The Scoop Online – March 2013

Nonhardy Labeling Member Profile Business Briefs

Volume 35 No. 3 Mar 2013

Basics of the Affordable Care Act

Also Inside

The Green Consumer

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 o ta N u r s e r y & L a n d s c a p e A s s o c i at i o n

CHEVROLET BUSINESS ELITE DEALERS

ELITE SOLUTIONS. ELITE SELECTION. ELITE SERVICE.

Your Chevrolet Business Elite Dealers are the best choice for all of your business vehicle needs. With outstanding selection ranging from efficient small cars to hard-working Heavy-Duty trucks. Innovative solutions and configurations designed to answer all of your cargo storage needs. And dedicated teams that ensure your company gets what it needs when it needs it from sales right through to service.

To find out what a Chevrolet Business Elite Dealer can do for your business, call or contact one of the experts below.

JEFF BELZER CHEVROLET George Miller (952) 469-6820 gmiller@jeffbelzer.com

FRIENDLY CHEVROLET

LUTHER BROOKDALE CHEVROLET

Howie Lee Kristal Bechtold (763) 786-6100 763-222-1913 howielee@friendlychev.com kristal.bechtold@lutherbrookdalechev.com

MERIT CHEVROLET

Ron Hogan 651-255-8295 rhogan@meritchev.com

SUBURBAN CHEVROLET

Darin Trees 952-913-0036 dtrees@suburbanchev.com

Volume 35 No. 3 Mar 2013

contents 17

49

57 HIGHLIGHTS

17 Basics of the Affordable Care Act The authors provide a summary of facts and figures we need to be aware of prior to implementation. 

24 U of M Top Performing Annuals Of the hundreds of trialed cultivars, these ten received the very highest ratings in 2012.    

39 The Green Consumer What’s important in reaching the eco-friendly consumer of today?  

43 Nonhardy Nursery Stock Labeling Required In 2012 mislabeling violations were addressed but not fined. In 2013, expect assessment of monetary penalties.  

49 MNLA Charts Course to the Future An outline of the process in arriving at the new MNLA Strategic Plan, and the progress so far. 

57 What’s Next for Recycling?

MNLA’s horticultural plastic recycling program shifts emphasis.    

 Landscape  Garden Services  Garden Centers  Growers  Irrigation  Arborists  All

53 IN THIS ISSUE 8 Events 10 From the President 12 Northern Green Expo Report NEW: Nearly 50 sessions now available online!

22 Member Profile Out Back Nursery, Inc. 30 Gypsy Moth Regulation Tips Make sure your operation is in compliance.

35 Research for the Real World Horticulture’s history holds promise for future.

53 Recognizing Excellence Task Team A report on developing programs to recognize member excellence.

58 Volunteers Needed!

Networking: Connect with informal groups of MNLA members.

60 Business Briefs 60 Classifieds

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Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association

ad list

Volume 35 No. 3 Mar 2013

➾ s e ct i o n title

A Top Notch Equipment ................................................................................... 42

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.TheLandLovers.org www.NorthernGreenExpo.org

Alliance Designer Products ................................................................................ 4

MNLA Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery &

Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ..................................................... 52

Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

debbie lonnee, mnla-cp, president

Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 651-768-3375 • debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com

heidi heiland, mnla-cp, vice-president Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens 612-366-7766 • heidi@BloomOnMN.com

herman roerick, secretary-treasurer

Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 • hermanr@centrallandscape.com

bert swanson, mnla-cp, past president

Anchor Block Company .................................................................................... 11 Bork Tree Farms ................................................................................................ 16 Bridgewater Tree Farms ................................................................................... 59 Bullis Insurance Agency .................................................................................... 47 Casualty Assurance ........................................................................................... 20 Central Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 54 Cushman Motor Co. Inc. .................................................................................. 44 Dailey Data ....................................................................................................... 41 Fahey Sales Agency, Inc. .................................................................................. 54 Gardenworld Inc. .............................................................................................. 47 GM Fleet and Commercial ................................................................................. 3 Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ................................................... 21 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies ........................................................ 36 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet ............................................................................... 32 & 33

Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc. 218-732-3579 • btswanson2@gmail.com

Johnson’s Nursery, Inc. ..................................................................................... 54

randy berg, mnla-cp

Kage Innovation ............................................................................................... 11

Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • rberg@smig.net

scott frampton

Landscape Renovations 651-769-0010 • sframpton@landscaperenovations.com

tim malooly, cid, clia, cic

Water in Motion 763-559-7771 • timm@watermotion.com

mike mcnamara

Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping 651-437-9463 • mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com

bill mielke

Waconia Tree Farms LLC 612-237-1728 • billmielke@waconiatreefarms.com

cassie larson, cae

MNLA Interim Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz

Klaus Nurseries ................................................................................................. 61 Kubota Dealers ................................................................................................. 34 Landscape Alternatives .................................................................................... 61 Maguire Agency ............................................................................................... 54 Moupiette Corp ................................................................................................ 16 Natural Industries ............................................................................................. 48 Out Back Nursery ............................................................................................. 16 Plaisted Companies .......................................................................................... 38 Prairie Restorations, Inc. ................................................................................... 47 RDO Equipment Co ......................................................................................... 59 RDO Integrated Controls ................................................................................. 44 Rock Hard Landscape Supply ........................................................................... 48 TerraDek Lighting, Inc. ..................................................................................... 61

Staff Directory

interim executive director:

Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz

membership director & trade show manager:

Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz communications director: Jon Horsman • jon@mnla.biz executive assistant: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz receptionist: Jessica Pratt • jessica@mnla.biz accountant: Norman Liston • norman@mnla.biz

mnla foundation program director: Jodi Larson • jodi@mnla.biz

The Builders Group .......................................................................................... 21 Titan Machinery ................................................................................................. 2 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. ............................................................................... 15 & 45 Truck Utilities, Inc. ............................................................................................. 47 Unilock Chicago, Inc. ........................................................................................ 56 Vermeer Sales & Service ................................................................................... 41 Xylem, Ltd. ....................................................................................................... 16 Ziegler CAT ....................................................................................................... 64

advertising sales:

Pierre Productions & Promotions • 763-295-5420 Betsy Pierre, Advertising Manager • betsy@pierreproductions.com

government affairs consultants:

Doug Carnival, Legislative Affairs Tim Power, Interim Government Affairs Director

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All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2013, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA. The Scoop is published 12 times per year by MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville MN 55113.

Address corrections should be sent to the above address.

➾ c ale n dar

MNLA Event

mar 12–13 Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course

mar13 23rd Annual Hedberg Contractor Education Day

hedbergaggregates.com Attend a full day of seminars, networking, exhibits and more.

MNLA Event MNLA Event

mar28 Landscape Lighting Essentials (PLT Relicensure) Roseville Skating Center, Roseville mnla.biz 651-633-4987 This class provides eight hours of Power Limited Training credit orientated specifically towards the landscape lighting specialist.

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apr2 Turfgrass Maintenance with Reduced Environmental Impacts Certification

Saint Anthony Village mnla.biz 651-633-4987 This 6 hour training offers information about best practices for managing turfgrass (mowing, seeding, fertilizer and pesticide application, and more). An optional test is offered at the end of the workshop to earn Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Level I Certification in Turfgrass Maintenance Best Practices.

➾ ➾

➾

cce.umn.edu/shadetree Changing Climates — Challenged Communities.

This is a two-day course for everyone involved in urban forestry and arboriculture.

mar14 Webinar pruning mnla.biz 651-633-4987 Learn the basics of tree and shrub pruning.

Information will cover both the theory behind pruning and practical information to be used in your everyday pruning.

MNLA Event

➾

APR3–4 Pesticide Certification Workshop & Exam

TIES Conference Center, St. Paul mnla.biz 651-633-4987 Prepare for the category A and E pesticide applicator certification exam by attending this 1½ day study program.

