DISCLAIMER: The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, directors or staff and do not constitute an endorsement of the products or featured services. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements, or their identification as members of the MNLA does not constitute an endorsement of their products or featured services.
REPRINT PERMISSION: Reprints of original articles may be granted upon request. Contact info@plantingmontana.org with requests.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
To the MNLA members, Summer is a busy time in the industry, and I am sure you are all involved. Even though we all know the routine, it is easy to become overwhelmed at this time of year. It is also nice to know that this busy time will eventually pass.
As board members working within this industry, we, too, have minimal free time. This means the MNLA has less going on in May and June, but come July we will all get back together in Missoula for our Summer tour (formerly Fall tour). The summer tour is a great opportunity for members to get together as an association and visit with others in the industry. It is also when we showcase some of our member’s facilities and/ or projects in the Missoula area.
Along with planning the summer tour, planning for next year’s Expo is in full swing. The few events the MNLA puts on are all for members’ benefit. The association relies on members’ participation and sponsorships for any event, so thank you to all who attend or sponsor. The MNLA is made better with your support.
Congratulations to you all on surviving another busy spring and I hope to see you all in Missoula this July.
Cheers,
Peter Hiel, MNLA President
INDEx TO ADvERTiSERS
2024 MNLA BOARD
PRESIDENT
Peter Hiel Gardenwerks Helena, MT
1st VICE PRESIDENT
James Hoiland
Green Up Lawn & Landscape Sprinklers
Great Falls, MT
2nd VICE PRESIDENT
John Spray
The Good Earth Works Co. Billings, MT
3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Aaron Mihelish Pro Sweep Plus Missoula, MT
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Joe Sansone Oldcastle Polson, MT
PAST PRESIDENT
Matt Watts Pro Sweep Plus Missoula, MT
SECRETARY
Pat Appleby Compost Happens Gardening Florence, MT
EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR
Kristi Browning, CPP Cashman Nursery Bozeman, MT
NORTHERN ROCKIES
TREE SCHOOL CHAIR
Mike Garvey
Garvey’s Urban Forest Billings, MT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gina Albaugh MNLA Billings, MT
Finding the True Root Flare: Bare Rooting Container Trees
By: Mike Garvey, RCA, CA, TRAQ Garvey’s Urban Forest, LLC
The April 16th social meeting sponsored by the MNLA Billings Chapter held at the Red Door Lounge was definitely worth spending a few relaxing and fun hours with various members of our association. The casual get together was sponsored by the Good Earth Works of Billings, and the featured presenters were Claire Johnson and Madie Johnson.
Claire has many years of experience and knowledge from working in the nursery and landscape business in Billings, and her daughter Mady has learned many skills and talents from her mother, as well as learning about our industry on her own merit. Both have achieved their Certified Plant Professional (CPP) certification, and are valuable employees at Good Earth Works.
Their presentation included an engaging hands-on demonstration on how to successfully plant container trees by means of first locating the root flare. This important procedure is often overlooked and is poorly understood by untrained tree planters, both commercially and by homeowners. If the root flare is not first located, the odds are very high that the tree will be planted several inches too deep, and associated appressing,
encircling, and girdling roots will eventually strangle the tree.
In fact, James Urban, in his awardwinning book “Up By Roots” states:
‘Most native nurseries produce trees in containers to ease production and transplant problems. Many of these container grown trees have been found to have serious circling and girdling roots embedded deep within the root mass of the container, the result of propagation in smaller containers. Fixing the girdling root problem is not easy. In many instances, a native tree is specified but the tree dies of girdling roots just when it was supposed to hit its prime.”
Claire and Mady’s demonstration proved James Urban’s point that fixing the problem is difficult and time-consuming. They got their hands dirty and proceeded to field dress two hackberry container trees, all with the help of many attendees.
This process, known as “bare rooting” is superior to other techniques such as butterflying where deep cuts are made from under the root mas to loosen the soil. This method does nothing from fixing the problem of locating the root flare and discovering any encircling roots that tend to be toward the top of the container.
