The Scoop - December 2020

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

TOP 10 ANNUALS

OVERCOMING TREE BORERS PLUS:

THE BENEFITS OF NORTHERN GREEN VIRTUAL

ALSO INSIDE:

EAB CONTINUES TO SPREAD

december 2020 n v43 n12

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E M I N N E S OTA N U R S E RY & L A N DS C A P E A SS OC I AT I ON

YOUR ICE MELT

WHOLESALE

HEADQUARTERS!

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Winter Tools

• Spreaders • Driveway markers • Shovels

DON’T LET THIS SLIP AWAY! We deliver bulk & bagged ice melt.

Eagan Location 1980 Seneca Road Eagan, MN 55122 651-361-8500

Loretto Location 6265 County Rd 19 Loretto, MN 55357 763-479-1481

Elk River Location 906 Hwy 10 Elk River, MN 55330 763-241-4930

Inver Grove Heights Location 5500 Blaine Avenue Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076 651-450-0277

gertenswholesale.com | P: 651-450-0277 | F: 651-450-9380 | E: wholesale@gertens.com

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demand performance.

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR WORK-READY TRUCKS & A LIST OF STOCKING DEALERS

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december 2020 n v43 n12

17 44

8 Events 29

10 5 Benefits of Northern Green Going Virtual Executive Director Larson discusses how change can be good and will provide wider access.

26 Northern Green Virtual Details Northern Green is now more accessible and

37

12

Business Succession Planning Attorney Bryan Zlimen discusses how having a succession plan is a roadmap

affordable than ever!

30 FAQ Resource on the New H-2A Wage Rule Available from AmericanHort Learn where to access this new resource.

for the future of your business. 

42 Oak Tree Pruning

17

EAB Continues to Spread in Minnesota

Barrie Anderson reminds us to prune judiciously and often when your plants are young!

Dr. Calkins explains that EAB is now on the rise in Minnesota and what related federal and local actions are on the horizon.    

44 Green Industry Leadership Institute Why you should consider investing in the next

29

NCROC Top 10 Annual Flowers Learn about this year’s top performers from the University of Minnesota’s North Central Research and Outreach Center.   

generation of leaders within your business.

46 Election Notice and Annual Meeting Update Learn about the candidates up for election for the MNLA Board of Directors and a new format for

34

Developing the 2021 MNLA Legislative Agenda Director of Government Affairs Cyr reviews the process by which member input is used to develop the annual legislative agenda. 

the MNLA Annual Meeting.

47 Mentorship Program New to the industry or looking for sage professional advice? Consider signing up for the

37

Tree Borer Challenges Can be Overcome

MNLA Membership Program.

Starting with healthy plants is key, but scouting, pest identification, life-cycle management, and sanitation are equally important.       Landscape & Hardscape Install & Design  Garden Services & Landscape Mgmt  Garden Centers  Growers: Nursery & Greenhouse  Irrigation & Water Mgmt  Arborists & Tree Services  All

Cover photo: iStock.com/PharmShot. Table of Contents Images: Top: iStock.com/bkkm. Middle: Leanne Stanley. Bottom: MDA.

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

5

DIRECTORY

december 2020 n v43 n12

MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION Successful Businesses Grow Here!

1813 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville, MN 55113 651-633-4987 • Fax: 651-633-4986 Outside the metro area, toll free: 888-886-MNLA, Fax: 888-266-4986 www.MNLA.biz • www.NorthernGreen.org Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tim Malooly, CID, CLIA, CIC, President Water in Motion 763-559-7771 • timm@watermotion.com Randy Berg, Vice-President Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • randy@bergsnursery.com Matt Mallas, Secretary-Treasurer Hedberg Supply 763-512-2849 • mmallas@hedbergaggregates.com Faith Appelquist, MNLA-CP Tree Quality LLC 612-618-5244 • faith@treequality.com Patrick McGuiness Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC (651) 331-6500 • pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com Mike McNamara Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping 651-437-9463 • mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com John O’Reilly Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping 952-473-5425 • j.oreilly@ottenbros.com Jeff Pilla, MNLA-CP Professional Turf, Inc. (Proturf) 952-469-8680 • jeff@professionalturf.com Nick Sargent, MNLA-CP Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc. 507-289-0022 • njsargent@sargentsgardens.com Cassie Larson, CAE MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz STAFF DIRECTORY Executive Director: Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz Membership Director & Trade Show Manager: Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz Communications Dir.: Jon Horsman, CAE • jon@mnla.biz Education/Cert. Manager: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz Dir. of Government Affairs: Forrest Cyr • forrest@mnla.biz Regulatory Affairs Manager: Jim Calkins • jim@mnla.biz Accountant: Kris Peterson • kris@mnla.biz Foundation Program Coordinator: Paulette Sorenson • paulette@mnla.biz Administrative Assistant: Lora Sondrol • lora@mnla.biz Advertising Sales: 763-295-5420 Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com Legislative Affairs Consultant: Doug Carnival 6

MNLA.BIZ december 20

Anderson Nurseries, Inc. ................................................................... 22 Aspen Equipment ................................................................................ 16 Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes ............................... 3 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ............................... 16 Central Landscape Supply ................................................................ 35 Contree Sprayer & Equipment Co, LLC ........................................... 35 Cushman Motor Co. Inc ...................................................................... 14 Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ................................................................ 11 Frost Inc ................................................................................................. 22 Fury Motors ........................................................................................... 23 Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply ............................. 2 Glacial Ridge Growers .......................................................................... 9 Hedberg Supply ................................................................................... 35 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet ..................................................................... 24–25 Lano Equipment, Inc. .......................................................................... 41 Maguire Agency .................................................................................... 36 Minnesota Propane Association ...................................................... 41 Monroe Truck Equipment .................................................................... 4 Out Back Nursery ................................................................................. 36 Plaisted Companies .............................................................................. 7 The Resultants ...................................................................................... 11 Rock Hard Landscape Supply ........................................................... 36 SMSC Organics Recycling Facility .................................................... 28 The Tessman Company ......................................................................... 9 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. .......................................................................... 32 Truck Utilities, Inc. ............................................................................... 36 United Label & Sales ............................................................................ 9 Versa-Lok Midwest .............................................................................. 15 Ziegler CAT ............................................................................. Back Cover

UPCOMING

MNLA is continuing to plan education and events for the green industry. All precautions will be taken to meet social distancing requirements and the guidelines set in place by local and state agencies as well as venues. Should changes occur causing an event to be cancelled due to COVID-19 issues, your registration would be refunded in full.

JAN

11 –14

NORTHERN GREEN VIRTUAL This exceptional virtual experience will keep with our tradition of providing quality education, a first-class exhibit hall with one-on-one opportunities to meet with vendors, and social events to allow attendees to mingle, catch up with friends, and network.

NorthernGreen.org

FEB

05



MNLA CERTIFICATION EXAM Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2021. Also offered Feb. 12 and 19th.

Roseville ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

11



MTGF: GREEN INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY There have been tremendous strides in user friendly technology all throughout the Green Industry. This online workshop will focus on the technology available to industry practitioners and how it can benefit you and your career.

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

15 +22



FAVORITE PLANTS FOR MINNESOTA GARDENS A plethora of best performing landscape plants — from woody trees, shrubs and conifers, to herbaceous perennials, annuals and even houseplants will be featured. With so many great plants to share, this class is being offered on two days. Join us for one or both!

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

17



GOING FROM GOOD TO GREAT – HARDSCAPE EFFICIENCY BOOTCAMP WITH FRANK BOURQUE This interactive workshop includes a combination of presentations and team engagement exercises. We’ll also be building a strategic business plan for the four departments every landscape/hardscape business must navigate and systemize: marketing, admin, production, and sales.

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

iStock.com/gpointstudio

FEB

18



LANDSCAPE DESIGN CHALLENGE Who’s up for a design challenge? We’re looking for attendees who are ready to contribute ideas, learn from others in a creative process, and work together on solutions.

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

The Scoop, December 2020, Issue 12 is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats

FEB

24

published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2020, and may not be used



without written permission of MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave

PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION WORKSHOP Pending approval by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, this workshop meets Commercial Pesticide Applicator Requirements for Category A (Core) and Category E (Turf and Ornamentals). Recertification for optional Categories F (Aquatics) or P (Vertebrate

N., Roseville, MN 55113. Subscription price is $99 for one

Pest) will also be offered.

year, which is included with member dues. POSTMASTER:

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

Send address changes to The Scoop, MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113.

Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your

2020 MNLA seminars

expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts

generously supported by:

should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific experiences. When submitting an article, please contact the publisher at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987. MNLA



reserves the right to edit all Scoop content.

➽Information on industry events: MNLA.biz/events. Free member-only videos: MNLA.biz/OnlineEducation.

