The Leaflet Fall 2022

Hello MNLA Members, It’s been a busy season here in Missoula, MT, trying to finish up all my field projects before the snow flies. As I write this quick note, the weather is quickly changing. Looks like the season is ending faster than I would like, but that will free us up to doing some planning for next year. Winter always makes me think of the Montana Green Expo, which will be held in my hometown! The commute to Expo will be nice this year, but I encourage those of you with a longer drive to make the trip over to join us January 3-5, 2023. Expo is one of my favorite times to catch up with friends and see what’s new in the industry.

We have a great conference lined up for you, and I hope to see a lot of you there. You can find updates and happenings of the MNLA on our web site at www.plantingmontana.com/montanagreen-expo or email us at info@plantingmontana.com. See you in January!

Matt Watts

MNLA President

Spring

2022 MNLA BOARD

PRESIDENT Matt Watts MFW Landscape Missoula, MT

1st VICE PRESIDENT Darrin Sabers Bozeman, MT

2nd VICE PRESIDENT

Peter Hiel Gardenwerks Helena, MT

3rd VICE PRESIDENT James Hoiland Greenup Lawn Landscape & Sprinklers Great Falls, MT

MEMBER-AT-LARGE

Tim Groener 2M Company Billings, MT

PAST PRESIDENT

Steve Lehenbauer River Ridge Landscaping Co. Laurel, MT

SECRETARY

Laura Lambrecht Soil Diva Billings, MT

EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR

Kristi Browning, CPP Cashman Nursery Bozeman, MT

EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR

Gina Albaugh MNLA Billings, MT

Willow Creek Wholesale Nursery

12 Employee Retention Strategies for Your Company

By Rachel Hastings, originally published on https://emeritus.org

From small businesses to major corporations, the socalled Great Resignation is hitting companies hard. Despite the ravages of COVID-19, a record 47.8 million Americans quit their jobs in 2021, and midcareer employees are leading the exodus.

The result? A highly competitive jobs market in which many companies are struggling to retain employees and attract new talent. Data suggests this trend isn’t slowing down, either. In fact, recent figures show that more than 4 in 10 workers are considering quitting their current jobs, given in part by the availability of positions and new opportunities opened by the shift to remote work.

Why Employee Retention Is Important

The impacts of employee turnover go far beyond temporary disruptions. For one, it’s costly. Replacing an employee costs roughly one-third of their annual salary, according to the Work Institute. And the Houston Chronicle reports that, in addition to those costs, high turnover also impacts the staff that remains—and the business’s customers.

As employees watch their colleagues leave, their workloads often increase. This can lead to a downward spiral of departures and stress. Frustrated, overworked employees are less likely to perform at their peak, meaning the company’s product or service suffers, and customers have more negative interactions with the company. The ramifications are difficult to fully quantify.

Effective Employee Retention Strategies

So how can companies keep employees happy and prevent them from looking for new opportunities elsewhere? These 12 employee retention strategies at your company will put you on the right path.

1. Invest In Employees’ Careers

According to LinkedIn, 94% of employees say they would stay with their company longer if it invested in their career development. In today’s economy, employees understand that they need to keep their skills sharp to remain competitive and move up the ladder.

Organizations can tap into their employees’ desire for development by providing structures like mentorship programs and investing in additional education for their employees. Online professional education courses help organizations reskill and upskill their employees, growing their talent base while increasing employee satisfaction.

2. Focus on Managers

Have you ever heard the old line “people don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses”? Well, sometimes it’s true. A 2019 study found that 57% of employees have quit a job because of a poor relationship with their manager. Fortunately, leadership skills can be trained. Companies should ensure performance reviews take management skills into account and offer training and mentorship to managers at all levels, especially if they are first-time supervisors.

3. Recognize Employees’ Contributions

Everyone likes to feel valued, and that’s especially true in the workplace. In a Society for Human Resource Management survey, 68% of HR professionals said that recognition was important for retention, yet many organizations lack formal recognition programs.

Companies should encourage managers to recognize their direct reports’ work. They can also go further to offer division- or company-wide recognition of staff who go the extra mile. During the pandemic, when many employees have been forced to manage difficult circumstances amid ever-changing conditions, that recognition is especially important.

4. Reassess Compensation

In today’s competitive marketplace, compensation is an essential piece of any company’s retention strategy. No matter how valued an employee may feel, they are likely to look outside their current company if they feel inadequately compensated for their work. Companies that provide transparency around their pay and a clear, simple pay policy are more likely to win over employees, according to Monster.