Urban mentions that practitioners who try this technique report no increase in loss over the conventional method of simply taking the tree out of the container and placing it in a hole that is dug to the same diameter and height of the container that held the tree.
I personally plant trees by the bare rooting method, and can report no mortality; in fact, the tree responds quickly and grows with better anchorage, condition, and health. I do prefer to use water to loosen and remove the soil to locate the root flare and any other problem roots, it is faster and less invasive than hand digging. It also has the benefit of hydrating the roots prior to planting.
However, since this demonstration was conducted indoors, Claire and Mady did not have that convenient option!
What I enjoyed most about this presentation was that it got various members of our group together to learn something new and valuable that they could use in their own business and operations. It also showed comradery among our Chapter attendees - something often overlooked during our busy professional lives when we don’t give ourselves a chance to slow down and enjoy the moment.
To me, this is why I attend as many Chapter meetings as possible.
I’m looking forward to seeing Bozeman’s Chapter get up and rolling and hopefully their success will entice other community members of MNLA to fire up a local chapter in their area.
The problem with container trees is complex and ongoing . I hope that this topic of discussion will be at the forefront of conversation and experimentation at future MNLA events.
Photographs submitted by Mike Garvey.
35-year Research Project Determines Cold-Hardy Grasses for USDA Zone 4b
By Mary Hockenberry Meyer and Brandon Miller | April 2024
A long-term, landscape grass hardiness study began in 1987 at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Hardiness Zone (PHZ) 4b -20 to -25 °F. This location averages 158 growing season or frost-free days, with summer
temperatures of 79.9 °F and winter 10.4 °F. Over 35 years, 392 different grasses and sedges were planted to evaluate winter survival, landscape value, flowering and pest resistance. Most plants, 271 (69%), survived at least four years, 186 (47%) survived 10 years, 81 (21%) survived 20 years, and 29 (7%) survived 35 years. Sixty-eight (17%) were deemed not winter hardy and 53 resulted with insufficient data for a hardiness rating. This article summarizes key findings, including a list of popular grasses and their survival ratings.
How the winter hardiness trial was done
The level, full sun planting site was in a public area of the Arboretum (lat. 44.5°N, long. 93.3° W; American Horticulture Society Heat Zone 5; USDA PHZ 4b; Hayden loam, pH 7.6) consisting of 10 full sun and two shade beds: each approximately 1200 ft2. In July, 1987, 159 different grasses and sedges were obtained from Bluemount Nurseries (Monkton, Maryland) and Kurt Bluemel Nurseries (Baldwin, Maryland) and planted for the original collection and trials. An additional 233 kinds have since been added, from additional commercial sources primarily Emerald Coast (Pensicola, Florida), Hoffman Nursery
(Rougemount, N.C.), Intrinsic Perennials (Hebron, Illinois), Walters Gardens (Zeeland, Michigan), and North Creek Nursery (Landenberg, Pennsylvania). Plants were obtained in 4-inch to 1-gal containers or as plugs or bare root plants. Plugs and bare root plants were potted and maintained in a greenhouse or under shade cloth until sufficient size to be transplanted into the field. For most selections, a minimum of four plants were trialed in rows with spacing equal to the mature height of each plant. Supplemental water was used only in the first year during establishment. Hand weeding and wood chip mulch were used to control weeds, occasionally, a pre-emergent weed control was applied if high weed pressure was observed. Supplemental fertilizer and pesticides were not used. No winter protection was provided for any of the plants.
In early spring (usually late April or early May), grass tops were burned or cut back to remove the growth residue from the previous year. Plants were divided as needed due to rodent damage or loss of vigor. For some plants, division was never needed while for others, it was necessary as often as every five years.
Winter survival data was collected each spring, usually in early June. A rating scale of 0 = dead, 1 = some dieback, and 2 = no winter injury was implemented. Additional data on spring green up, flowering time, overall appearance, height, width, and pest damage was collected monthly throughout the growing season by the primary author and has been reported elsewhere (Meyer MH. 2012).
Grass Collection at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Spring burning of grass tops at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The burning removes the growth residue from the previous year.
Tables: Landscape grasses, sedges, and rushes surviving 4 years or more (1987–2022) in field trials in United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone 4b, Chanhassen, MN, USA.