8

MNLA.BIZ december 20

Business

 Skills Training

 Networking



Leadership Development

General

nativE Plants MN Dept of Ag. approved plant production “pollinator friendly”

NEW 6” WIDE PRINTING

Wildflowers, Grasses, Sedges, Rushes & Ferns

Wholesale native plants in 4” pots or economy plugs for larger projects.

NeW! Some of our natives will now be available in jumbo square pots throughout the growing season.

All native plants are tagged and bar-coded for retail sales.

WHOlEsalE

BEdding Plants

Annuals, Baskets, Herbs, Vegetable Plants & Certified Organic Plants also available.

Wholesale Minnesota hardy perennials in 18 count trays.

Special order perennial 32 count trays are also available.

All plants are individually tagged for resale with color photo tags.

www.UnitedLabel.com United Label & Sales Cleveland, OH 216-226-4030

All of our plants are produced with sustainable, bee-friendly practices.

Greenhouse 25132 250th Ave. Glenwood, MN 56334 Phone: 320.634.0136 Fax: 320.634.3931 email: glacridgegrowers@aol.com Website: www.glacialridgegrowers.com

Early OrdEr discOunts cOntact us fOr a frEE catalOg

WINTER IS HERE. DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE COLD.

ECO-GUARD LIQUID ICE MELT Eco-Guard contains no Chlorides or Nitrogen, it is biodegradable and Potassium Acetate based.

The product is approved by the FAA and used on taxiways/runways, municipal sidewalks, roads, bridges and parking lots. *Effective to -75º F depending on the amount of precipitation in the snow and number of applications of product. This product can be used as a preventative.

CALL YOUR TESSMAN REP FOR A QUOTE! FARGO, ND

610 39th Street N Fargo, ND 58102 Phone: (701) 232-7238

ST. PAUL, MN 1300 Slyvan Street St. Paul, MN 55117

Phone: (651) 487-3850

TEA, SD

46954 Mindy Street Tea, SD 57064 Phone: (605) 368-2586

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

5 Benefits of Northern Green Going Virtual Cassie Larson

MNLA Executive Director

Even in an industry where every year is different, 2020 has been exceptional. Despite our hope to hold an in-person event in January, Northern Green is going online. How

iStock.com/iNueng

are you dealing with that news?

Virtual 10

MNLA.BIZ december 20

Are you grieving the opportunities you’ll miss by not being face-to-face with your green industry friends and business partners? Or maybe you’re relieved that you won’t have to decide whether to travel in these strange times, whether to shake hands or not, wear a mask or not, or make a myriad of other decisions that were once much easier. Or maybe you feel a little of both.

Let’s face it: change can be tough. Even good change. It can involve denial, anger, bargaining and depression before you finally reach acceptance. But sometimes, when we’re lucky, change can make our lives better. That’s the case when it comes to this year’s Northern Green event. Here are five ways that you will benefit from Northern Green going digital and becoming more accessible than ever before.

• More is better when it comes to your team. By going digital, we’re making it even more affordable for you to give more of your team access to Northern Green.

That makes it easier, more effective, and more effi-

cient to create real positive change and growth based on what you learn at the event. You’ll be able to inspire buy-in for new ideas you want to put to work in your company by participating in sessions as a team, and you can build a plan to make it happen together with the employees who will execute it.

• More is better, times three when it comes to education.

When you’re in-person at Northern Green, you must choose between several educational sessions that run at the same time throughout the event. When you attend Northern Green Virtual, you can experience one session during the scheduled time, then circle back to attend the other two sessions in your spare time later that day, in your pajamas that night, or anytime that’s convenient for you (sessions are available until September 1, 2021).

• More is better when it comes to best practice sharing.

We’ve always believed in the power of industry pro-

“

THE NORTHERN GREEN EXPERIENCE WILL REMAIN THE SAME IN THAT IT OFFERS EXCELLENT CONTENT, RELEVANT RESOURCES, EXHIBITS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS ENHANCED ONLINE INTERACTION.

”

fessionals learning from each other, and Northern Green has always attracted the industry’s best. With the tools available to us in this digital environment, attendees will have the opportunity to share what is working and not working in their businesses with each other. They’ll be able to use the chat and Q&A features during the education sessions, participate in coffee chat discussions on the topics that matter most to them and to their employees, and learn from each other.

• More is better with all your vendors in one place at one time. The Northern Green experience will remain the same in that it offers excellent content, relevant resources, exhibits and networking opportunities, as well as for enhanced online interaction. We miss face-to-face and are sure you do too! So, we made sure that you will be able to visit with vendors online using either video or text chat. Whatever your preference, you won’t want to miss learning about all the new products and services available from vendors in 2021! It’s a one stop online shopping experience to kick off 2021.

• You’re in charge. Northern Green Virtual will provide the opportunity for you and your team to take advantage of the training, tools and professional connections the event provides. We encourage you to create an education plan for yourself and your employees. All those who participate get the chance for professional development, and the resulting growth will benefit your organization and customers.

In the meantime, as we work to finalize this year’s educational line-up, we’re also working on a guide to Northern Green Virtual that will help you make the most of the education, people, tools and technology it will offer. We can’t wait to join you for Northern Green Virtual, January 11–14, 2021!

SNOW DOESN’T STAND A CHANCE. BLADES

ROTARY BOOMS

V-BLADES

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Equip your zero-turn Grasshopper with one of our heavy-duty snow removal implements, that’s designed for your location and you’ll power through deep, heavy, wet snow like a hot knife through butter. www.edneyco.com 888.443.3639

CONNECT WITH US

➽ MNLA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CASSIE LARSON can be reached at 651-633-4987 or cassie@mnla.biz. december 20 MNLA.BIZ

11

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

12

MNLA.BIZ december 20

BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING Bryan Zlimen Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC

A SUCCESSION PLAN IS A BUSINESS’S ROAD MAP FOR THE FUTURE, detailing who will step into key roles should an owner step away from their day-to-day responsibilities. An effective succession plan offers clear direction and guidance for the business, its remaining owners, and its future leaders.

It can be hard to prioritize succession planning when you’re busy running a business but often the times when these plans are needed most come without warning. When life takes an unexpected turn, having a plan can reduce stress, confusion, and conflict for you and your business.

The initial steps to creating a plan are fairly simple - here are a few key things to consider: Financial Documents Ensure all of your company’s financial documents are in an organized and specific location. The key to a smooth transition of ownership starts with consolidating documents such as company valuation data, inventory, tax returns and up-to-date financial records. For anyone stepping into a leadership role, this information will be important. Proactively organizing financial documents also protects the business in the event an owner has to sell unexpectedly, or a family member must handle the transition under more dire circumstances.

iStock.com/Rost-9D

Business Property The business should ensure that equipment used by the business is either leased to or titled in the name of the business. Assets that belong to an individual become part of that person’s estate if they die or are placed under a conservatorship, so ensuring that the business retains access to and use of all of its equipment is critical. Likewise, if an owner has an asset that is used by the business, but the owner wants to retain that asset when they leave, that needs to be agreed upon and noted as well.

Create a Buy-Sell Agreement Buy-sell agreements are contracts used to determine what happens if an owner passes away, falls ill, or wants to sell his or her ownership share. There are several different factors to consider when creating a buy-sell agreement and as with most legal documents, it is a good idea to consult with an attorney. Buy-Sell Agreements will generally cover issuance of new ownership interests, voluntary december 20 MNLA.BIZ

13

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

Mow Slopes

Aeration & Overseed

iStock.com/Rost-9D

YOUR ONE TRACTOR SOLUTION Fall Cleanup

Schedule a Ventrac DEMO with:

Cushman Motor Company, Inc. 2909 E Franklin Ave • Minneapolis, MN (612) 333-3487 • 1-800-759-5343 www.cushmanmotorco.com

GREEN INDUSTRY AWARDS

Virtual CELEBRATI0N

REC O GNIZING E XCELLENCE IN MINNESOTA’S GREEN INDUSTRY

A joint effort by MNLA and MTGF, this event on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2021 FROM 4:00-5:00 PM will be held virtually for the first time. There will still be lots to celebrate! We’ll recognize a number of deserving individuals and companies for their service to the green industry, their research, their excellence in landscape and sports field work, for receiving and sponsoring scholarships, and for completion of the Green Industry Leadership Institute.

Virtual

ownership transfers, involuntary transfers (such as divorce, bankruptcy, etc.), death buyouts, and disability buyouts.

Select Successor Managers Select and train any possible successors.

In the right hands, a small business can continue to flourish well beyond the tenure of the original owners. However, finding the right person, whether it be a family member or outsider, takes time. Additionally, business owners need to train that person on his or her new role. Not naming a successor might lead to disputes, an inability to maintain business operations, and finally closing of the business.

You’ve worked hard to build your business.