Day 2 includes testing, if desired.

2013 MNLA seminars generously supported by John Deere Landscapes

MNLA Event

MNLA Event

mar27

MNLA Event

mar15

MNLA Event

CEO Networking Group

➾

Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount mnla.biz 651-633-4987 Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional.

mar 20–21 Sold out!

Pesticide Certification Workshop & Exam

11:30 am at Champps, 1734 Adolphus St., Maplewood, MN 55117. mnla.biz 651-633-4987 Topic: marketing for sales growth

Dorsey Ewald Conference Center, St. Paul mnla.biz 651-633-4987 Prepare for the category A and E pesticide applicator certification exam by attending this 1½ day study program.

Day 2 includes testing, if desired.

➾

mar20

MNLA Certification Exam

mar 26–27 ICPI Level I Concrete Paver Installer Certification Program

Midland Hills Country Club, St. Paul mnla.biz 651-633-4987 The two-day classroom course, followed by exam, is designed to enhance the knowledge of individuals involved in the construction of interlocking concrete pavements.

Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes Annual Spring Open House Bachman’s Cedar Acres, Farmington bachmanswholesale.com 651-463-3288 Free seminars, hardscapes vendor fair, lunch and more. (Seminar seating is limited-call to reserve your spot today.)

APR 6–10 Tree Care Advisor Core Course

➾ Key:

Event Education Certification Networking ➾

All information on these and other industry events are online at MNLA.biz.

University of Minnesota mntca.org Core Course Training is the base training for the TCA. It consists of 30 hours spread among several weeks and is limited to 20 participants to ensure individualized attention. Training is a combination of lecture, applied exercises, and hands-on experiences.

MNLA Event

june12 Garden Party The Porch at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, St. Paul mnla.biz 651-633-4987 Join us for the ‘social event of the season’!

The summer Garden Party features an evening of food, fellowship and fundraising to celebrate scholars, donors and the future of our industry.

Proceeds benefit the career development work of the MNLA Foundation.

Shade tree short course photo courtesy of David Hansen, UMAES

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mnla .biz

9

➾ fr om the pres ident

New Season Brings Opportunity for New Relationships Spring is just around the corner, and I hope our recent Northern Green Expo got you excited, motivated and filled with good ideas to help you grow your business.

Debbie Lonnee

The Green Consumer

Green Expo! I always get a big hug and a kiss from Don, and friendships like these make a ‘job’ worth working at!

I got to introduce our keynote speaker this year, Don Shelby. I grew up in a house where WCCO Radio and TV were always on. My 81-year-old mother was tickled to hear I was making the introduction, but told me that I should “ask him about that damn mullet” — I told my mom I was NOT going to ask him about his haircut!

NOT a good way to start the day introducing a key speaker; or perhaps begin a personal relationship with someone who challenged us to help landscape around the children’s charity he works with (we’ll be discussing that challenge at our next board meeting).

I wish you all a busy and prosperous spring season.

Keep building on those relationships with your customers, and I know your businesses will grow!

And, don’t hesitate to call me or email with any concerns, issues or positive thoughts on anything happening in our great association.

debbie lonnee can be reached at: debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com.

Nonhardy Labeling Member Profile Business Briefs

Volume 35 No. 3 Mar 2013

Basics of the Affordable Care Act

Also Inside

Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

as i walked the trade show floor, meeting and greeting old friends and business associates, it struck me, that after 33 years in the business, how important personal relationships are in this business. Whether you are selling something (to a grower, vendor or landscape customer) or buying something (a plant, a pot, a tractor or truck), the power of a trusted relationship with a trusted vendor is amazing.

While much of the corporate world is filled with big businesses that have staff attorneys, our green industry world is filled with small business owners who still do business with a handshake. It is the people in the industry that are the strength of our industry, and I am proud to be working with so many ethical, trusted businesspeople. Now, is everything perfect — no! But, we are unique in that so many of us have been in the business for many years and have known each other for so long.