Results
Weather data shows the coldest temperatures of -31, -32, -35, and -37 °F during 2019, 1994, 1998, and 1997, respectively. Over the 35 years of this trial, the average minimum winter temperature was -20.5°F, consistent with the -20 to -25°F typical for USDA PHZ 4b. Average annual rainfall from 19872022 was 32 inches, and the average growing season or number of frost-free days was 158. Plants that did not survive and are rated as non-winter hardy, as well as grasses that have been determined to be hardy are listed, along with the number of years in the trial. Scan the QR code, or Go to bit.ly/MNgrasses to view the full trial results tables.
Challenges with long-term herbaceous trials
Over the 35 years, approximately 30 Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus) seedlings were found in the adjacent woods and open fields near the original plantings. These seedlings were removed annually. Scouting for seedling grasses in adjacent areas was part of ongoing management. Without this annual scouting and removal, Chinese silvergrass could have increased and become naturalized and perhaps invasive as it has in the eastern U.S. (USDA 2023). No other plants in this trial were found selfseeding outside of the original planting location.
Chinese fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) was one of the most problematic grasses. Plants often showed large dead sections of winter damage with lopsided growth in the spring. Even so, by fall these plants were filled with inflorescences that disarticulated (fell apart) and self-sowed in nearby turfgrass and planting beds, thus becoming weeds. Reduced seed set in new cultivars of Chinese fountain grass (Hanna and Schwartz 2020a) and Chinese silvergrass (Hanna and Schwartz 2020b; Ranney and Touchell 2016) can reduce weed and invasiveness problems. These reduced seed set cultivars have lived 4 years in our trials.
Maintaining genetic integrity can be challenging in a long-term herbaceous trial due to seedling establishment from nearby plants and variation in vigor among cultivars. This proved especially difficult in purple moorgrass (Molinia arundinacea and M. caerulea) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Annual inspection of each cultivar throughout the
growing season and especially during flowering was essential to remove errant seedlings.
Originally, the plant residue or growth from the previous year was burned annually before new growth began each spring, usually in April. Burning rejuvenates perennial grasses and reduces crown and foliage diseases but can kill overwintering Lepidoptera or butterfly larvae. In recent years, the native grasses in this collection have been cut back and the tops removed in early spring, with burning only occurring every third year. This allows overwintering larvae to survive in the base of the grass crown, thus supporting pollination insects (Narem and Meyer 2017).
Variegated cultivars such as Avalanche, Overdam, and El Dorado feather reedgrass (Calmagrostis ×acutiflora) required removal of all-green sections, as did variegated cultivars of other grasses. No fungal pests required management; however, field ants (Formica sp.) did considerable damage in some grasses such as tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa) and fall reedgrass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) by building their nests directly in the grass crowns. We used ant baits and often resorted to dividing the entire plant and disruption of the ant colony. Voles (Microtus sp.) required management effort, especially during the fall and winter, when bunch grasses provided the perfect habitat and food source during the winter. Baits and repellents were utilized as annual management efforts against voles.
Why this research matters
Without field trial data, growers and retail garden centers understandably are reluctant to risk offering plants with unknown hardiness to consumers. Having research data enables growers to put correct hardiness information on plant tags and
Feather reedgrass cultivars are trialed side by side for comparison.
catalogues. Accurate hardiness labeling is enforced in some states which often rely on field trials to determine their ratings (Minnesota Department of Agriculture 2023). We were fortunate to have planted these trials in a public arboretum that had space and resources to dedicate to a long-term research project. This enabled gardeners, as well as growers and retailers, the opportunity to view the plants throughout the seasons and years. Additional detailed features of specific grasses grown in this study and their use in the landscape has been published (Narem and Meyer 2020; Meyer 2012). This winter hardiness information demonstrates the survival likelihood of many landscape grasses in the upper midwestern U.S. and will help inform growers, retailers, and gardeners as well as consumers when selecting grasses to grow in cold climates.
Mary Hockenberry Meyer is professor emeritus and Grass Collection curator at University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Brandon Miller is an assistant professor at University of Minnesota.