Now is the time to protect it by creating a plan to smooth those inevitable future bumps in the road. ➽THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES GENERAL INFORMATION on business succession planning and should not be relied upon as legal advice. A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter before legal advice

Special thanks to our sponsors:

can be given. Bryan Zlimen is one of the founding partners of Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC. His law

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

practice focuses on assisting contractors & other small business owners. He can be reached at bzlimen@zmattorneys.com.

14

MNLA.BIZ december 20

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SPREAD EAB Continues to

IN MINNESOTA

Carver and Sibley Counties Quarantined for EAB James Calkins

iStock.com/bkkm

MNLA Regulatory Affairs Manager

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

17

EAB

UNFORTUNATELY, EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) continues to spread in Minnesota where more than one billion green, black, and white ash trees are threatened. This number includes approximately 2.65 million trees that have been planted in municipalities across the state.

On October 5th, 2020, the Minnesota Depart-

ment of Agriculture (MDA) announced the discovery of new EAB infestations in Carver County and Sibley County in southcentral Minnesota and has declared county-wide emergency quarantines for both counties to help slow the spread of this devastating insect. These are the first new EAB infestations to be confirmed in Minnesota since EAB was discovered in Rice County and Mower County in April of this year and increases the number of quarantined counties in Minnesota from 23 to 25. Emerald ash borer was first documented in Minnesota nearly 11½ years ago in St. Paul in May 2009.

The suspected EAB infestation was reported by a tree care professional who contacted the MDA after observing several trees with EABlike symptoms near the Carver-Sibley county line just north of the city of Belle Plaine. Belle Plaine is located along the Minnesota River at the juncture of U.S. Highway 169 and Minnesota State Highway 25, about 40 miles southwest of the Twin Cities. Infested trees were ultimately identified by MDA staff on both sides of the Carver-Sibley county line and larvae were collected for formal identification by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a result of these new finds, 25 of Minnesota’s 87 counties are now quarantined for EAB. Both counties border Scott County to the east where EAB was first confirmed just over five years ago in 2015. Given the immediate proximity to Scott County, it is difficult to know if these new infestations are a consequence of human-mediated transport or the insect moving to new areas on its own.

MDA will host an open house for residents and tree care professionals to discuss the discoveries of EAB in these counties, provide information about the management of EAB, and gather input on the MDA’s plan to add these counties to the state’s formal quarantine for EAB. A date or dates for these

18

MNLA.BIZ december 20

open houses has not yet been announced.

Interested individuals should monitor the MDA website for information about these open houses at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/ eab. In addition, MDA is currently accepting oral and written comments on the existing emergency quarantines and the proposed implementation of state formal quarantines in these counties. In both cases, comments may be submitted by contacting Kimberly Thielen Cremers at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture: 625 Robert Street North, St. Paul, MN 55155; Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us, 651-201-6329 (phone), 651-201-6108 (Fax).

Comments will be accepted until November 20, 2020, and the public meeting will be scheduled during the open comment period.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will also be hosting an informational webinar on managing EAB in community settings entitled Community Forestry – Examples & Resources for Managing Emerald Ash Borer on Thursday, December 10, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The presenters will include Emily Ball (Lakeville City Forester) and Emma Schultz (MN DNR Community Forest Project Specialist) and will address EAB management from a city perspective and provide an overview of the DNR Community Forestry Grant Program and the components of a good grant proposal. Links to additional information about the webinar and registration are available at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.

Fall is a good time to inspect ash trees for signs of EAB. MDA encourages residents to check their ash trees for emerald ash borer by watching for woodpecker activity and damage that might indicate the presence of EAB larvae under the bark. Checking for cracks in the bark that may be caused by the tunneling of EAB larvae and may reveal the distinctive, S-shaped, larval tunnels under the bark is another sign of possible EAB infestation. A video recently developed by the University of Minnesota Extension entitled How to Look for Emerald Ash Borer Now may also help property owners assess whether their ash trees are infested with emerald ash borer and learn how to protect and manage ash trees in their landscapes that are threatened by this devastating pest. The video can be accessed at https://blog-yard-garden-news.extension. umn.edu/2019/04/new-video-how-to-look-foremerald-ash.html and is a good University of Minnesota resource that arborists and garden center personnel can recommend to customers who are concerned about EAB and the health of their ash trees. When an EAB

infestation is suspected, homeowners are encouraged to contact a tree care professional or their city’s forester. Of course, nursery and landscape professionals should also be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of EAB. Both homeowners and green industry professionals should report suspected infestations in areas that are not within the quarantined areas of the state to the MDA using the Arrest the Pest reporting system at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us.

To prevent the spread of EAB to new areas and protect Minnesota’s ash trees, state and federal quarantines currently regulate the movement of all life stages of the emerald ash borer insect and the intra- and interstate movement of ash wood and wood products from quarantined areas. This includes all hardwood firewood, ash nursery stock, green lumber, wood waste, compost, and woodchips derived from ash species (Fraxinus spp.). It is critical that these quarantine restrictions be followed if the continued human-mediated spread of EAB to new locations is to be prevented.

With the goals of reducing the spread of emerald ash borer in Minnesota, managing the impacts of EAB on the state, and working toward healthier and more resilient forest communities across the state, the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB; composed of nine state agency heads and eight citizen representatives www.eqb.state.mn.us); and the Emerald Ash Borer Interagency Team have prepared a state agency report that defines the EAB threat and provides recommendations for achieving these important goals. The 2019 Emerald Ash Borer Report is described as a “call to action” and includes a variety of recommended actions for managing community forests and forested lands organized under four primary recommendations as follows: • Slow the spread – Slowing the spread of EAB to prolong the benefits that ash trees provide and spread the management costs over time.

• Support communities – Providing counties, cities, townships, and tribal communities with technical and financial assistance for tree inventories, management plans, and implementation strategies to reduce costs, slow the spread, and help maintain the ability to manage other community needs.

• Manage ash wood material – Development of a plan to promote the highest and best use of ash wood material and keep it from entering the waste stream.

James Calkins

Figure 1. The discovery of emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) in Carver County and Sibley County, announced by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on October 5, 2020, highlights the continued spread of this devastating insect in Minnesota. Although the spread of EAB in Minnesota was initially slower than what has been observed in other states, this may no longer be the case, at least in the southern portions of the state, as the insect continues to spread to new areas and the numbers of infested trees increases and becomes more obvious. Here we see two examples of large, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) trees that had been valuable components of this St. Paul landscape, but have since been killed by EAB and become a hazard concern.

• Lead, engage and collaborate – Promotion of a statewide, collaborative effort to address all aspects of EAB management as EAB spreads.

The full report can be accessed at https:// www.eqb.state.mn.us/EAB. Finally, it has been well-documented that the movement of infested ash firewood is a primary pathway for the spread of EAB to new areas, and firewood may not be moved from quarantined areas to non-quarantined areas unless it is certified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Better yet, firewood should not be moved around the state or even within an infested county. In Minnesota, firewood may only be moved outside areas quarantined for EAB if it has been heat-treated to state standards and certified by the MDA under a compliance agreement.

With the entire state of Wisconsin under quarantine, firewood can legally be moved freely between counties within the state, but the movement of firewood is still discouraged unless it has been properly treated. It is important to remember that, in addition to EAB, firewood can harbor a variety of damaging in-

sect pests and diseases and movement of firewood can introduce these pests to areas that are not yet infested. Given the importance of firewood as a potential pathway for spreading EAB to new areas, moving uncertified hardwood firewood out of EAB-quarantined areas is illegal and punishable by a fine up to a $7,500 per violation per day. Only firewood that has been certified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) may be moved outside quarantined areas and must bear the MDA or USDA certificate on the label.

Although elimination of the federal EAB quarantine is being considered, the interstate movement of EAB-regulated articles continues to be regulated at the federal level by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in partnership with the individual states included in the federal quarantine. Should the federal quarantine be abandoned, the MDA has plans in place to transition to a revised regulatory program, including quarantine language designed to slow the spread of EAB in Minnesota. Addi-

tional information about moving firewood in Minnesota is available at http://www.mda. state.mn.us/plants-insects/what-you-needknow-about-firewood. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also has firewood restrictions (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ firewood/index.html) related to the use of firewood on DNR lands. Information on moving firewood in Wisconsin is available at https:// datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/MovingFirewood.aspx and from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at http:// dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/firewood.html.

Additional information about the discoveries of EAB in Carver County and Sibley County, as well as general information about the status of EAB in Minnesota and North America and EAB quarantines, are available through the following links: MDA Newsroom Article – Emerald Ash Borer Discovered in Carver and Sibley Counties; https://www.mda.state.mn.us/ emerald-ash-borer-discovered-carver-sibley-counties MDA EAB Webpage (including links to information about the status of EAB in december 20 MNLA.BIZ

19

EAB

“

FORTUNATELY, THE SPREAD OF EAB IN MINNESOTA HAS GENERALLY BEEN SLOWER THAN WHAT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED IN OTHER STATES, BUT THIS TREND MAY BE CHANGING.

