VNLA News - Spring 2024

To Our 2023 Advertisers

Babikow Greenhouse 3 www.babikow.com

Bennett’s Creek Nursery 9 www.bcnursery.com

Bremo Trees 15 www.bremotrees.com

Cam Too Camellia Nursery, Inc. 6 www.camtoocamellia.com

Greene County Fertilizer Co. ....... 15 www.greenecountyfert.com

Leading Edge Communications .. Inside Front Cover www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

masLABOR Back Cover www.maslabor.com

Pender Nursery, Inc. 5 www.pendernursery.com

Phillips & Turman Tree Farms 15 PhillipsAndTurmanTreeFarms.com

Virginia Turfgrass Council 7 www.vaturf.org The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, VNLA News, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2024 by the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association. VNLA News is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: VNLA News allows re- printing of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information.

Spring has sprung!

cross the Commonwealth, VNLA members that I have spoken with are busy with planting, shipping, spring clean ups and stocking shelves. While traveling the January trade show circuit this year, most of the responses I received about how this spring looked business-wise were cautious optimism. Early indicators so far appear favorable as we try and navigate this post Covid economy.

Speaking of trade shows, MANTS was a big success! There were over 11,000 attendees, including exhibitors

this year. I visited a number of VNLA members’ booths, and all commented on how busy the show had been. I also took the opportunity to introduce Katie Hellebush of Hellebush Consulting to members who were on the show floor. With the departure of Shellie Archer as executive director of the VNLA, the executive committee as well as the board decided that a management company was more in line with the goals of the VNLA. Katie and her team came on board the first of the year and hit the ground running. Along with Katie, who will be

assisting in our legislative efforts, her team also includes Jamie Maccaroni who will handle communications and events, Kelly Noon who will be focusing on membership, and Deputy Director Tamara Ridenour who will assist the team where needed.

During MANTS, we had our annual VNLA membership breakfast where we updated the membership on the progress we have made as well as future goals. At the meeting, Christopher Brown (Chair of the Research Foundation) announced that we would contribute $100,000 to an endowment to the Horticulture Research Institute. This endowment will go towards the research of a number of issues facing Virginia’s horticulture industry. I also would like to congratulate Mike Hildebrand for receiving the Distinguished Professional Award, Trista Imrich for the Environmental Steward Award, and Tony Orbrand for the Young Professional award. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting!

Our next event will be our annual Field Day held July 25 at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center. This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up on the latest industry news, network with peers and earn CEU’s. More details to come but be sure to check out our website, www.VNLA.org, for an updated schedule of events as well to stay current on our legislative efforts, certification information and all things VNLA!

I hope you all have a prosperous spring season. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself, the board of directors or Hellebush Consulting should you have questions!

Jason Stern

2024 VNLA President

MANTS Welcomes More Than 11,000 Horticulture Professionals to Baltimore to Jump Start 2024 Trade Show Season

2024 Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), known as the Masterpiece of Trade Shows,™ brought together over 11,200 attendees, including exhibitors, at the Baltimore Convention Center from January 10 through 12.

A sold-out tradeshow floor featured 920 exhibitors spread across 1,532 booths showcasing an extensive array of plants, nursery stock, heavy and light-duty equipment, and industry innovations. Drawing attendees and exhibitors from diverse geographical locations, MANTS attracted high-level decision makers, with over 82 percent of attendees identified as influencers or final decision makers maintaining the show’s reputation as the tradeshow where solid business relationships are built.

“MANTS 2024 has been another amazing show for us,” shared Ken Kuhajda, Director of Marketing, OHP, Inc. “Even after 40 years of exhibiting and sponsoring, we look forward to attending because it is the best place to start our year with the most optimistic, high-quality, industry decision-makers. This is a pure business show. We don’t compete with seminars and keynote speakers. We DO business.”

Throughout the three-day show, MANTS consistently demonstrated its role as an impactful event for networking, knowledge exchange, and a showcase for the latest trends and products in the horticulture industry. With a format that encourages peer-to-peer collaboration and meaningful professional engagement among attendees and exhibitors, it puts business at the core of all show activities.

“The success of MANTS 2024 is a clear indicator of the vitality and dynamism of the green industry,” said Vanessa A. Finney, Executive Vice President of MANTS. “We are proud to have created and sustained an event that not only showcases the latest industry innovations but also serves as a catalyst for significant business relationships and economic growth.”