Photos provided by Mary Hockenberry Meyer
In the Boardroom
February 2024 President Peter Hiel called the meeting to order in Bozeman, MT. We welcomed our new 3rd Vice President, Aaron Milhelish. Minutes of the 1-2-2024 meeting and January financials were reviewed and approved. Gina noted that Expo and NRTS items are still being posted and will finalize by next month. Gina will get new bank signature cards as needed with our rotating board member structure. Board members went over our review of Gina’s contract and workload and agreed to offer her an additional one-year contract for 2024 and she accepted. Everyone feels she does an excellent job, and we are grateful to have her. We asked her to be sure to let us know when she needs extra help. Peter reviewed our Mission Statement and asked for suggestions for Association goals going forward. Gina would like to start an operating procedures manual for all our events. Member professional development, networking, building on the success of our events, membership growth, legislative action as needed, grant writing to benefit members, and recruiting new board candidates were listed as goals for the coming year. Expo and NRTS up and downs were reviewed, and planning started for 2025 in Missoula. The Specialty Crop Block Grant application is in process with award notification in late April. Summer Tour plans for July 25-26 in Missoula are underway. Members of the Billings Chapter joined the meeting to make a presentation to interested Bozeman area folks on how to get a Bozeman Chapter going. Thanks to the Bozeman volunteers and Kristi for getting the ball rolling!
March 2024 President Peter Hiel called the meeting to order via Zoom. Minutes of the 2-22-24 in person meeting were reviewed and approved. Gina presented the financials and reported all income and expenses were within expected ranges for last year. Expo revenue was strong, and our end-ofthe-year profit is up from last year. Gina reviewed the proposed 2024-2025 budget. All reports were approved. Information on green industry related events was presented and board members will make contacts to assess MNLA involvement. Kristi reports the Specialty Crop Block Grant application has been submitted and approvals will come out in late April. Aaron is asking for member ideas of member
benefits we could add. Pat and Matt would like to see an updated membership brochure to include membership benefits and NRTS info. This would be available to hand out to potential new members. Mike is working on his speaker list for NRTS 2025 and hopes to have a Summer Tour tie in to Tree School in January. Expo speakers and workshop classes are in the works, and vendor sign up is strong and on track. The Billings Chapter is getting back into action after a winter break. The new Bozeman Chapter is working toward a late summer kick off. Gina is setting up a Zoom meeting for Summer Tour planning with Missoula area members.
April 2024 – Minutes awaiting board approval before publishing.
May 2024 Spring Recess – no meeting.
Note from the Executive Director
Executive Director MNLA
Greetings, MNLA members! I hope your season is off to a strong start. While you have been tending to business, we have been busy planning out a Summer full of fun networking events. Come join us for a fun break from the daily grind! The Summer events will kick off with Family Fun Night at the Billings Mustangs baseball park in midJuly, followed by the Summer Tour in Missoula, and Golf Tournaments in Billings and Bozeman in August. The full calendar of events is included on page 17 of this Leaflet. If you’ll be in the area during any of these events, please join us! Registration information is available online: www.plantingmontana.org/ events.
Chapter meetings are also currently being held in Billings and Bozeman (new this year) once a month. We encourage you to join us! Chapter meetings are a fun way to unwind, learn, and toss ideas around with area members. Contact one of your Board members, or myself, at anytime to get a list of upcoming chapter meeting topics and dates. As the season progresses, don’t forget to take pictures of the projects you’re working on; the Best of Montana Landscape Competition and Container Planting Contest entry deadlines will be here before we know it. Mark your calendars for October
15th, the intent-to-enter deadline. We can’t wait to celebrate the work you do!
I hope to see many of you at the Summer Tour July 25-26th in Missoula, for a behind-the-scenes tour of some of the area’s finest nurseries, growers, and landscapes, with a few surprises thrown in along the way. The Summer Tour is a great way to see what others are doing in the field, and revive your team with fresh ideas. The Certified Plant Professional exam will also be held in conjunction with the Summer Tour. If you or your team members have been planning on sitting for the exam, summertime plant ID is reportedly much easier than the winter exam! Look for registration information for both the Summer Tour and CPP exam in this Leaflet. Special thanks to the Summer Tour planning committee for putting together a stellar lineup: Sandy Perrin, Bill Caras, Matt Watts, Aaron Mihelish, John Spray, Bev Gutman, Hollie Gutman-Stacy, and Pat Appleby.