Regular reassessment of industry compensation standards is important, as is a strategy to financially reward top performers. Spot bonuses and regular wage increases can go a long way toward making an employee feel valued.

5. Consider Your Benefits Package

Similarly, benefits are a major factor, with Forbes reporting that for nearly 6 in 10 employees, a company’s benefits package is the most important non-salary factor they consider when assessing a job. Benefits like lower employee healthcare premiums or increased parental leave can mean the difference between staying in a role or looking for a new one.

Even before COVID-19, flexible workplaces were a major driver of retention. Companies can expect that their willingness to accommodate employees’ needs and preferences will remain a major factor in employee loyalty.

6. Prioritize Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance isn’t just a buzzword. While remote work and flexible scheduling policies are important factors in creating work-life balance, they are of little use if employees simply have more work to do than they can reasonably achieve, or if the company culture expects them to check their email well after business hours.

Managers should regularly check in with employees to ensure they don’t have more on their plates than they can handle and to encourage open lines of communication about workloads. Moreover, organizations can reduce the crunch by cutting back on unnecessary meetings and administrative duties that drain time without adding significant value. Ultimately, companies should weigh the cost of adding staff against the cost of increased turnover if workloads become unsustainable.

7. Create Pathways for Growth

The world of work is changing fast, and employees know they need to keep moving or risk falling behind. Yet many worry that they lack opportunities for promotion and upward mobility within their current companies. As a result, they look outside the organization for their next step.

Dedicated career pathing can help increase employee engagement and reassure employees that their future with the organization is bright. Career pathing is a process through which employees and

Sources: DDI Frontline Leader Project; Society for Human Resource Management

their managers work together to identify goals and create a learning and growth action plan to achieve them.

8. Improve Organizational Culture

While organizational culture may seem subjective, its impacts on retention can’t be denied. In fact, company culture is one of the key drivers of workplace satisfaction. While the building blocks of a strong culture vary somewhat from one workplace to the next, strong corporate cultures share key traits such as:

• Having and carrying out clearly articulated values

• Valuing and seeking out employees’ voices

• Having strong commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Executing supportive leadership

9. Prioritize Hybrid and Remote Options

In the “new normal,” remote and hybrid working is increasingly seen as the norm. In fact, a 2021 Robert Half survey found that one-third of employees would look for a new job if required to return to the office full-time.

While some roles truly cannot be performed remotely, employers should work to create remote and hybrid options whenever possible. Options like requiring core “in-office days” or recurring in-office meetings can provide the collaborative benefits of a shared workplace without requiring an overly rigid approach.

10. Focus on Flexibility

In addition to remote options, employees increasingly prioritize flexibility in their schedules as one of their employee retention strategies. Employees who can flex their hours to accommodate family caregiving, medical needs, or even a simple run to the bank in the middle of the day are likely to feel more in control of their workday and more able to attend to their needs. This is true even if the total number of hours worked remains the same.

Options like a compressed workweek or allowing employees to get their work done on their own schedule (outside of necessary collaboration) can drastically increase satisfaction without impacting output.

11. Give Employees the Tools for Success

Dealing with IT issues or an uncomfortable workspace is never good for morale. And for employees already feeling overwhelmed with work, taking time out to deal with a computer that won’t work or dated software can be a major cause of frustration. Employers should work with employees to ensure they have the equipment and productivity tools they need to be as productive as possible. It’s especially important to ensure that remote employees also have the tools they need to work effectively.

12. Support Employee Wellbeing

Between the ongoing pandemic and political and economic uncertainties, it’s no wonder that nearly half of employees worldwide report feeling burned out. While ensuring employees have appropriate workloads, clear lines of communication with management, and a positive corporate culture are the most important tools for fighting burnout, employers can also consider taking additional measures to support their employees’ physical and mental health.

Perks like wellness reimbursements for gym memberships or massages, insurance coverage for therapy and mental health treatment, and even access to digital wellness or meditation platforms can all help employees feel more restored.

Implementing Employee Retention Strategies

In today’s tight labor market, the importance of employee retention strategies can’t be overstated. Since a few employees leaving the organization can quickly lead to lost morale and unmanageable workloads, it’s essential to be proactive by implementing effective employee retention strategies such as compensation reviews, recognition programs, and opportunities for upskilling and reskilling.