I was tickled to run into Don Belkengren, ‘Big Don’ to many of us, who used to sell me grass seed way back when I ran the garden center at Park Nursery. We go back 33 years! And there he was on the trade show floor.

I’ll say that he is ‘semi-retired’, but just loves the people in this industry so much he cannot stay away from the

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 o ta n u r s e r y & l a n d s c a p e a s s o c i at i o n

on the cover

Coleus Fuseables® ‘Chocolate Symphony’ is a multi-pellet seed that combines two to three varieties. They germinate and grow together and work well in hanging baskets or large patio containers by using three to five plugs per pot. This was one of the Top Ten Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota in 2012, which received the highest ratings from nearly 450 cultivars trialed. Plants were evaluated on their unique characteristics, exceptional performance, color, and vigor.

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Scoop_Rinn Hydropor Laziano_JAN-2013.indd 1

1/18/13 2:37 PM

➾ ex po

NORTHERN

“It was the

expo

everal.”

of the last s

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march 13

GREEN

EXPO

Northern Green Expo Launches a Positive Start to 2013

The attitude at the 2013 Northern Green Expo was overwhelmingly positive. Attendance was strong, trade show traffic was great and there was again standing room only in several seminar rooms.

Next year’s Expo will return to the Minneapolis Convention Center on Jan. 8–10. MNLA Committees and staff are already hard at work on developing the educational program.

“A ton of

engaged vendors.”

Did you miss a few sessions that you were hoping to attend?

We’ve got great news for you! MNLA recorded nearly 50 sessions at this year’s event and they are available for online streaming through our new online learning system. The following sessions from the 2013 Northern Green Expo are available online now! The list includes sessions presented by Adrian Bloom, Charles Vander Kooi, John Kennedy, and many more.

Adrian Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses and How to Use Them to Create Drama in the Year Round Garden Systems for Transplant Success in the Nursery Business Succession Planning Managing Your Equipment Fleet in a Tough Economy 7 Things Contractors Always Ask Me Keynote: The Importance of Sustainability (Note: Audio only) Rodent Control: Moles, Voles, Rabbits, and More From Planter to Plate: Contain Your Excitement With Edible Ornamentals Conifers that Grow on You: How to Make the Most of Conifers in the Landscape and Garden The Green Industry Guide to Employee Handbooks Athletic & Commercial Irrigation Design Documents Golf Course Master Planning Gardening with a Y

“

Bidding and Estimating

the speakers in ars.” ye e re th last

Branding – A Marketing Word that Actually Makes Sense

Greening the Landscape

New Annuals for 2013 Understanding Soil: Getting it Tested and Understanding Results continued…

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➾ ex po

Purchase a single session for $29 or access to the entire set of conference recordings for one low price of $149! Visit mnla.biz today to learn more.

“

Winter Maintenance for Parking Lots & Sidewalks: 10 Tips to Improve your Practices

Performing a Golf Course Irrigation Evaluation & Analysis

Current Trends and Policy Developments in Landscape Irrigation

Creating Dramatic Gardens Across Continents

Words of Wisdom From Hard Hit EAB Areas

Grounds: Small Engine Maintenance

Retailers: Leading the Customer Experience

Conversion of Kentucky Bluegrass to No-Mow, Low-Input Grasses

Everything About Mechanics Liens

Tools for Implementing Green Infrastructure: The MIDS Project

Big

for

New Trends in Athletic and Commercial Irrigation Applications

Irrigation Installation and Project Management Big Block Retaining Walls in the Minnesota Market

little buck.”