As always, I’m just a call or email away: 406-755-3079, gina@plantingmontana.org. Here’s to a successful season!
Gina Albaugh MNLA Executive Director
Gina Albaugh,
Power of Compost
JB Farley, Agri Organics
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That statement couldn’t be truer when it comes to composting. Here in the Treasure State, Agri Organics is turning trash to treasure in a big way. This Billings-based composting operation collects organic materials and utilizes a biological process to create compost and mulch that is used across the state.
Here’s How it Works…
Composting is an aerobic, biological process that involves the breakdown of organic materials by micro-organisms into a biologically stabilized material. This process requires oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and water to support the biological activity necessary for degrading the raw materials. The complex environment of composting includes many biological organisms – most commonly bacteria and fungi, but also protozoa, algae, and more. The composting process is completed over several months and involves THREE phases:
In the first phase, mesophilic bacteria are dominant, and temperature will increase rapidly as the organic material begins to break down.
In the second phase, thermophilic bacteria become dominant as the temperatures remain high, ideally between 130 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This is when pathogens and seed are sterilized, and carbon is stabilized.
The third and final phase is called the curing phase. Temperatures decrease and mesophilic bacteria are prominent. Actinobacteria and fungi increase to degrade more complex compounds such as cellulose and lignin. Decomposition slows down and the biological activity stabilizes, rendering the compost finished and mature. Every step of the process is skillfully managed to provide the highest quality end products. Materials collected – such as branches, manure, and offal – are carefully selected to avoid any herbicides, insecticides, or other contamination. Machinery is
used for grinding raw product down, with magnets in the grinder to remove metal. Screening machinery is utilized later in the process, and products are manually picked at screening to remove plastic and other debris.
Each phase is monitored closely, and piles are moved and watered to ensure biological activity at each phase. The result is a stable material that is rich in nutrients.
Here’s Why it Matters…
Thousands of tons of organic waste are diverted from the landfill each year and turned into treasure. Compost and mulch are generated for soil amendments, anti-erosion applications, and more. The material is a great source of plant nutrients and a good way to create healthier plants and bring structure and stability to the soil.
Learn more about how this family owned-andoperated business produces Montana-made compost and composted mulch at agriorganics.org.
Supporting Members through Scholarships
Gina Albaugh, MNLA Executive Director
We are excited to announce that three deserving individuals have recently been selected as recipients of the MNLA Scholarship Award! Thank you to everyone who has supported this program and helped with fundraising efforts; we are thrilled to be able to give back and support the next generation of scholars. Read on to “meet” the well-deserving students that were selected as recipients. We wish them all success in their future endeavors!
Mia Gannon
Mia hails from Bigfork-based member Tamus Gannon of Swan River Gardens. “Hello, I am Mia Gannon, a student at Montana State University who has recently completed my sophomore year. Majoring in Psychology I’m currently working toward a career in horticulture therapy. Growing up in the tight-knit community of Bigfork has taught me the significance of lending a helping hand to those in need. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue my education and share my experiences, aiming to make a difference in people’s lives. I’m honored to have been selected for the MNLA scholarship as it will support me in continuing my commitment to foster well-being within individuals and communities.”
True Gannon
True is also from Bigfork-based member Swan River Gardens.
“Hello, I’m True Gannon, I am a senior at Montana State University studying environmental horticulture and landscape design. Raised in my family’s greenhouse, Swan River Gardens, I have developed a huge appreciation for plants. I am eager to explore the professional world of the horticulture industry after graduating. I am excited
to bring my passion for plants to our family business and into the landscape design profession. I love Montana and want to continue to beautify this amazing state and support our local community. MNLA has been a huge supporter of my education and I am enthusiastic about my future in the green industry.”