Employees who feel valued and believe that their companies are invested in their success will be happier, more productive, and more loyal—a win for everyone.

Member’s Corner

Ron Hall Sprinklers is a family-owned business based in Great Falls, Montana. It all started with a science teacher with a shovel looking for summer work in 1972. What started as irrigation installation has expanded to mowing, trees and lawn care, irrigation system winterization, and snow removal. 75% of their work is comprised of residential, 25% commercial work. Their goal is to install residential sprinkler systems in one day, while providing super clean-up and a maintenance manual for every client.

When asked if they use any specialized equipment in their day-to-day work that they would recommend to fellow MNLA members, they recommended a pipe-puller, line locators, mechanical spreaders, and a boring machine.

Ron Hall Sprinklers is celebrating 50 years of business this year!

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Paul Golden Prospiant, Johnstown, OH Joseph Martinez

Outdoor Expressions, Billings, MT Alex Mitton Treesource, Rupert, ID Barbara Popelka, B.E. ‘R Tree Specialists, Billings, MT Todd Rosendahl

Atlantic OASE, Aurora, OH Tyson Stillman

Shields River Farm & Nursery, Wilsall, MT

Fall Tour Recap

Peter Hiel, MNLA 2nd Vice President

It was great seeing everyone in Helena last month for the Fall Tour. Wednesday’s welcome dinner at Gardenwerks was well attended, where we enjoyed a catered spread of taco fixings from South Paw Street Taco. Luckily the greenhouse is a perfect place to host a party in the fall when the weather isn’t ideal. We could enjoy our tacos and drinks out of the rain and watch the thunderstorm roll through the valley.

When the rain finally broke we were given a tour of the Flower Farm at Gardenwerks by Delisa Hiel. Delisa talked about growing everything from dahlias to tulips. She also explained how Gardenwerks is trying to provide locally grown flowers to the Helena community through multiple avenues, including a CSA, grab-and-go bouquets at local businesses, and wedding flowers.

Thursday’s tour kicked off with more rain that stayed constant for most of the day. Our first stop was at 2M’s new branch in the Helena valley, where they served up breakfast burritos for our crowd. The new

distribution center is something that’s been in the works for years and will be an asset for landscapers and contractors serving the Helena area. The new facility has a huge supply warehouse, a landscape lighting display center, as well as a large conference room to hold technical training classes. If the irrigation supply warehouse doesn’t work out, they could always open up a breakfast burrito shop. The second stop on the tour was Marks Lumber. Marks has been providing the Helena area with choice, quality forest products for over 75 years. We were split into two groups to watch the process of how some of these products are made. On one side tour-goers were bussed over to view the mulch and landscape products process, while the other group walked through the new lumber mill. There was quite a contrast in the processes, with the former using computers and lasers to produce boards of all widths and thickness out of a single log. Watching how the operators were able to use almost every square inch of the log was really impressive. The mulch process was more raw, and required less finesse. What it did require

was essentially a wood chipper the size of a small house that could shred multiple logs of substantial diameters in minutes.

Helena’s 6th Ward Community Garden was the next stop. There we were met by Mark Majerus, who is a man on a mission. Public gardens in communities rely on volunteers and 6th Ward is no different. Mark is a member of The Native Plant Society and has taken it upon himself to clean up some areas in the garden that were left to the weeds. The area, that up until recently, only had a few species of native plants now has 25 native grasses, 26 native shrubs and 57 native wildflower species. Many of these species serve as a food source for pollinators and have also been used traditionally for both food and medicinal purposes by indigenous peoples. The 6th Ward Garden now has a place to show the community a variety of native plants thriving. A big thank you to people like Mark.

Before lunch we stopped at a residential landscape installed by Greenup Lawn Landscape and Sprinklers. The site was a house overlooking the golf course in the Helena valley. The crew at Greenup had a tricky site with difficult access to deal with while working on this project. The series of large natural stone retaining walls along with the stone staircase connecting the lower lawn to the front of the house were really impressive. Anyone who works with stone especially ones of that size know how much work went into creating this landscape.

Lunch for the tour was served at Chadwick Nursery in the greenhouse, which was just one of many uses for this particular greenhouse. Owners Greg and Karen have been running Chadwick Nursery since 1983 where they have provided Helena residents with all their nursery and landscape needs for almost three decades. After a delicious lunch in the greenhouse Greg gave a tour of the grounds and explained how every square foot of the property has a use. After 30 years in business Greg, Karen, and the crew

have had to work through many problems that they solved with some ingenuity, a good plan, and lots of hard work.