Minnesota and North America, the Carver County and Sibley County emergency quarantines, the state formal quarantine, and other information about EAB in Minnesota and the activities of the MDA in managing EAB); http://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab History of EAB in North America, Minnesota, and Neighboring States Native to east-central Asia, emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis), classified in the taxonomic order Coleoptera (beetles) and the family Buprestidae (metallic woodboring beetles; also called jewel beetles and flat-headed borers), was first documented in North America in 2002 in southeastern Michigan (Detroit area) and across the border (the Detroit River) in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and has since spread to 35 states in the Eastern, Midwestern (including Minnesota), and Mountain regions of the United States, as well as the southern portions of five Canadian provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec). In the United States, it is estimated that seven billion trees are threatened and as much as 35% of the tree canopy in some municipalities. Capable of attacking healthy trees, hundreds of millions of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) have already been killed in infested areas and all three species of ash that are native to the Upper Midwest, including Minnesota, are susceptible to attack - including white ash (Fraxinus americana), black ash (Fraxinus nigra; most common in northern Minnesota and the most numerous species in the state), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica; also called red ash; the most widely distributed species in the state and the most commonly planted species in designed landscapes). Based on the historical progression of the EAB epidemic, 99% of ash trees in infested areas will ultimately be killed by this devastating insect. As a result, it is estimated that as many as one billion ash trees could be at risk in the state of Minnesota alone.

In Minnesota, EAB was first documented in Ramsey County almost 11 years ago in May 2009. EAB was also confirmed in Hennepin and Houston Counties the same year and all three counties were subsequently quarantined by the Minnesota Department 20

MNLA.BIZ december 20

of Agriculture (MDA). Winona County was added to the list of quarantined counties in 2011. Since then, the destructive, non-native emerald ash borer beetle has continued to spread to new areas and, as of this writing, 25 of Minnesota’s 87 counties (29%) are currently subject to complete or partial quarantines in an attempt to prevent the spread of emerald ash borer in the state. Twenty-four (24) counties are covered by complete quarantines including Anoka (2015), Brown (2019), Carver (2020), Chisago (2015), Dakota (2014), Dodge (2016), Fillmore (2015), Goodhue (2017), Hennepin (2009), Houston (2009), Martin (2017), Mower (2020), Nobles (2019), Olmsted (2014), Ramsey (2009), Rice (2020), Scott (2015), Sibley (2020), Wabasha (2016), Washington (2015), Winona (2011), Wright (2018), Stearns (2019) and Steele (2019). A partial quarantine (established in September 2016 and formalized in March 2017) is also in effect for the southeastern corner of St. Louis County, which includes the city of Duluth.

Originally, the quarantine in St. Louis County was limited to Park Point in the city of Duluth but was subsequently expanded to include the southeastern portion of St. Louis County, including the entire city of Duluth, in response to additional EAB finds.

The remainder and vast majority of St. Louis County (by far the largest county in the state) is not currently under quarantine. EAB is also present across the border in Superior, Wisconsin (Douglas County), where a quarantine went into effect in 2013. Although the infestations in Duluth, MN and Superior, WI, are in areas where winter temperatures tend to be moderated by Lake Superior, these infestations are close to the larger populations of ash trees in the colder, more forested areas of both states. As a result, depending on the actual winter temperatures experienced, we may soon learn whether these infestations will be able to expand and have a significant effect on ash trees in the adjacent, colder areas where laboratory studies have suggested EAB populations may not be able to reach tree-killing levels as a result of the winter temperatures that are typically experienced in these regions. With the exceptions of the

”

finds in the city of Duluth (St. Louis County), Brown County, Martin County, and Stearns County, the current EAB infestations in Minnesota are limited to the core of the Twin Cities metropolitan area and the southeastern corner of the state.

Fortunately, the spread of EAB in Minnesota has generally been slower than what has been experienced in other states, but this trend may be changing. And although the spread of EAB and the number of trees that have been lost in Minnesota have been atypical compared to the infestations in other states, it is possible that EAB is beginning to spread more quickly in Minnesota. Beginning with the first EAB finds in Minnesota in 2009, six (6) counties were quarantined during the first six years (2009-2014) of the Minnesota invasion, while quarantines have been implemented in another nineteen (19) counties since then (2015-present; six years). Whether additional new infestations will be found this year and whether the increase in finds in recent years will become a longer-term trend remains to be seen. It has been suggested that subzero winter temperatures in the -20 to -30 ºF or colder may kill 70-80% or more of the overwintering EAB larvae in some years, and in the colder areas of the state and slow the spread and reduce the impacts of EAB. More specifically, research indicates that acclimated EAB larvae can supercool (avoid freezing at temperatures below freezing) and avoid being killed by exposure to freezing temperatures until temperatures reach -9.4 to -23°F (-23 to -30.6°C). This information is based on research and observation including the results of a U.S. Forest Service study that reported an average supercooling point of -25°C (-13°F) for overwintering EAB larvae and predicts 5% larval mortality at 0°F (-17°C), 34% at -10°F (-23°C), 79% at -20°F (-29°C), and 98% at -30°F (-34°C) (https://www. fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/ stelprdb5191794.pdf). In the longer term, the implications of these temperature/population dynamics remain to be seen.

Emerald ash borer is also present in Wisconsin where it was first documented in 2008 (one year earlier than in Minnesota and, although EAB has not been documented

in every county, the entire state was placed under quarantine in March 2018). In Iowa (first documented in 2010 and currently present in about two-thirds of the state’s counties, with the most significant infestations located mainly in eastern and southern counties; entire state quarantined in 2014), a few counties in east-central Nebraska (first documented in 2016), and in southeastern South Dakota (Sioux Falls; May, 2018), but has not yet been found in North Dakota. The South Dakota infestation and the Nebraska infestations, plus infestations in a small number of counties just across the state borders in eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, and an isolated infestation in Boulder County, Colorado, are currently the western-most infestations in North America. In Canada, the EAB infestation is currently limited to extreme southcentral Quebec, southeastern Ontario and isolated infestations in Thunder Bay, Ontario (located about 45 miles north of the Minnesota border), the cities of Edmonton and Oromocto in New Brunswick, the city of Halifax in south central Nova Scotia, and in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The introduction of EAB in North America, which likely occurred in the early 1990s, was a human-mediated event and, more recently, the long-distance and initially-isolated infestations of EAB in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, the Duluth/Superior area, Rhinelander (WI), Thunder Bay (Ontario, Canada), Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada), the Kansas City (MO/ KS) metropolitan area, the southwestern Arkansas/northern Louisiana/northeast Texas region, Boulder County (CO), and Sioux Falls (SD) were also almost certainly human-mediated introductions. Along with other control efforts, all concerned must be constantly diligent and take great care to avoid moving EAB-infested materials, including firewood, to non-infested areas to slow the spread of this devastating insect pest.

Although the presence of EAB in 58 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties (about 80%) is a depressing statistic, it is important to note that, with the exception of areas in the far southeastern corner of the state and a few counties bordering Minnesota in the southwestern part of the state, most of Wisconsin (approximately 80%) remains EAB-free. Most recently, EAB has been documented in Florence County and Price County in September of this year (2020) and in Dunn, Oconto, Pepin, and Shawano County in August of this year (2020). The situation in Minnesota is even better where only 25 of the state’s 87 counties

(about 29%), almost exclusively located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and several counties in southeastern Minnesota and along the Iowa border (Martin and Nobles), are currently under full or partial quarantine in an attempt to slow the spread of EAB in the state. The reality is that most of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota, and all of North Dakota, remain EAB-free and, if possible, preventing the spread of EAB to new areas should remain a top priority. This is a very important reality and message that should not be overlooked.

As nursery and landscape professionals are aware, EAB poses a serious threat to untreated ash trees growing in designed landscapes and ash trees growing in native ecosystems across the state. Keeping this in mind, Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) members, and especially those firms that do business in quarantined areas and across state lines, should stay informed about additions to the federal and state EAB quarantined areas and changes in quarantine requirements. Nursery and landscape firms should also continue to educate their customers about the threat of EAB and how to manage and prevent the spread of this devastating pest, including the treatment of valuable ash trees in residential and commercial landscapes. Treating healthy ash trees has been shown to be a highly effective means of protecting valuable ash trees from attack by EAB in landscape settings and maintaining the many benefits provided by these trees. These benefits would not be regained for generations if such trees become infested or are simply removed and replaced.

Minnesota nurseries and garden centers are also important sources of information for the landscaping public on site-specific plant selection and providers of the landscape trees and other landscape plants that can provide the increased diversity needed to reduce the impacts of the growing list of invasive insects and diseases that threaten designed landscapes in Minnesota and beyond.