Annika
Olson
Annika is the daughter of Billings-area member Bryce Olson of Stone Works Landscaping. “Hello, my name is Annika Olson and I am passionate about going into Exercise and Health Science at Montana Tech. Choosing my career path was an easy decision for me. While I was playing basketball my junior year, I experienced a knee injury. Ended up having surgery and went through physical therapy to rehab my knee. I first realized my interest in physical therapy after working with my physical therapist and seeing how much they help and impact athletes and others get back to their daily lives and sports. My knee injury was the driving force behind my decision to pursue a career in this field.
When selecting my school, I carefully considered several factors. I wanted an institution that offered a strong curriculum in Exercise and Health Science and would allow me to gain handson experience through internships and co-op programs. Additionally, I wanted a school that had a close-knit community and vibrant student life. Upon graduation, my primary goal is to secure a Bachelor’s degree from Montana Tech then continue at a physical therapy school to earn a Doctorate in physical therapy. I am passionate about making a positive impact in the field of physical therapy and contributing to its growth and innovation. I am excited to gain practical experience and further develop my skills through real-world applications.”
Do you know someone that could benefit from our scholarship program? As a member benefit, scholarships are available to members and their immediate families, as well as to employees of members. Scholarships are available for both higher education and professional development courses. For higher education, applicants must be enrolled in a higher education facility for the semester following their application. Professional development scholarships are reviewed on a case-by-case basis through our Short Course Scholarship program.
The scholarship programs are funded throughout the year by fundraising auctions, donations, and event fundraisers; scholarships are awarded based on available funding. We were able to award $6,065 in scholarships last year, and look forward to helping more aspiring students and professionals this year! To learn more about the scholarship program, visit our website: www.plantingmontana. org/scholarships. If you would like to donate to the scholarship program, contact our office at info@ plantingmontana.org.
Montana 811 – How to Prevent Delays in One-Call Locate Tickets
Clint Kalfell, Montana 811
Here is detailed information about why an online ticket must be reviewed.
1. The Manual (“Other”) tool allows a free-drawn polygon that indicates the work site.
2. If any system-generated text is changed or edited, this would be the Address, Street, Intersecting Street, and Location of Work fields. Changing/adding/editing any information in those fields forces the ticket to be reviewed by someone at the call center before a ticket number is assigned.
3. “Custom Mark” fields are used in the Route, Street, Radius, or Property tools
To ensure your tickets do not go to Review, please use the Route, Street, Radius, or Property tools to create your worksite and avoid the Custom Mark fields as much as possible. The text it generates should also be left unaltered. It is acceptable if you need to edit that information, but that does force the ticket to be reviewed. Tickets where the systemgenerated information is left un-altered will pass review automatically and provide the ticket number right away.
Please note: You CAN add information to the remarks field (just below the Location of Work field), which will NOT force the ticket to be reviewed. It can’t contain contradictory information from what the system generated or change how/where the marks should be completed. It’s great for things like “Site is new address of: 123 NEWROAD
AVE” or “Beware of Dog”, “Site is in New Name Subdivision” and so forth.
The Call Center staff works on tickets sent to review in the order they are received, and the time it takes to release them varies depending on the volume of incoming tickets. Typically, Monday and Tuesday mornings are the heaviest volumes.
Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act introduced in the House
Luke Reynolds, Irrigation & Lighting
Bipartisan lawmakers have introduced the Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act to expand tax exclusions for water-saving technologies.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced the Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act in the House of Representatives. Sponsored by Representatives Jared Huffman, D-California, John Curtis, R-Utah, Judy Chu, D-California, and Doug LaMalfa, R-California, the bill seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for certain water conservation subsidies. The proposed legislation aims to include rebates for water conservation or efficiency measures under the existing tax exclusion for conservation subsidies. According to the bill, this would place water conservation rebates on par with energy conservation rebates, such as those offered for EnergyStar appliances. Rebates for purchases of smart irrigation controllers would be included. According to the bill, the exclusion would cover rebates provided by public utilities, as well as state and local governments, for the purchase or installation of water-saving technologies. These measures are designed to reduce water consumption and enhance water efficiency.