Next on the tour was another residential landscape west of town; this one installed by Gardenwerks. The homeowners of this historic cabin wanted to accentuate the native surroundings. Gardenwerks installed over 2000 native grass and wildflower plugs on the site and seeded large areas with native grasses. The hardscapes were installed using a mixture of native granite boulders along with flat willow moss stone and limestone paving stones.

After a long day out in the rain the heated greenhouses at High Country Growers were the perfect place to enjoy some food and drink and learn about growing everything from poinsettias to hemp. High Country Growers is Montana’s largest wholesale grower at over 10 acres and owned by Bob Hitzeroth. The tour of the facility was given by the owner Bob who was only able to show a portion of the operation due to time. The poinsettias are quite a sight, with tables filled with various sizes of plants as far as the eye can see. According to Bob they are not the easiest plant to grow, but the timing at which you start poinsettias works for space in the greenhouse as well as keeping staff on for the slower months. Another plant we were able to see in production was hemp. At High Country they grow the plants for its oil, which they have processed and bottled locally in Montana. Tour attendees were able to take CBD oil samples home with them, which was a great end to the tour.

The last stop on the tour found us at the State Capitol complex where we met Ginny Sullivan and Molly Kruckenberg. Ginny is the Development and Grants Officer and Molly the Director of the Montana Historical Society. The Montana Historical society is currently constructing a new state-of-theart facility on the Capitol grounds adjacent their current location. Most of the tour was done virtually where we were able to see renderings of the new

building and its extensive landscape. Molly walked us through how the new Heritage Center will have an interpretive trail through the site that will use exclusively native plants. Molly explained why the landscaping of the new building will be such an integral part of the project, stating primarily the connection with nature and plants are why most Montanans live in the treasure state. It was great to see a project of this scale have the landscape portion held in such high regard.

It was a great Fall Tour this year even with rainy weather. Thanks to everyone who came, hosted a stop, or sponsored. We are looking forward to next year’s Fall Tour in Great Falls.

In the Boardroom

July, August 2022 – Summer Recess September 2022

President Matt Watts called the meeting to order in Helena, MT. All Board members were present. Financial statements were reviewed, noting that production cost for the Leaflet have gone up, while advertising income is down. Frank Etzler with the MT Dept of Ag reported that the brown marmorated stink bug has been found in the Billings area. The emerald ash borer is present in Oregon, with Montana maintaining a quarantine on all ash tree importation. Gina reported that membership renewals have been slow to come in. The location for next year’s Fall Tour was discussed, with Great Falls as the final decision. Greenius joined for a web presentation on their training platform. A partnership was discussed that would allow MNLA members to sign up with no initiation fee. Discussion followed, with a unanimous vote to proceed with the Greenius partnership. Kristi reported that 6 people registered for the Certified Plant Professional exam at Fall Tour, and reported that the Specialty Crop Block Grant intern had been progressing on the consumer plant catalog design. Tim gave an update on the Billings Chapter; the annual golf tournament was a great success, and 140 people attended the Family Fun Baseball Night. Darin covered Montana Green Expo progress. Patrick Chadwick will be the keynote speaker. There are still sponsorship spaces available, and open booth spaces. Steve gave an overview of upcoming Board elections; positions will be open for the Member-at-Large, 3rd Vice President, and Secretary. Serving on the Board is a rewarding experience that helps you understand our association much better. Bozeman is considering starting a Chapter; contact Darin if you are interested. In new business, the future of the Rocky Mountain Tree school was discussed, with ideas on integrating this into the MNLA to support the future of the Tree School. Meeting adjourned.

October 2022

The video conference wall called to order by President Matt Watts. Department changes were reviewed by Frank Etzler of the MT Dept of Ag, with contacts for licensing and education announced. A draft of the consumer plant catalog that we are

producing with the Specialty Crop Block Grant was reviewed, and decided that a committee will meet to review in detail before the next meeting. Scheduled distribution is at the 2024 MT Green Expo. James lead conversation on the Fall Tour next year, and will begin forming a planning committee. Darin reported that Expo plans are progressing well. Deadline for the Best of Montana Landscaping and Container Planting Contests is November 15th. Matt gave an overview of his meeting with the Rocky Mountain Tree School, and discussed ways to bring the school under the MNLA umbrella to continue offering this conference in the state. Candidate applications for the Board of Directors were reviewed by Steve. Application deadline for the open positions is December 1st. No new business. Meeting adjourned.