MANTS returns to the Baltimore Convention Center January 8 – 10, 2025. For more information, visit www.MANTS.com or call 410-296-6959.

Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, MANTS, is known as the Masterpiece of Trade Shows™ and is sponsored by the State Nursery and Landscape Associations of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. MANTS is the place where horticulture industry leaders gather every January because MANTS means business.

#MANTSBaltimore | #MANTS2024

Contact: Sara Warfield

Sara Warfield Communications, LLC 410-952-1271 | Sara@SaraWarfieldCommunications.com

Distinguished Virginia Professional of the Year, Michael Hildebrand, Owner / President James River Nurseries

Incoming VNLA President Jason Stern thanks Immediate Past President Chris Dowdy for his leadership.

Environmental Award, Trista Imrich, Business Owner, Landscape Designer, VA Certified Horticulturist, CBLP Level 2, Wild Works of Whimsy / Southern Branch Nursery

Congratulations to VNLA Young Professional of the Year, Tony Orband, Associate Director, Grounds and Gardens, College of William and Mary (not in attendance)

VNLA

STERN JASON Meet

AS 2024 VNLA Board President

VNLA begins a new growing season, our new Board President Jason Stern shares a bit about his own path in the nursery industry and how a new board and management team plan to grow into the future.

Tell us about your career in the green industry.

I own Stern Horticultural Sales. I work with liner nurseries on the West Coast right now to provide nurseries in Virginia with plants to grow on or to flip. I’ve been in the nursery industry for 20 years. I’ve worked for nurseries in Maryland and Virginia.

How recently did you start your own business?

A little over a year ago. Prior to that I spent three years working in sales in the mid-Atlantic for Bailey Nurseries. From 2010 to 2019 I was production manager at Eastern Shore Nursery of Virginia. From 2004 until 2010 I worked for Speakman Nurseries on the eastern shore of Maryland.

What made you decide to start your own business?

Owning a business has always been something I wanted to do. I went to school for agricultural business. My dreams were to own my own nursery one day; however, life pushes you in different

directions as you get older. This was the next best thing. I own a business on my terms. I’m a single employee, of which there are benefits. There are trials and tribulations that come with having multiple employees or a larger operation, so in my opinion this is the best of all worlds.

What has surprised you in this first year of entrepreneurship?

This is certainly not a surprise but I have learned the most important thing is budgeting, especially in this industry which is so cyclical during the year. You have busy times and slower times; and you have to be able to manage yourself and manage your budget, mind your expenses. That’s the biggest thing I’ve focused on this year.

You’ve experienced different areas of employment –how did you manage the leap from production to the sales world?

In the mid-Atlantic, my ability to lean on my wide range of experience helps when I visit my customers. My previous production and buying experiences made the transition more smooth. I knew what I wanted from a salesperson (production tips, prompt replies and a pulse on the industry) and that is how I approach sales. It helps because I have been there, I’ve done it, and I can understand what customers are going through.

“With

What are your goals for the business moving forward?

Slow to moderate growth as well as exploring new opportunities with existing and new customers. I want to be mindful of growing too much too fast. I want to spend time with these growers and work with them.

How does your career experience relate to your leadership role within VNLA?

A lot of my customers are VNLA members. When I visit, it’s a dual purpose. The biggest focus for VNLA is membership engagement. This year as I visit Virginia nurseries, I’m going to bring up VNLA more, encourage attendance at different events and stay vocal within the organization. We do have a lot going on this year. With the new management company and reprioritizing some new directives for VNLA, it’s a good time to have membership input.

a new management company in place, as a board, we’re very excited at the possibilities and where this will take us in the future as an organization. We’re excited for the future.”

With the management change, will the Board roles change as well?

For 2024, the Board will be more involved and in more direct contact with members. We’re very thankful for Shellie and all the work she’s done with us over the last several years. This is an opportunity to start a new chapter, take a pulse to make sure we are providing value to our members and address new objectives in the next two to five years. It’s a good re-energization for the board and members.

What does life look like outside of work for you?