“The Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act is a vital step towards encouraging more efficient water use,” says Nathan Bowen, vice president of advocacy and public affairs at the Irrigation
Association. “By expanding the tax exclusion to include these measures, we can drive greater adoption of practices that not only save water but also contribute to broader environmental benefits.”
Bowen says the bill has been a priority legislative effort for the Irrigation Association. “This bill is a testament to the industry’s proactive efforts that have led to its introduction,” he says. “Our members have consistently advocated for policies that support thoughtful water use, and this legislation reflects the importance of those efforts.”
As the bill moves through the legislative process, supporters, including the Irrigation Association, are calling on Congress to act swiftly to pass the measure and provide much-needed support for water conservation efforts nationwide.
“The Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act is a pivotal measure that acknowledges the significance of water conservation in our nation’s overall sustainability efforts,” says IA CEO Natasha Rankin, MBA, CAE. “By providing equal tax treatment for water conservation rebates, this legislation encourages widespread adoption of water-efficient technologies and practices, including smart irrigation solutions, ultimately contributing to the responsible use of our water resources. We appreciate the leadership of Representatives Huffman, Curtis, Chu and LaMalfa, look forward to its introduction in the Senate, and encourage prompt consideration and passage of this legislation.”
Welcome New MNLA Members!
Erik Gjertsen, RDO Equipment Co. Billings, MT
Mary Thompson, Eason Horticultural Resources Ft. Wright, KY
Aaron Mihelish, Pro Sweep Plus Missoula, MT
Rebekah VanWieren, MSU Bozeman, MT
Protecting Your Business: Effective Equipment Theft Deterrent Strategies
Reprinted with permission from The Edge magazine.
You invest a significant amount in your fleet and equipment, and the last thing you want to deal with are thefts that impact your crew’s ability to work. Implementing a number of deterrent strategies, as well as best practices for equipment recovery, can help reduce these occurrences. Teddy Russell, CEO of Russell Landscape Group, based in Sugar Hill, Georgia, says they had 27 thefts in 2022 and 16 in 2023
“In 2022, thefts were consistently bad from March through December, with an average of three occurrences per month,” Russell says. “In 2023, MayAugust were the worst months, with the average of three occurrences per month.”
Commonly Stolen Equipment
Russell says small equipment theft is what they encounter the most. “We have had a lot of catalytic converters stolen over the past two years,” Russell says. “However, smaller equipment seems to be the main target. Trucks, trailers and large equipment theft happen very infrequently at one or less per year.”
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, mowers (riding or garden tractors) were the most common style of equipment stolen in 2022 with 3,019 thefts. When it comes to heavy equipment, Ryan Shepherd, director & general manager of crime analytics and supply chain solutions for Verisk, says thieves prefer to target machinery that can be used in multiple operations, making skid steers the number one stolen type of heavy equipment.
Verisk hosts the National Equipment Register, which was designed to facilitate information sharing with insurers, equipment owners, and law enforcement. Their database records equipment theft and more than 25 million ownership records. “You can fit them on a small job trailer or utility trailer and they can be loaded up within a minute or two,” Shepherd says. “People have reported to us, ‘We’ve been on job sites, went around back behind a big structure or building, came back five minutes later and the skid steer is gone.’ It’s really that easy to steal those smaller assets.”
Backhoes and utility tractors are other commonly stolen machines due to their versatility with different attachments. Shepherd says there is a huge black market for these pieces of equipment as there are various industries and end users who would purchase them at an auction or off eBay.
Where and When Thefts Occur
The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that equipment theft has decreased by 1% nationally compared to 2021. Shepherd says the areas where theft is more common are states with large populations and access to ports or borders where the machines can be moved out of the country. Typically, a piece of equipment is sent overseas or it stays local.
Texas has the highest number of equipment thefts, accounting for 21% of all thefts in the United States in 2022. California had the second-highest number of thefts in 2022 at 1,555, which is 48% lower than Texas’s total, according to the NICB.
Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Indiana are the top 10 states for equipment theft and account for 65% of all equipment thefts in the United States in 2022.