Leveling Up: Introducing the Newest Certified Plant Professionals

Gina Albaugh, MNLA Executive Director

The Certified Plant Professional program is designed to improve the professional qualifications of those working in the horticultural industry. To gain certification, candidates must be knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects, including plant identification, soils, fertilization, turfgrass management, proper planting techniques, landscape design and more. The exam consists of two separate segments; a plant identification portion and a written portion. The exam is based on the Certified Plant Professional manual, and on practical information gained from experience in the industry. Successfully passing the plant ID portion requires identification of the correct genus, species, common name, and cultivar (if appropriate) for each plant. The written portion of the exam is 200 questions on principles and practices of virtually all aspects of the horticulture industry. Those that achieve the Certified Plant Professional designation are recognized as experts in their field. We’re excited to announce that three individuals recently “leveledup” in their careers, by earning their Certified Plant Professional credentials at the Fall Tour exam! Please join us in congratulating them:

Devon Malizia, Gardenwerks

Devon is employed at Gardenwerks, in Helena, MT, and passed both the written and plant ID portions of the exam during the Fall Tour offering in September. While describing the reason behind deciding to pursue certification, Devon shared, “I am passionate about utilizing ecological design to create beautiful and sustainable landscapes that benefit the health and longevity of our natural ecosystems. I also love educating people about how they can incorporate waterwise, native and pollinating plants into their environment.”

Amaia Sangroniz, Cashman Nursery

Amaia successfully completed the written portion of the Certified Plant Professional exam during coursework offered at MSUBozeman, then followed up with a passing score on the written portion in September. Amaia is currently pursuing a master’s degree in

Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems at MSUBozeman, and is employed at Cashman Nursery in Bozeman. Amaia tells us, “I am passionate about sharing my love for plants through community education, and empowering people to reconnect with our natural world through both wild and built landscapes. I have chosen to be in the horticulture field as it allows tangible opportunities to shape local landscapes in support of biodiversity and ecological resilience. As climate change impacts continue to present themselves in our community, we can use plants to support our own community resilience and food security through the planting of edible, locally adapted, and drought-resistant plants.”

Elena Johnson, Gardenwerks

Elena has been diligently pursing the CPP designation this year, first by successfully completing the written portion of the exam at the Montana Green Expo in January 2022, then rounding out the effort with a passing score on the written portion at this year’s Fall Tour in Helena. Elena says, “I love working

with plants and people. The horticulture field connects people to plants, offering opportunities for us to understand and be in relationship with the world around us while also making it a more beautiful and nurturing place to live.”

We wish all of the newest Certified Plant Professionals continued success in the horticulture industry!

Interested in gaining certification? The next exam will be offered on January 5th, 2023 in Missoula, MT during the Montana Green Expo convention. This is one of only two times per year the exam is offered. Scan the QR code, or visit www.plantingmontana. com/certification for more information.

Missoula to Host 2023 Montana Green Expo

Darin Sabers, MNLA 1st Vice President

As most of us are putting our sites to bed and bunking plants for the winter, it’s time to start thinking about the 2023 Montana Green Expo! This year’s Expo home is the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula and will take place January 3-5, 2023.

The Expo will start with the very educational “Irrigation College,” presented by Hunter Industries and Rainbird Corporation. This will be a split seminar giving insights not only to both manufacturers’ products but also to current issues surrounding landscape maintenance in our rapidly changing climate. Back by popular demand, Wilbur-Ellis will be hosting a Plant Health Care Clinic as well. New to the Expo this year will be an 811 Excavator “One Call Training.” After the workshops wrap up, a welcome reception will be open to all members and attendees.

Educational seminars will start at 8 am on Wednesday, January 4th. There will be four different focus tracks to choose from, so narrowing down which tract to attend may be tough! Tract options include:

Business Growers and Plants

Landscaping

Fundamentals

The Trade Show opens Wednesday afternoon with both new and veteran vendors, showcasing what’s what for products in the Green Industry. Join fellow attendees, presenters, and exhibitors for a cocktail reception following the Expo Trade Show. An Awards Banquet and Auction will round out the first full day of our annual Expo.