Nationally, emerald ash borer has now been documented in 35 states. As a consequence, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has proposed the elimination of the federal EAB quarantine, which would eliminate the federal regulations on the movement of materials that could harbor EAB between states; a formal decision was expected in 2019, but there has been no announcement yet (as of October 12, 2020).

Federal resources would still be used for

managing EAB including biocontrol using three species of parasitic, stingless wasps (Oobius agrili, Spathius galinae, and Tetrastichus planipennisi; Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae, Braconidae, and Eulophidae, respectfully) that are natural enemies of EAB and have been approved for release in the United States. All three species are host-specific parasitoids that attack EAB eggs (O. agilli) or larvae (S. galinae and T. planipennis). If EAB is deregulated at the federal level, it is likely that states where EAB has not yet been documented (primarily states west of the Mississippi River), would enact exterior quarantines that would restrict the movement of ash trees and ash wood products into these states from infested areas. In anticipation of a possible decision to abandon the federal quarantine, MDA has developed a modified version of the Minnesota quarantine with the goal of filling the gaps that would result should the federal quarantine be eliminated.

MNLA has commented on the proposed changes to the state quarantine and has expressed support for continuing the state quarantine and MDA’s other EAB management efforts. We will keep the MNLA membership informed about any changes to the federal or state EAB quarantines.

Selected Links to Additional Information About EAB: General information about the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) emerald ash borer

(EAB) program and links to more specific information about EAB in Minnesota are available on the

MDA website at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.

The text of the Minnesota EAB formal quarantine (Version 17; November 14, 2019) is available

at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/sites/default/

files/2019-11/EAB%20Formal%20Quarantine%20 v17_0.pdf; the quarantine addresses the use and movement of regulated materials which include

the insect itself (all life stages); all plants and plant parts of the genus Fraxinus, including nursery

stock, scion and bud wood, logs, branches, stumps, roots, woodchips and mulch (composted or not), hardwood firewood (firewood from any non-co-

niferous species), and other materials deemed to be a risk for the spread of EAB by the Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture.

A publication developed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture entitled Guidelines to Slow the Growth and Spread of Emerald Ash Borer

is a good source of information and guidance on

preparing for, detecting, and managing healthy and

infested ash trees, EAB populations, and tree waste december 20 MNLA.BIZ

21

EAB

in Minnesota is available at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/inline-files/EAB%20Management%20Guidelines%202018%20WEB.pdf.

An interactive, searchable, map of specific EAB finds and generally infested, quarantined, and biocontrol areas in Minnesota is available at https://mnag.

maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=63ebb977e2924d27b9ef0787ecedf6e9.

A summary of the status of EAB in Minnesota, along with information about

some of the activities being pursued by the MDA to better understand and track EAB in the state, are available at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab and http://

mdawebdev.prod.acquia-sites.com/plants/pestmanagement/eab/eabbiocontrol.

The recently-updated publication entitled Managing Ash Woodlands: Recommendations for Minnesota Woodland Owners (2019; University of Minne-

sota Digital Conservancy) is available at https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/205052.

Information about research on emerald ash borer being conducted at the

University of Minnesota through the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) is available at https://mitppc.umn.edu/emerald-ash-borer-eab.

The current USDA APHIS quarantine map is available at http://www.emeraldashborer.info/documents/MultiState_EABpos.pdf.

The University of Minnesota Extension video entitled How to Look for Emerald Ash Borer Now (April 1, 2019) is available at https://blog-yard-garden-news. extension.umn.edu/2019/04/new-video-how-to-look-for-emerald-ash.html.

Additional information about insect pests in Minnesota, including EAB, is

available at www.extension.umn.edu/insects and information specific to EAB is available at https://extension.umn.edu/tree-and-shrub-insects/emerald-ash-borers and https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/199779 (insects that may be confused with emerald ash borer in Minnesota).

Additional information about EAB in Wisconsin is available at https://datcpservices.wisconsin.gov/eab/index.jsp, http://www.emeraldashborer.info/state/wisconsin.php, and https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestHealth/EmeraldAshBorer.html.

Additional information about EAB in Iowa is available at http://iowatreepests.

com/eab_home.html and https://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Forest-Health/Emerald-Ash-Borer.

Additional information about EAB in South Dakota is available at https://emeraldashborerinsouthdakota.sd.gov/.

Additional information about EAB in Nebraska is available at https://nda. nebraska.gov/plant/entomology/eab/.

Additional information about EAB and its management is also available on the My Minnesota Woods website (University of Minnesota Extension - Forestry) at

http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2015/09/eab-risk-status-in-minnesota/.

And finally, additional information regarding the status of EAB in North

America is available on the Emerald Ash Borer Information Network website at http://emeraldashborer.info and from the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) at

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-diseaseprograms/pests-and-diseases/emerald-ash-borer.

➽If you have questions or comments regarding this MNLA Regulatory Update or the status of EAB in Minnesota and neighboring states, or other places in North America, contact Jim Calkins, MNLA Regulatory Affairs Manager, at jim@ mnla.biz; 952-935-0682.

22

MNLA.BIZ december 20

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www.jeffbelzerchevy.com Version # 4 Version # 4 Version # 4

Document Name GMC1-12-FCO-03178-302_v4.indd Document Name GMC1-12-FCO-03178-302_v4.inddLinked Graphics Art Director Control Document Name GMC1-12-FCO-03178-302_v4.indd 12KTFLCHEV032.tif Linked GraphicsRGB

Retail Planning Flyer Control Art Jarret Petsch •Mechjpetsch@jeffbelzer.com Scale 100 8.75”952-469-7063 x 11.25” Bleed Chevy CopyDirector Writer TBD

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12KTFLCHEV032.tif RGB HD CC with Dump_psd.psd Linked GraphicsRGB Control Art Director 11CHSL00054.jpg RGB Mech TBD Copy Print Scale Scale 100 12KTFLCHEV032.tif RGB None BusinessCentral_KO.ai ProjWriter Mgr csenn HD CC with Dump_psd.psd RGB 11CHSL00054.jpg RGB Scale Please 100 GM_business_choice.ai TBD Copy Writer Jeff Belzer Lakeville,Mech MN. call the Commercial Department at 952-469-4444.

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Job Description 8.75” Chevy Retail Planning Flyer 11.25” Bleed Trim 8.5” x x11” 8.75” x 11.25” Chevrolet, 50Bleed & Cedar, Box 965, Trim Live 8.5” 8.25”x x11” 10.75”

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Hone your communication skills to develop a Wildly inclusive work environment.

Do more with less by drawing out the unique skills of each member of the team.

Attract and retain great workers by building a sense of belonging and connection.

Disrupt the green industry by being agile, open, and willing to do things differently.

Chris Heeter

The Wild Institute

Included with All d Access aness Select Accs Passe

Featured on the Discovery Channel’s ’National Geographic Today’ and recognized with national awards as a speaker, Chris Heeter has followed her own Wild path since she was young. A wilderness guide for 30+ years, Chris leads groups deep into the wilderness by canoe or dogsled. The abundant parallels between these adventures and the workplace make up the core of her presentations. Chris grabs audiences with humorous stories about her dogs and their personalities, then weaves those stories into practical takeaways. Chris is on a mission to wake up the Wild side of GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY: organizations; to break through the trappings of ‘how we’ve always done it;’ and to create Wild and vibrant workplaces that blend heart with solid, successful business strategy.

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

Monday, Jan. 11

Virtual Game Hour  3:00pm – 4:00pm Monday afternoon

Silent

AUCTION BID. WIN. DONATE.

Available only with an All Access Pass!

Bring a beverage as we laugh, play games, and win prizes. Northern Green Virtual can’t happen without a little bit of fun!

Northern Green is now virtual, and so is the MNLA Foundation Silent Auction! This year, you will be able to browse the online catalog any time leading up to the event. Then, bid electronically from January 11-14, 2021. There will be fabulous industry products and services, as well as sporting tickets, gift certificates, and incredible experiences. Hop

Virtual

online and bid to support green industry Foundations.

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY:

Bidding will end on January 14, 2021 at the close of Northern Green Virtual.

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

MASTER

CLASSES

Generously supported by:

NEW! Full-day Master Classes to occur in February 2021.

Watch NorthernGreen.org for dates and prices.

1 2

1. PLT RELICENSURE – LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

4. FAVORITE PLANTS FOR MINNESOTA GARDENS

Pending Minnesota Dept. of Labor & Industry approval, this class satisfies eight hours of continuing education requirements for the Power Limited Training Licensure, including two hours of code and six hours of technical training oriented specifically toward the landscape industry. The focus for 2021 is landscape lighting.

What are the best performing plants for your gardens and landscapes? Spend the day with us as we present a plethora of plants – from woody trees, shrubs and conifers, to herbaceous perennials, annuals and even houseplants. Your speakers are as cold hardy as the plants! Each will cover their top ten favorite performing plants in their category.