Russell notes they’ve had most of their thefts occur while crews are in the field. The catalytic converter thefts take place after hours. Shepherd says when the thefts occur depends on how hardened the facility is. He says theft activity is more common on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and around holidays.
Theft Deterrent Strategies
The NCIB recommends having a layered approach of methods to help prevent theft. The first layer is to ensure that your team is employing basic protection measures: locking doors, removing keys from the ignition, and tracking where equipment is stored. “If you can take it back to your shop and put it behind the gate or put it in a garage, you’re well ahead of everybody else,” Shepherd says.
Be aware of your surroundings, as certain environments can be more troublesome when it
comes to theft. Shepherd recommends having a way to check in and out your handheld tools. Russell says they conduct frequent audits to see if anything is missing. Russell Landscape Group makes a point of locking their equipment at all times when it’s not in use and brings their smaller equipment inside the shop at night. They are in the process of adding surveillance cameras and electric fences to all of their branches. “Any method is better than no method to deter the thieves,” Russell says. “Not being vigilant with locking small equipment because if it’s sitting out unlocked and unattended, that is not very effective security and things will come up missing.”
The second layer is to have a visible or audible device. This includes using audible alarms, steering wheel or brake pedal locks and identification markers. The third layer includes using a vehicle immobilizer in the form of smart keys, fuse cut-offs and kill switches. Shepherd says utilizing disabling technology on your equipment can be particularly useful if you have a smaller fleet. The fourth layer is to invest in a tracking system. This technology can alert you to equipment being removed from a geofenced location and it is easier to recover stolen machinery. Russell says they use Quartix for GPS tracking and Asset Panda to tag equipment to a truck. This allows them to keep track of the model and serial numbers of all the small equipment assigned to a truck. “Whatever techniques or whatever protocol you come up with, as an owner of a business, it’s important to give your employees time to implement those strategies for you,” Shepherd says.
For example, if one of your strategies requires employees to circle the equipment and create a ring around smaller machinery, give them enough time at the end of the day to do so within their working hours. Shepherd says it shows them that you’re serious about it. You shouldn’t expect them to do it on their own time.
Russell adds you need to continually train your team on the proper processes to prevent theft and have written documents of these processes.
Recovering Stolen Equipment
The NICB says that 30% of equipment stolen in 2022 was eventually recovered, with forklifts and lift trucks being the vehicle type that has the highest recovery rate with 38%. Russell says they recover one out of every 50 items stolen.
“It is really difficult for law enforcement to track and recover these assets,” Shepherd says. “Just as an example, when we’re talking about automobile recoveries, it’s about 70%. Seven out of every 10 cars that are stolen get found. With construction equipment, it’s around 20%, so only two out of 10 come back to the owner or to the insurance company.”
Shepherd adds that vehicles are more commonly recovered because it is much harder to sell a car that’s been stolen due to the required paperwork. Heavy equipment doesn’t require ownership paperwork and auctions don’t typically ask sellers where a machine came from.
The main key to successfully recovering equipment is keeping good records of your equipment’s serial or product identification number. Shepherd says that the National Crime Information Center is only set up to take a 17-digit number, so there can be issues reporting a theft if there is a truncated number on the bill of sale.
“Make sure that the paperwork you have matches up with the machine that you’re operating or purchasing, not in the sense of the numbers are completely different, but does your paperwork show less than a 17-character number?” Shepherd says.
Shepherd says if you don’t take the proper precautions and avoid this pitfall, you’ve reduced the chances of recovering your equipment.
Russell says logging their equipment’s make, models and serial numbers helps them know what they own and get the relevant information to law enforcement. “We are able to find the missing equipment and get the information to law enforcement in a timely manner so that we have a better chance of recovering it,” Russell says. “In one of our recent theft incidents, our employee was able to do an audit on the asset tracking software, Asset Panda, and found the stolen equipment in under two minutes.”
He says typically, the equipment they do recover are items that they have logged and are tracking.
“Mostly, the police recover them from their investigation, most times at an individual’s home,” Russell says. “The officer gets notified if the equipment is being sold at a pawn shop. That’s why it is important to get the information to the police as quickly as possible.”