Following an evening of (hopefully not too much) fun, we will start Thursday morning off with a

“Women in Horticulture” breakfast session. There will be another opportunity here to check out the vendors you missed the night before or take the Certified Plant Professional (CPP) Exam. Following the annual MNLA meeting/luncheon on the 5th, the final afternoon will provide us all more opportunities to hear from local Green Industry experts.

If you are interested in further continuing your education beyond the Expo, Oldcastle will be hosting a Permeable Paver Course at the Hilton Garden Inn on January 6, 2023. A separate registration is required. Keep an eye out for more information in your Expo Brochure, coming to MNLA members’ mailboxes this November. The information will also be available on our website: www.plantingmontana.com/montana-green-expo.

Here’s to starting the new year off right, together in Missoula for the 2023 Green Expo!

From the Billings Chapter

Jason Albaugh, MNLA Billings Chapter Committee Chair

The Billings Chapter has been busy as usual! Since our last Leaflet update, we have had a string of extracurricular events, and just got back to our first educational meeting since June. We were fortunate to have great attendance at our summer events. We had Family Fun Night at the Billings Mustangs, with close to 150 people attending! We then had our golf tournament out at Briarwood

grass wasn’t ready for equipment demos. We decided to have it at Veterans Park, and it turned out to be a great evening. We had nine vendors showcasing equipment and supplies. Thank you to everyone who attended.

Earlier this summer we were contacted by the Billings Career Center asking for help. For those of you who are not familiar with the Billings Career Center, it is our local high school vocational and technical school. They have a program where they build a house

Golf Club. We had a great time, with 21 teams and 84 participants. We changed it up a little this year and paid out net and gross winning teams. Our net winner was 2M Co. and our gross champion was Mike D’Hoey Lawn Service. The trophy went home with Mike D’Hoey Lawn Service. We were also able to raise $1,415 for the MNLA Scholarship Fund. We were lucky to have two of our past scholarship recipients come and help us out at this year’s golf tournament. Thank you, Abby Olson and Macey Groener, for helping us to raise money for future scholarship recipients!

As soon as we got done with the golf tournament the planning committee got busy working on planning Field Day. We had the challenge of finding a new location this year. River Ridge Landscape Co. is where we usually host it, but they had to re-seed their property due to flooding this Spring, and the new

We just had our October meeting, which was sponsored by Tvetene Turf. We had Cole Clark give a talk on putting your lawn to bed. Cole is the Golf Course Superintendent at Pryor Creek Golf Club in Huntley, MT. It was a very informative talk that gets you thinking, “Am I doing what I should be doing? Is there a better way?” I think you should always be out there trying to learn and improve your practices. These chapter meetings have helped me to do that. What better way to learn about winterizing lawns than coming out and listening to somebody who does it every year on a beautiful 36hole golf course?

We have one more meeting left this year. It is our grand finale meeting in December. We will be giving away our year-end grand prize, which is a drawing for $500 cash. For every chapter meeting that you attend throughout the year you get an entry into the drawing. Our December meeting is going to be sponsored by John’s Home and Yard Service. Ron Hecht with Eide Bailey will be giving a presentation on what you can be doing for business write-offs.

with students each year. They have a construction class, electrical class, and an agricultural plant sciences class work on the house. They were unable to get the house done in time for the kids to do the landscaping portion before school got out so they asked if we could help them out and do the landscaping this year. We asked for volunteers at our chapter meetings. It was amazing how people stepped up and pitched in and we were able to get that done for them. We would like to give a big thank you to the following companies for helping: River Ridge Landscape Co. who did the dirt work, installed the edging, and sprinkler system. CW Design who planted all the plants and ran the drip irrigation. Stoneworks Landscaping who installed the fabric and rock mulch.

John Spray Landscape installed the sod. Tvetene Turf donated the sod for the project. Canyon Creek Nursery donated the plants and 2M Co. donated all the sprinkler parts. Thank you all for being a part of this project.

