government Affairs

Evan Lee, Director, Policy & Government Relations

November 17, 3 PM, ET

About AmericanHort

AmericanHort is the national association of horticulture businesses and professionals across the spectrum of the industry.

Perform better, grow stronger, and prepare for the future as a member of AmericanHort, the green industry’s leading association. AmericanHort.org

AmericanHort Connect

2022: November

Hello@AmericanHort.org

2130 Stella Court Columbus, Ohio 43215-1033 USA

(614) 487-1117 Main

©2022 AmericanHort. All rights reserved. This material may contain confidential information and it is for the sole use of AmericanHort members. The information contained herein is for general guidance and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. It cannot be distributed, reprinted, retransmitted, or otherwise made public without prior written permission by AmericanHort. Please contact the editor at (614) 487-1117 for permission with acknowledgment.

Welcome

New AmericanHort Members!

A very warm welcome to the new AmericanHort members that joined in the months of August and September!

PLUS

Beneficial Insectary, Redding, CA

Ship My Plants, Winfield, IN

Jenny Mannix, Walkerton, IN

Bloomin’ Easy Plants, Abbotsford, BC

BASIC

Sylva Corporation Inc, Princeton, MN

Nichino America, Cleveland, OH

Hall’s Tenoveus, Swartz Creek, MI

GentleBrook Farm & Greenhouse, Hartville, OH

Fifth Season, Pittsburgh, PA

Tomato Girl LLC, Easton, PA

Swan River Gardens, Bigfork, MT

O’Toole’s Garden Centers, Lakewood, CO

Atlanta Growers, Douglasville, GA

Grannys Garden Center, Borden, IN

Leaf Book CFO Services LLC, Minor Hill, TN

Premier Growers of America, Winter Haven, FL

Opel Growers, Hudsonville, MI

Weatherly IP Solutions, LLC, Lakewood, CO

Baucom’s Nursery Company, Charlotte, NC

Melissa Hall Garden Design, Southern Pines, NC

Fuzzy Farms LLC, Cleveland, OH

The Magnolia Company, Barberville, FL Marders, Bridgehampton, NY

Little Leaf Farms, Shirley, MA

Wilbur-Ellis, Mcminnville, OR

Keeping it Green, Helena, MT

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS

Michael Paquette, Bonnie Plants LLC, Watsonville, CA

Jennifer Urias, Wonderful Nurseries, Wasco, CA

Lauren Guyer, Guyers Greenhouse

Alyson DeNittis, Progressive Plants Inc, Copperton, UT

Stuart Schley, Bonnie Plants

Jacob Cobb, Downtown Market, Grand Rapids, MI

ACADEMIC MEMBERS

Max Harary, Edison, NJ

Thomas Selby, Corvallis, MT

Kale McCollum, Bismarck, ND

Jim Griffin, Columbus, OH

Tanzeel Rehman, West Lafayette, IN

Maria Hernandez Martinez, Granville, OH

Minda Daughtry, Sylva, NC

David Laverty, Thornton, CO

STUDENT MEMBERS

Jarrod Simonson, Charlotte, NC

Alexander Ramey, Ann Arbor, MI

Jordan Papadelis, Troy, MI

Joshua Mueller, Commerce Township, MI

Jeff Bates, Columbus, OH

Jason Hollick, Dublin, OH

Emily Bethke, Columbus, OH

Elizabeth Sidorenko, Columbus, OH

Evonne Greene, Georgetown, DE

Heather Ruiz

Darby Oliver

Jake Zajkowski

Julie Eisenberg

Stacie Martin

RETIREE MEMBERS

Wendy Strainic, Windsor, OH

Andrew Horowitz

Terry Piper, Melbourne, FL

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