4

2. PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION WORKSHOP

5. LANDSCAPE DESIGN CHALLENGE

Pending approval by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), this workshop meets Commercial Pesticide Applicator Requirements for Category A (Core) and Category E (Turf and Ornamentals). Recertification for optional Categories F (Aquatics) and P (Vertebrate Pest) will also be offered as part of this workshop.

Facilitator: Julie Weisenhorn, University of Minnesota Extension

5

3. GOING FROM GOOD TO GREAT: HARDSCAPE EFFICIENCY BOOT CAMP with Frank Bourque

3

Great companies use key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge and compare performance for meeting strategic and operational goals. In this Boot Camp, you will learn seven KPIs to track in your business to motivate your teams and significantly increase your business efficiency and profits.

Design Challenge Leads: Michael Keenan, Urban Ecosystems Inc. Allyson Landmark, Southview Design Jason Rathe, Field Outdoor Spaces

6. TECHNOLOGY AND THE GREEN INDUSTRY

6

Speakers from University of Minnesota: Maggie Reiter, Extension Educator in Turfgrass Chad Giblin, Dept. of Forest Resources Eric North, Extension Dept. of Forest Resources Speaker from Texas A&M Turfgrass Management: Chase Straw, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

PARTNERS FUND INVES TING IN THE FU TURE OF THE GREEN INDUS TRY

Contribute to the MNLA Foundation Research & Workforce Development Partners Fund at a participating supplier. Your voluntary donation of ½ of 1% (0.5%) on purchases is used to grow a brighter future for the industry.

Partner Suppliers:

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

TM

Research for the Real World

Career Development & Promotion

Scholarships

TOP NCROC

ANNUAL FLOWERS 2020 University of Minnesota North Central Research and Outreach Center Text by Crystal Sucher, Research Plot Technician

iStock.com/bombuscreative

Photos by Leanne Stanley, Principal Office and Administrative Specialist

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

29

A

NCROC TOP TEN

Annual flower trials are hosted at the North Central Research and Outreach Center.

These trials are an evaluation of specific flower varieties and how well they perform in a field environment, a hanging basket and/or a container. Companies such as All-America Selections, Proven Winners, Syngenta, Pan American Seed, and many others host their annual trials here at the NCROC. We grade each ornamental variety for such criteria as color, uniformity, uniqueness, how floriferous they are and insect/disease resistance.

This information is made available in our annual report to the flower companies and is available on our website at https://ncroc.cfans.umn.edu/.



Lantana Luscious® Royale Red Zone™.

Lantana’s beautiful dome shaped flowers with multicolored petals topped the favorite list this year for both evaluators and bees! The blooms contrasted well with the spiky dark green foliage.



Petunia Supertunia Vista® Bubblegum.

This petunia thrived in all planting locations, field, hanging baskets, and containers.

Throughout the summer, they maintained a constant full display of cheerful pink blooms.

NEWS & NOTES

30

MNLA.BIZ december 20

Review of the New H-2A Wage Rule From AmericanHort

on initial review: 1)

FY2022. 2) After that

Statistics (BLS) of

the national average

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time, for those job

the cost of labor in

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the overall economy.

historically based on

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the “field and livestock

AEWRs will be annually

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workers, combined”

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tended to increase

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category (the significant

the annual change in

annually in the 2.5

to rise 4 to 5 percent

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majority of workers),

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annually in recent

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effect last January,

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percent. By contrast,

combined” category

 Zinnia elegans Zowie!™ Yellow Flame. A top performer for any sunny landscape bed or large container. This multicolored zinnia has an abundance of bright, eye-popping flowers that bloom all season long. Its strong stems help keep a pleasing shape throughout the season.

 

Petunia Spreading Easy Wave® Rose

Fusion. This petunia was a top pick for its

beautiful color development from start to finish. Its profuse flowers are nicely distributed throughout the plant and contrast beautifully with the green foliage.



Begonia Double Delight™ Blush Rose.

This begonia was selected for its unique flower development and vibrant pink color.

The blooms contrast beautifully with the variegated green foliage and grows uniformly throughout the plant.  Begonia Viking XL Red on Chocolate. The foliage on this shade loving begonia lives up to its “Chocolate” name! The large red blooms are the perfect match for these delicious dark leaves.

(examples include

of the broad “field and

gives employers

employers to you,

menu, or go directly to

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more features when

search and apply to

www.MNLA.biz/careers.

and truck drivers),

the highest applicable

promoting their

new jobs on the spot

wages will be

wage will be assigned.

positions, allows them

by using robust filters,

New Members

to pay for access to a

set up efficient job

Cal’s Market & Garden;

resumé bank, and to

alerts to deliver the

Coonhaven Fields;

Employment Statistics

Have you seen the MNLA.biz Job Board?

highlight positions in

latest jobs right to

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a monthly email blast.

your inbox, and access

Inc; MY Landscaping;

cases where a worker’s

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Hospitality LLC.

determined from the BLS Occupational

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

Handshake icon: iStock.com/solargaria

07

31

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1200 Highway 13 East 71 Minnesota Avenue Hwy. 13 and 12th Ave Hwy. 36 and Rice Street Burnsville, MN 55337 Little Canada, MN 55117 952-894-0894 651-407-3727 588 Outpost Circle I-94 and Hwy. 12 Hudson, WI 54016 715-531-0801

NCROC TOP TEN

 Begonia Double Up™ Red. This begonia has a uniform globe-like shape and an almost perfect bloom dispersal that lasts throughout the growing season. Clusters of delicate red flowers are accented with succulent oval leaves.

 Petunia Spreading Easy Wave® Silver. This sun loving annual was chosen for its beautiful blooms, healthy foliage, and easy to maintain trailing form. The continuous bloom of white flowers has a subtle, soothing color with a hint of violet at the center.  Petunia Supertunia® Mini Vista™ Indigo. The multitude of purple hues makes this petunia stand out. Its pleasing cushion shape looks great in all full sun planting locations, from landscape to hanging baskets.

 Petunia Supertunia® Mini Vista™ Pink Star. 10The smaller flowers of this petunia are profuse, and the strip of pink on the petals makes it a popular choice within the NCROC flower beds. They held a uniform shape all season, which makes for excellent full-sun ground cover. ➽CRYSTAL SUCHER is a Research Plot Technician at the University of Minnesota North Central Research and Outreach Center and can be reached at csucher@umn.edu. ➽LEEANNE STANLEY is a Principal Office and Administrative Specialist at University of Minnesota North Central Research and Outreach Center.

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

33

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

MNLA 2021 Legislative Agenda:

By Members, For Members Forrest Cyr

MNLA Director of Government Affairs

Each year, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA) conducts a member-wide public policy survey.

This survey provides a forum for MNLA’s membership to

weigh-in on legislative and regulatory issues impacting their businesses. With the many issues facing the green industry at the local, state, and federal levels, participation in this survey is extremely important and is the basis for MNLA’s policy platform, legislative agenda, and advocacy focus. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic offered a series of new public policy challenges to the green industry, and the 2021 policy survey reflects this to ensure that members receive the resources, support, and representation needed to succeed in a tumultuous time. While the structure of the 2021 session is still unclear considering COVID-19, the need to have a clear industry voice for public policy issues is vital for successfully navigating the upcoming legislative session.

In preparation for the 2020 legislative session, the responses received in the previous year’s survey helped the MNLA lobbying team prepare the legislative agenda for the shortened session, which included backflow reform, salt liability, duty to defend, 16 and 17-year old lawnmowing authorization, as well as informed MNLA’s work to stop bad legislation from becoming harmful laws.

The survey consists of questions about a variety of areas of public policy that impact MNLA’s diverse business membership, as well as questions to address the need for additional resources in response to COVID-19 and questions to solicit feedback on MNLA’s response to the pandemic. Fea-

turing questions ranging from tax law to local government labor regulations and rules, the survey allows members not only to contribute to the discussion of currently watched issues, it also alerts MNLA staff to emerging issues that should be an advocacy priority, such as transportation funding or rural broadband infrastructure.

This year, the survey reaffirmed many priorities for MNLA’s agenda for 2021, while bringing attention to issues that might not have received as much focus in previous sessions. Concerning COVID-19, the survey indicated that many respondents supported providing liability protection for businesses from COVID-19 related lawsuits. When asked to select the top three public policy issues with importance to their business, survey respondents selected the following most frequently: 1. Sales and Use Tax Reform (42.86%) 2. Neonicotinoid Use as a “Tool in the Toolbox” (37.14%) 3. Local Labor Laws and Regulations (31.42%) In addition to these priorities, MNLA members indicated an ongoing need to get green industry businesses declared as essential; as well as allow the use of swimmable water for landscapes, rather than require drinkable water. In the coming weeks, MNLA’s Government Affairs Committee will work to set a policy agenda based on the responses received, which will be distributed to members once finalized. Stay tuned!