Billings Chapter members enjoying Family Fun Night

Golf Tournament Champs, Mike D’Hoey Lawn Service

Scholarship recipients Abigale Olson and Macey Groener with MNLA Past-President Steve Lehenbauer

Call for Board Member Nominations

Nominations due by December 1, 2022

§ Candidate must be a voting member of MNLA in good standing § Candidates must be willing to make a 5 year commitment to service on the Board § Board members are allowed to miss 3 board meetings per year and one face to face meeting § Board members must attend the annual Fall Tour and the annual Montana Green Expo Once nominated, each candidate

Contact us with questions at 406-755-3079 • Submit form by December 1, 2022 to: info@plantingmontana.com • or fax to 406-633-2032 MNLA Board Nominations • PO Box 20353 • Billings, MT 59104

Note from the Executive Director

Gina Albaugh, MNLA Executive Director

It has been a busy summer and fall in the MNLA office, with activities and events back in full swing. We enjoyed seeing several of you at the Fall Tour in Helena, where we braved some rainy weather to see old friends and visit new sites. Fall Tour is the calm after the storm of the busy season, and is something I always look forward to each year.

We have brought on a new partnership program with Greenius as a member benefit this Fall. Greenius is the educational side of Landscape Management Network (LMN) software. LMN and Greenius have been well-known in our industry for years, and have recently expanded their database of training videos through the Greenius platform. These have the potential to be a great time-saving tool for you in employee training and on-boarding. We have negotiated waived implementation fees for all MNLA members ($349 value), plus the first two months of your subscription for free. Look for more information on the Greenius partnership in this Leaflet, or visit https://share.golmn.com/Montana. We’re always looking for ways to add value to your membership, so please take advantage of these programs, and send us your ideas for other things you would find beneficial.

Your Board of Directors has also been hard at work lining up speakers and exhibitors for the Montana Green Expo. There will be a great mix of seminars, trade show, and networking events to provide you and your crews with the education and connections you need to stay at the top of your game. The Expo is scheduled for January 3-5, 2023 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. Early bird pricing is good through December 1st, so plan ahead to take advantage of the savings.

We have a few deadlines approaching: the Best of Montana Landscape Competition and Container Planting Contest entry deadlines are both on November 15th. The awards show is one of the most anticipated programs at the Green Expo, so dig out your photos and send in your entries! Last, but certainly not least, we will have several

Board members moving on from Board service at the end of the year; Tim Groener, Laura Lambrecht, and Steve Lehenbauer have served faithfully for the past several years. Thank you all for your service! We are accepting nominations for their replacements; please submit all nominations by December 1st. The Board nomination form is included in this Leaflet. Please reach out to any of the Board members (contact info is near the front of this newsletter) if you have any questions about Board service. This can be a great opportunity to make connections and make an impact on Montana’s horticulture industry.

As always, reach out to us if you have any questions or ideas on how we can better serve you, or just to say “hello”: 406-755-3079, gina@plantingmontana. com. See you at Expo!

Gina Albaugh

Inflation Reduction Act Features

Tax Credit for Commercial Grade

Electric Lawn Mowers

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Biden on Aug. 16, 2022, and this new law includes a tax credit for electric vehicles. Within the definition, large commercial grade lawn mowers are included.

The tax credit is 30 percent per vehicle/lawn mower, with a max of $7,500 per vehicle/lawn mower. The credit is available for sales made beginning Jan. 1, 2023, and the credit sunsets in 2032.

The interpretation of commercial mowers counting as mobile machinery was confirmed during a discussion on the Senate floor.

The parameters for these mowers must be less than 14,000 lbs. and have a battery capacity of not less than 7-kilowatt hours. This is significant because the parameters limit this tax credit to solely commercialgrade electric lawn mowers.

Montana Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) has partnered with Greenius to provide members access to high-quality green industry training focused on safety and employee development.

London, Ontario-based Greenius is an industry leader with a proven track record of delivering exceptional employee development tools for landscape professionals.

Greenius offers hundreds of courses in both English and Spanish with new courses added every year. Greenius offers courses on a variety of topics important to the green industry, including but not limited to maintenance, construction, snow, safety, equipment, supervisor training and more.

This partnership will give MNLA members’ the opportunity to access hundreds of Greenius training courses, tailgate talks, job-site checklists, and employee development tools. Many companies in the industry continue to be challenged by skilled labor shortages. The Greenius platform provides training courses and tools to help develop the skills of new team members, and to help retain employees and foster team member growth within their organizations. To learn more about how Greenius works, visit https://www. gogreenius.com/how-greenius-works/.

Members of MNLA are eligible to use Greenius for 2-months free, with no initiation fee ($349 value). To learn more about MNLA’s partnership with Greenius, and information about signing up, visit https://share. golmn.com/Montana.