Irrigation: Understanding Pumps The Latest Trends in Landscape Design Retailers: Creating the Customer Experience Bur Oak Blight: The Saga Continues Permeable Paver Systems for Stormwater Management

Performative Places, Authentic Spaces – A SITES Update, Part 1 Managing Aquatic Plants and Problems (Aquatics Recertification: Category F) Driving the Retail Customer Experience Performative Places, Authentic Spaces – A SITES Update, Part 2 New Challenges and New Tools: An Examination of New Products and Diseases Breeding and Selecting Daylilies for Commercial Markets City Permitting Care of Annuals and Perennials

NORTHERN

GREEN

EXPO The 2013 Northern Green Expo8B Expo s Generously Supported By:By: Was Generously Supported

Future January 8-10, 2014 Expo Dates: January 7-9, 2015

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www.NorthernGreenExpo.org

A Deeper Shade of Green Local Genetic Origins

TM

Golden Valley Hardscapes www.GoldenValleyHardscapes.com CarrieGV@IowaTelecom.net 515-328-3162 or 866-455-1086 Call Us For All Your Mulch and Rock Supplies!

Native Minnesota Woody & Herbaceous (651) 438-2771 • Fax (651) 438-3816

www.outbacknursery.com

Call us first for all your native planting needs

basics of the

affordable care act: a focus on small agricultural employees

The passage of ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’ (PPACA–H.R. 3590) and its implementation on January 1, 2014 will effect employers and employees including large and small agricultural operations in both programmatic and specialty crops. This publication’s aim is to provide a summary of basic facts and figures related to the PPACA that employers and employees should be aware of prior to its implementation.

Matthew Chappell, Ph.D. | University of Georgia–Horticulture Department & Jim Owen, Ph.D. | Virginia Tech–Horticulture Department

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➾ aca

Businesses with fewer than 25 FTEs are NOT required to provide health insurance to their full-time employees, yet are encouraged to do so via tax credits.

S

pecifically, many of the regulations associated with healthcare reform are assigned based on the size of a business, as measured by the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Conversely, the inclusion of an employee in a businesses’ health care plan will be based on the employee’s full-time status. This publication will use this size-based matrix to describe employer responsibilities, employee responsibilities and provide answers to questions frequently asked by employers and employees. Please note that this document does not cover health care exchanges, as state and federal health care exchange programs have yet to be defined (as of December 2012).

What is a “Full-time Equivalent” (FTE) and “Seasonal Worker”

A full-time equivalent (FTE) is defined as 30 employee hours per week. To calculate the total number of FTEs at a business, all part-time and full-time worker hours are added together and then divided by 30 (hours/week) to assign the total FTEs. For example, if an employer hires two part-time employees and each work 15 hours/week, this is the equivalent of one FTE (15 hrs. + 15 hrs. = 30 hrs. = 1 FTE). Three employees working 10 hours/week each will also equal one FTE (10 hrs. + 10 hrs. + 10 hrs. = 30 hrs. = 1 FTE).

Three employees working 40 hours/week will equal four FTEs (40 hrs. + 40 hrs. + 40 hrs. = 120 hrs. = 4 FTEs). A business’s classification in the current year FTE will be based on the previous calendar year’s numbers (e.g. 2014 classification will be based on FTEs calculated in 2013). The PPACA classification system based on the FTE outline above was constructed to minimize the impact on current employee work schedules, taking into account the 18

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business as a whole. Although part-time employee hours factor into FTEs, the PPACA does not mandate that employers provide health care to part-time workers.

To calculate the annual number of FTEs, businesses will be required to track the hours worked by full-time and part-time employees throughout the calendar year and calculate FTE numbers on a weekly basis. In high-activity periods, for example harvesting or shipping seasons, the number of FTEs may increase at a business to well over a given numerical FTE classification (size of business, discussed below) limit. However, when averaged over 52 weeks, the number of FTEs can be low enough (e.g. at or under 50 FTEs) to avoid any penalties associated with PPACA. Seasonal workers, defined as those persons working either full-time or part-time for 120 or fewer days per calendar year, are NOT factored into the calculation of FTEs. The definition of seasonal worker may be modified to 90 days per calendar year and employers are encouraged to confirm the definition of a seasonal worker annually.