My wife Susan and I have been married 17 years and we have three teenagers. The kids have events that keep us busy, but living on the shore, we also enjoy time out on the water fishing and tubing! •

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Industry Leaders Applaud Bipartisan AgWorking Group’s Final Report

Contact: Ben Goldey & Kelsey Holt

WASHINGTON, DC — Industry leaders and associations are applauding the release of the House Committee on Agriculture’s bipartisan Agriculture LaborWorking Group’s final report. The final report is the product of a months-long effort to identify workforce challenges faced by the agriculture industry and propose potential legislative solutions to them.

Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation: “AFBF thanks the Agriculture Labor Working Group for making improvements to the H-2A program a priority when they could have looked the other way. That’s what leadership is all about. We hope this work is followed by action. America’s farmers and ranchers are counting on Congress to address this issue before more farms go under.”

Gregg Doud, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation: “We commend the House Agriculture Committee and its Ag Labor Working Group for forging ahead and reaching agreement on recommendations to make badly needed reforms to our nation’s H-2A agricultural visa program. We are especially grateful for the working group’s unanimous support for allowing dairy farmers and other year-round employers long-sought access to the program.Dairy’s workforce needs remain dire, and we urge Congress to heed the AgLabor Working Group’s strong recommendation. Again, thanks to the committee and to its leadership, Chairman GT Thompson, R-PA, and RankingMember David Scott, D-GA, as well as Working Group co-chairs Reps. RickCrawford, R-AR, and Don Davis, D-NC, for their bipartisan leadership in this important and timely effort.”

Ken Fisher, President and CEO, AmericanHort: “AmericanHort commends the House Agriculture Committee for establishing the Agricultural LaborWorking Group and applauds the group’s efforts to improve the availability of labor through programs like H-2A, which has been a critical program for the agriculture and horticulture industries. We encourage the group to continue to advocate for policies that improve the H2A and H-2B programs, particularly in reforming the Adverse Effect Wage Rate policies and granting year-round industries access to the H-2A program.”

Cathy Burns, CEO, International Fresh Produce Association: “The bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group has identified a bipartisan roadmap to get the relief, particularly wage relief, that the fresh produce and floral industry needs to survive. Congress cannot continue to rely on the undeniable tenacity of the American farmer to figure out a way to survive under the current broken system and must act now to prevent more farms from going out of business.”

The National Council of Agricultural Employers: “The National Council ofAgricultural Employers (NCAE) represents over 85% of America’s farm and ranch families who utilize the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker Program. NCAE applauds the solid bipartisan work of the Agricultural Labor WorkingGroup and its leadership in advocating for much needed and necessary reform to the H-2A Program. Timely passage of these proposed reforms by theCommittee of Jurisdiction will stem the flight of U.S. food production to our foreign competition and enhance America’s national security.”

Chuck Conner, President and CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives: “I would like to commend the Agriculture Labor Working Group for taking a thoughtful, bipartisan approach to looking at the H-2A agricultural visa program and the changes needed to ensure that it can better helpAmerica’s farmers, ranchers and growers meet their labor needs. In particular, the recommendations recognize the need to both streamline the current process and make changes to the program to ensure that it is available to all producers, including those with year-round needs, and cooperatives. We believe that these recommendations can provide a solid basis for future legislation to address the broad range of ag labor needs faced by farmers, ranchers and growers across the U.S. and urge Congress to act on such a bill without delay.”

Rob Larew, President, National Farmers Union: “I’d like to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Scott for coming together to create the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group. NFU is pleased to see that the report includes many policy priorities that we supported, including provisions from the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. I

commend the House AgricultureCommittee for highlighting how urgently we need reforms to agricultural labor in the U.S.”

Mark Barnett, President, Livestock Marketing Association: “We applaud the hard work of the bipartisan Agriculture Labor Working Group. These efforts have led to common sense policy recommendations, such as removing the seasonality requirement, that would greatly improve the ability of more agriculture businesses

Michael Dykes, DVM, President and CEO, International Dairy FoodsAssociation: “The chronic shortage of workers on dairy farms, in manufacturing facilities, and throughout the dairy supply chain has been a problem for decades and continues to hinder our industry’s ability to grow today. Congress can begin to address our workforce challenges by reforming the H-2A program and allowing the entire U.S. dairy supply chain to access a reliable pool of guest-workers. IDFA is grateful to the bipartisan members of theHouse Committee on Agriculture Labor Working Group for their recognition of the challenges unique to yearround dairy product production, and for championing reforms that would provide tangible workforce solutions for dairy farms, manufacturers, and the entire supply chain.”