➽ TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN ADVOCACY can help your business and the green industry in Minnesota, contact Forrest Cyr at forrest@mnla.biz, or visit www.mnla.biz.

34

MNLA.BIZ december 20

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A Deeper Shade of Green Local Genetic Origins

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Native Minnesota Woody & Herbaceous (651) 438-2771 • Fax (651) 438-3816 BRIAN FERGASON, CPCU 651.635.2781 612.247.7346 Cell bfergason@maguireagency.com www.maguireagency.com 1970 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 300 Roseville, MN 55113

www.outbacknursery.com

Call us first for all your native planting needs

BORER Tree

CHALLENGES CAN BE OVERCOME Joshua Plunkett

iStock.com/Tony Savino

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

37

BORER CHALLENGES

38

MNLA.BIZ december 20

INSECT BORERS CHALLENGE how we grow marketable trees in the nursery industry. These boring insects are easily the most destructive pest in the nursery trade.

Tunneling that occurs in infested nursery stock reduces growth, incites poor structure, and simply makes products hard to sell. Typically, borers are secondary pests attacking stressed and/or compromised trees, weakening them and reducing vigor. Whether it’s primary borer pests that attack and kill healthy trees or secondary borer pests, growing and maintaining healthy nursery stock is ever challenging.

Borer prevention starts with selecting healthy plants and maintaining tree health through nutrition and hydration. Management practices and decisions including scouting, pest identification, life cycle management, sanitation, and plant selection are also essential for maintaining healthy plants.

Native trees, like production trees, have adapted well to our local landscapes and are not regularly affected by borers. Consider all the influences a tree faces in production. An apple tree, for example, may start life as a cutting or graft, destined to be planted in a pot or field row. The potted apple tree is then transplanted and upsized many times before being sold, while the row tree may be dug up once or twice. Weather influences like heat, drought, and our all too common erratic spring temperature fluctuations can affect the tree during this time. This production process puts a lot of demand on the plant and often requires additional management to further protect it.

Borers are very responsive to the chemicals produced by stressed trees. Pests like clearwing, flatheaded, and roundheaded borers actively seek out ethanol, ethylene, and other terpenes emitted by trees. Compensating normal growth for increased pest defense and response mechanisms is really taxing for trees. Knowing that production trees are on the menu for borer pests, the question becomes: How do we protect them until established in the landscape?

First, we need to identify what type of borer needs to be controlled.

Knowing the difference between clearwing, round, and flatheaded borers is essential for management. Buprestid larvae typically have flat or round heads as the names suggests. Flathead larvae like emerald ash borer, bronze birch borer, and two-lined chestnut borer tunnel and feed on the phloem and sapwood of trees. During heavy infestations, flatheaded borers can easily kill a tree in a single season. They are hard to spot because they don’t push out much, if any, frass, or bug poop. When scouting, canopy density and the presence of D-shaped exit holes are clues with flatheaded borers.

Roundheaded bores more commonly chew deeper into trees, make larger holes, and do less damage to the outer phloem cells. These larvae are often a little messier, leaving frass and larger holes for us to spot out in the fields. Structurally weakened trees and heavily infested trees are known to die in one season. Compounding these effects, borer entry sites are also pathways for plant pathogens like cankers.

Other clues to look for when scouting nursery fields include: • Callus tissue resulting from sunscald damage is sometimes an indicator and worth a further look.

• Birch trunks that look like varicose veins are often indicators of bronze birch borer.

• The lower trunk areas affected by clearwing borers look wet and dark. A small amount of frass may be protruding.

december 20 MNLA.BIZ

39

BORER CHALLENGES

• The trees disruption of nutrients by phloem feeders is often observed by a thinning canopy or even dieback.

• A bark split, as it relates to an infestation, is callus tissue growing out and over the damage caused by a phloem feeder. It is sadly a sign that a pest has been feeding on the tree for two or more seasons.

There are several reasons why scouting and inspection for borers fails to find pests.

Infested nursery stock slips past due to the lack of symptoms when initially infested. The cost of regularly scouting or inspecting nursery stock is relatively high. Limited training in plant pathology and entomology makes it difficult to respond to pest outbreaks. Another factor is the genetics that go into making new and attractive tree varieties. It’s not uncommon to find Asian and European plant species crossed with North American varieties with increased susceptibility to borer pests as compared with our native varieties.

The hard part of controlling pests like boring insects is twofold. First, you have many plant species being grown with varying cultural methods: nursery stock grown from

seeds, propagation methods, potted, re-potted, moved, and transported. Then you have the host range of pests and diseases that need to be managed. Specific knowledge of pest lifecycles, monitoring, anticipating problems, and regular scouting are probably the most reliable ways of controlling these pests. Nurseries must implement complex forecasting methods just to keep up with all the factors and efficiently manage borer pests.

Prevention is always the goal, but as borers sneak up on us and we must stop their spread to provide clean plants for the consumer. Tips for managing pests include: • Building a working relationship with trusted and knowledgeable personnel.

There is no substitution for experienced nursery staff. They are often the go-to person when problems arise.

• University resources, Extension services, regulatory officials, and laboratory diagnosticians are extremely helpful resources in identifying insects. Some of these entities track pests of concern, put out newsletters containing scouting information, provide scouting updates,

and track degree days and phenology observations for treatment timings.

• Proper identification is crucial to chemical treatment and sanitation efforts.

Insect life cycles are invaluable information to the nursery grower for timing treatments, and an indicator for good sanitation when removing and destroying infested material.

We will always be challenged in providing vigorous healthy trees to the consumer. A more thorough understanding of the trees we grow and how they respond physiologically to pests is a never-ending task. New tree varieties are constantly being introduced that will change prevention and treatment programs.

Staying active in organizations that promote our nursery/green industry is a good way to stay on top of current pest problems and what can be expected in the future.

➽JOSH PLUNKETT is a Plant Pest Regulatory Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and can be reached at Joshua.Plunkett@state.mn.us.

FE

TIFIE

AL

N

In January 2020, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association instituted a Certified Professional Fellow designation for MNLA Certified Professionals who are in good standing (e.g., not lapsed or expired) and who have maintained their status as an MNLA Certified Professional for at least 20 consecutive years.

ER

D

Debbie Lonnee, Bailey Nurseries Inc. (MNLA CP since 1995) Lori Reiland, Custom Retaining Walls and Landscaping, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1993) Ron Davidson, Amity Creek Landscaping of Duluth (MNLA CP since 1997) Steven Hutton (MNLA CP since 1999)

O PR

• • • •

C

Congratulations to newly designated MNLA Certified Professional Fellows!

SSIO

F E L L O W

Certified Professional Fellows are longstanding nursery and landscape professionals and are recognized as industry leaders. Their commitment to uphold, improve and promote standards of professional excellence, and consistent participation in professional development activities and service to the green industry is being recognized with this Fellow designation.

When the Fellow designation is achieved, it will have no expiration date and there will be no recertification fees required. The Fellow status will be listed on the Certified Professional’s record in the online directory. Certified Professional Fellows will no longer be required to submit recertification credits to MNLA. However, they are encouraged to continue on-going professional improvement through education and service, and act as ambassadors of MNLA and the nursery and landscape profession.

Certified Professionals interested in the Fellow status can complete an application themselves or be nominated by a colleague. Applications will be reviewed and approved by the MNLA Certification Task Team. Once approved, the Fellow will be notified by email and sent a congratulatory letter and certificate.

40

MNLA.BIZ december 20

2021 Model Year Exclusiveve Allowance. Saon up to $9,500 . select models

Rebates up to $9,500 on your choice of Dodge, Jeep, RAM, and Chrysler vehicles. Available to all MNLA members! Contact Mary at the MNLA office for more information at 651-633-4987 or mary@mnla.biz.

OAK PRUNING

OAK

TREE K. Messinger

Pruning

Barrie Anderson

K. Messinger

Pleasant View Gardens

I STILL RECALL the roughly 60-foot-tall Quercus Alba, (White Oak) my grandparents had on their farm. I remember being so excited as a little girl to go to their house and look straight up the trunk into the branches and let my mind wander high above.

42

MNLA.BIZ december 20

The branches were plenty and seemed to spread out forever into the landscape in my little seven-year-old mind. Oh, the acorns! I couldn’t wait for those to fall to the porch and base of the tree so I could load up my pockets and plant my oak “orchard.” I do know, however, my grandparents felt differently about the dropping of acorns.

The one thing I distinctly remember about their oak tree was that it had a very beautiful shape to it. The reason for that was someone many years prior had properly pruned this tree. This oak was very close to my grandparent’s house, in fact it was nearly upon their porch, but the shape of it was perfect!