The Meat Institute: “The Meat Institute thanks Chairman Thompson for his leadership and Reps. Crawford and Davis for co-chairing the Agricultural LaborWorking Group for their attention to the critical issue of agricultural labor. TheMeat Institute appreciates the Working Group’s recognition of the labor needs of the industry sectors providing the initial preparation and processing of agricultural commodities, such as the meat and poultry industry. For the supply chain to operate effectively, all segments must be able to meet their labor needs.” •

Rendering of the proposed new structure by Hill Studio

Alternative Chemical Control Tactics for the Red headed Flea Beetle in Ornamentals

By Julie Brindley and Alejandro Del Pozo – Virginia Tech, Department of Entomology, Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, VA

Abstract: Systena frontalis (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), commonly known as the red headed flea beetle, is a key pest under contain erized nursery production, defoliating several plant taxa including hydrangeas, sweet spire iteas and hollies. Affected growers can spray both pyrethroids and neonicotinoid s u p to two times a week during the peak of seasonal activity of this pest. The main goal of this project is to propose alternative control tactics for this beetle, including the use of 1 ) individual leaf bioassays, 2) drenches and top dressed granular formulations, and 3) foliar spray applications of alternative chemicals, irrigation regimes and volume. Ultimately, this rese arc h seeks to provide additional information on effective control tactics to manage this pest while reducing operational costs, non target effects and the exposure of workers in the nursery industry.

Insecticide Efficacy Bioassays

Fig. 1. Hydrangea leaf insecticide bioassay initiation, one adult per dish, nine insecticide treatments and an untreated control.

Fig. 2. 30 second dip bioassay results shown as the proportion of adults alive at 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours after initiation.

Fig. 3. Residual bioassays where beetles were exposed to hydrangea leaves 3 days post insecticide application. Results shown as the proportion of adults dead at 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours after bioassay initiation.

Fig. 4. Residual bioassays where beetles were exposed to hydrangea leaves 7 days post insecticide application. Results are shown as the proportion of adults dead at 24, 48, and 168 hours after bioassay initiation.

Discussion

• Container plant nursery growers continue to face challenges controlling red headed flea beetles and subsequent plant damage which results in unmarketable plant material.

• This research investigated both industry standard and alternative chemicals under controlled laboratory and field conditions, targeting both larvae and adults.

• Results highlight several points:

• Alternative chemicals such as Tetrino and XXpire may have potential as tools in chemical treatment plans for both larvae and adults.

• Targeting first generation larvae in the plant substrate with effective insecticides can potentially reduce adult emergence in spring.

• Residual effects of insecticide treatments appear to be variable and short, with mortality not occurring beyond day 3 post application. Irrigation and other environmental conditions may contribute to this issue.

• Considering these results, future research should continue investigating new and alternative chemicals, additional timing and technique of larvae substrate applications to target multiple generations, and irrigation scheduling and adjuvants to prolong post application efficacy.

Drench and Top dress Field Trials

Fig. 6. Top: 2023 drench (Arena clothianidin, Tetrino tetraniliprole, XXpire sulfoxaflor + spinetoram) and top dress (Acelepryn chlorantraniliprole, Advion indoxacarb, Meridian thiamethoxam) substrate insecticide applications targeting larvae applied at approximately 500 GDD at base 50 F. Bottom: 2022 drench only (Altus flupyradifurone, Apta tolfenpyrad, Grandevo Chromobacteria , Mainspring cyantraniliprole) substrate insecticide applications targeting larvae applied at approximately 400 GDD50

Foliar Insecticide Field Trial

Fig. 7. Foliar insecticide applications, including Flagship thiamethoxam, Talstar bifenthrin, Merit imidacloprid, Scimitar lambda cyhalothrin, on containerized hydrangeas under either industry standard overhead irrigation or manual hand watering conditions.

Acknowledgments: We would like to thank Cody Herbert of Bennett’s Creek Nursery and Joe Compton of Lancaster Farms Nursery for their support. We would also like to thank Joseph Leo, Mireya Turcios, and Alecia Fischman for their technical assistance. This work was funded by the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association and the VA Tech Hatch Project number VA 160164.

Fig. 5. Top: Adult red headed flea beetle on containerized Itea. Bottom: Red headed flea beetle larvae.