To attain a handsome stature, it is critical to prune an oak early in its life. This is what is called developmental pruning. It is done when the tree is very young to encourage proper growth as it develops in your landscape. Once an oak reaches maturity, it is long past time to prune for proper growth. The sheer size of an oak will make any amount of pruning an intense challenge. Pruning oaks must be done at the correct time of year to avoid disease. Only prune your oaks from December to March when the tree is dormant. The fungi aren’t out and about, and this also allows the oak time to rehabilitate from the pruning. No matter how precise and clean your cut is, it is still a wound to the tree. It is imperative to not cut into the main leader when pruning as this destroys the protective cells in the branch collar, preventing them from engaging in the healing process. A nearly flush cut to the leader is required for proper recuperation from the cut. (See photo below left). It is also essential to not cut too far away from the trunk because this leaves a stub, acting as a direct highway for disease to enter the tree and prevent those protective cells from mending the wound. In the picture below right, you see where this homeowner left stubs (circled in red). Leaving a stub and or slicing into the leader is very damaging. Once healed, your oak will have a perfect callus on its trunk. Do not paint over the area after you prune as it actually impedes the recovery operation.

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Another critical item to consider when pruning is making certain there is a dominant leader. The leader is the vertical stem at the top of the trunk that allows for the scaffold branches to grow and form the canopy of the tree. Scaffold branches should be at a 45-degree angle from the main leader, creating what is called a U-shaped crotch. Prune out any crossover branches and random water sprout branches as those interfere with proper growth. You can see in the picture below the central leader, scaffold branches, and crossover branches, which are the branches outlined in yellow.

There you have it! Prune judiciously and often when your oak is young, and you will have a statuesque, handsome specimen in your client’s landscape for many years to come!

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➽BARRIE ANDERSON is Crew Lead at Pleasant View Gardens. You can contact Barrie at auntb71.ba@ gmail.com. december 20 MNLA.BIZ

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WHAT IS THE GREEN INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (GILI)?

GILI is a unique leadership development program custom designed with a Green Industry focus.

• It is open to a select few (maximum 12/course) each year.

• The course meets one time per month on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm. This allows the students to take away a concept or tips and tricks, giving them time to apply and experience it within the work environment.

• An application and letter of recommendation from a sponsor of their company is part of the selection process.

• The curriculum is founded on the power skills (referred to by many as “soft skills”) needed for leaders in today’s workplace.

• Each student will enter into a project that impacts the company.

• Thanks to MNLA’s volunteer leaders, the students have the opportunity to personally meet Green Industry presenters from many successful organizations, hearing their stories and sharing their insights.

• The program’s strength lies in the team approach. There is an intentional focus on building teams of Green Industry peers who work together to build leadership skills. In so doing, the group develops strong ties with one another as they meet in person, share experiences, ask probing questions, and support each other through their journeys.

1

WHAT TO EXPECT:

ONE MEETING

PER MONTH (EXCEPT MAY)

10 TEN MEETING

COMMITMENT

12 TWELVE APPLICANTS ACCEPTED

A COMPANY’S ROI The Green Industry Leadership Institute will prepare your employee to take a stronger and more confident leadership role in your company and includes other tangible takeaways.

• The students engage in discussions and learn tips and tricks in improving processes, realizing new strategies, and gaining advice from Green Industry presenters. Students are collecting ideas from others each time they meet. This is a continual improvement opportunity for the company. Sponsors and managers can be key influencers by engaging with the student monthly to hear suggestions, support their leadership development.

• The projects the students manage and execute is meant to improve their company in a meaningful way. Note that these are projects that affect the entire company, not small individual projects that only help the student get their own tasks done. The process of choosing and developing the project includes rounds of feedback from the sponsor, facilitator and fellow students.

• Students develop a network of peer advisors to engage with as they grow and advance in their career.

This network builds Green Industry alliances, provides feedback on continued development, and expands opportunities for the company.

• Feedback from sponsors indicate that individuals who have graduated truly appreciate their company’s investment in them, become more confident in their roles, and become more aware of how they affect the organization’s success.

• Students gain a closer relationship with the MNLA organization and can step into a volunteer-leadership role in an area they feel can make a difference for them personally as well as represent their company on a regionalstate level.

FAQs Who is eligible to attend?

The Green Industry Leadership Institute is open only to employees of MNLA member companies.

Candidates should supervise others or serve in a project management role within their company. Choosing a candidate from your company should be done carefully. View more tips for selecting the right person on www.MNLA.biz/leadership.

What are the expectations for attendees?

Participants are expected to attend all scheduled sessions, complete all coursework, be actively focused and participatory during sessions, and be open to being mentored as well as mentoring someone else in the future.

What is the application process?

Potential participants are required to submit an application for consideration. Applications will be accepted through December 30, 2020. A selection team will then review the applications and determine the final class

participants. Due to current restrictions on in-person meetings, space is limited to 12 participants.

What is the fee to participate?

The program requires an investment of $1,400.

Does everyone need to complete an individual project?

Yes, this is your chance to give back to your company and industry while benefitting from the process of peer review and project refinement as you go.

Where will the sessions be held?

Sessions will be held both at the MNLA office and via Zoom.

MUCH MORE INFORMATION AND AN APPLICATION FORM IS AVAILABLE AT MNLA.BIZ/LEADERSHIP For additional questions please contact Jon Horsman, MNLA Associate Director, at 651-633-4987 or jon@mnla.biz.

MNLA BOARD

OFFICIAL NOTICE:

OFFICIAL NOTICE: ANNUAL MEETING ON JAN. 19 – VIRTUAL FORMAT Notice is hereby given that the annual membership meeting of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, online using Zoom technology. During the annual meeting, the results of the Board of Directors election will be announced. An electronic ballot was sent the first week in December to the primary contact provided to MNLA by each business member. Following is a short biography of those persons nominated to be on the ballot.

CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE John O’Reilly

Terri McEnaney

John O’Reilly is a candidate for re-election

Terri McEnaney is a candidate for election

to the MNLA Board of Directors. He is the

to the MNLA Board of Directors. As

President of Operations at Otten Bros.

President of Bailey Nurseries, Inc.,

Garden Center and Landscaping in Long

Terri McEnaney is a 4th Generation leader

Lake, Minn. Otten Bros. operates a retail garden center,

in her family’s nursery business. Since 1905, Bailey

a secondary seasonal retail location, and a landscape

Nurseries has remained a family-owned company serving

design/build operation. John has served in many roles

customers in North America and beyond. Partnerships

for Otten Bros. since he began there in 1992, starting

have been established in the past decade introducing

as a seasonal employee, working his way up through to

Bailey genetics and brands like Endless Summer Hydran-

Garden Center Manager. He was promoted to President

gea to the world. McEnaney graduated from the

of Operations (serving both the landscape and retail

University of St. Thomas in 1982 with a degree in

sides of the company) in 2020. John has a degree in So-

Business with emphasis in Accounting. After 8 years

ciology from Western Illinois University and is an MNLA

working at 3M Company, McEnaney has worked in

Certified Professional.

various positions at her business and became the company’s first female president in 2001.

John has served on a number of committees with MNLA, including the Garden Center Committee, Education &

In addition, McEnaney has served in a number of volun-

Certification Committee, and the Communications &

teer positions within the MNLA most notably the MNLA

Technology Committee. He also serves nationally on the

Government Affairs Committee and MNLA Foundation

Executive Committee of LANCO, a cooperative buying

Board of Directors. She has also served on the board

and networking group for landscape companies.

at various national organizations, including the Nature Conservancy, Horticultural Research Institute, American-

Hands icon: iStock.com/filo

Hort, and Seed Your Future.

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MNLA.BIZ december 20

M N L

A

MENTORSHIP PROGR A M We are now taking applications for the 2021 MNLA Mentorship Program.

We are now taking applications for the 2021 year of the MNLA Mentorship Program, an initiative of the MNLA Networking Committee. Mentoring can benefit both mentors and mentees by offering a framework upon which to build strong, mutually beneficial learning relationships. Both the mentor and the mentee will give and grow in the mentoring process.

DETAILS

Both mentors and mentees will be asked to complete a short online application. Applications will be evaluated based on goals, industry segment and/or interests.

Every effort will be made to make a successful match and every effort will be made to match each applicant with a mentor. Participation in the program may be limited by the number of mentors available.

The mentoring process occurs for a one-year time period beginning in January. Mentors and mentees will agree to meet at least once a month in February, March, April and May, attend the end of program wrap-up event, and complete an experience/evaluation form.

GOALS • Enhance personal and professional development.

• Increase and transfer industry knowledge in a changing workforce.

• Help emerging and established companies to develop and grow their businesses.

• Build deeper connections and trusted resources among industry professionals.

• Enhance the value experience for MNLA members.

The deadline to complete an application is January 19, 2021.

Applicants will be notified via email by January 22.

Visit MNLA.biz for program details and links to the mentor and mentee applications.

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