Businesses with 25 FTEs or Fewer

Regulations and penalties: Businesses with fewer than 25 FTEs are NOT required to provide health insurance to their full-time employees, yet are encouraged to do so via tax credits (see right).

There are NO penalties associated with not providing health insurance to full-time employees. In this size business, the ultimate responsibility of health insurance falls upon the employee. If the employer does not provide insurance, the employee is to provide insurance for themselves and their dependents via private insurance

Abbreviated summary of needed insurance coverage, tax credit and/or associated penalty when employing 24 to 51+ full time employees as defined by the ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’ (PPACA - H.R. 3590).

No. Full time equivalents (FTEs) ≥30 HR/WK

Mandated insurance coverage for FTEs

Potential Tax Credit Provided

Penalty based on coverage provided

≤ 25

None

≤ 50%

None

26–50

None

None

None

≥ 51

FTEs only

None

Affordable None

or government health exchange or possibly face an associated tax (penalty) for not purchasing health care.

Tax Credits: Businesses with 25 or fewer FTEs and an average employee wage of $50,000 or less (based on employee W-2s) will be eligible to claim a federal tax credit of up to 50% of employer-paid insurance premiums beginning in 2014. The primary qualification is that the employer must cover 50% or more of the cost of single (not family) health care premiums for all of the businesses’ full-time employees. More information on this can be found by accessing IRS Form 8941. When accessing this form and associated instructions prior to 2014, tax credits will be lower than those taking effect in 2014 and beyond. However, tax credits do exist currently for employer-paid insurance premiums and can be utilized when filing 2012 and 2013 tax returns.

Businesses with 26–50 FTEs

Regulations and penalties. Businesses with between 26–50 FTEs are also NOT required to provide health insurance to their full-time employees. Additionally, these businesses will receive NO tax credit for paying 50% or greater of full-time employee health insurance premiums. There are NO penalties associated with not providing health insurance to full-time employees. In this size business, the ultimate responsibility of health insurance falls upon the employee.

If the employer does not provide insurance, the employees are to provide insurance for themselves and their dependents via private insurance or government health exchange or possibly face an associated tax (penalty) for not purchasing health care.

Businesses with 51 or More FTEs

Those businesses employing 51 or more FTEs are to provide health insurance to full-time employees, defined as averaging greater than 30 hours per week over a calendar year, OR pay a penalty for failing to do so. Please note that employers are NOT mandated to provide health insurance to part-time workers that average less than 30 hours per week over a calendar year or seasonal workers as defined above. For businesses employing more the 51 FTEs, the regulations become more complex and include the following employer options:

Not Affordable $2,000-$3,000

None $2,000

• If the employer provides insurance, and it IS deemed “affordable.” The employer will pay no penalties and simply must track annual FTE’s to determine subsequent year’s classification.

• If the employer cannot provide insurance. In this case, the full-time employee is responsible for obtaining personal and/ or family insurance through private insurance or a government health care exchange. If the employee receives health care through a government health care exchange, the employer will be charged a $2,000 penalty per full-time employee. As an example, if an employer has 1 full-time worker that works 30 hours per week, their penalty would be $2,000 per year.

If the employer has 3 part-time workers that each work 10 hours per week, their penalty would be $0. Additionally, the penalty only applies to the total number of full-time employees minus 30. So, if a business employs 60 full-time employees and refuses to provide health insurance to its workers, it will only be penalized for 30 employees (60 total employees — 30 employees exempt = 30 employee penalty × $2,000 penalty per employee = $60,000 annual penalty).

• If the employer provides insurance, yet it is NOT deemed “affordable.” If the employer provides health insurance for full-time employees, that insurance must meet two affordability requirements. First, the insurance must cover a minimum of 60% of the actuarial value of the cost of benefits. Simplified, this means if a health care plan has an actuarial value of 60%, the health insurance would cover 60% of the cost of treatments in a calendar year and the employee would be responsible for 40% of the costs of all covered benefits. If the employer’s health insurance does not cover a minimum of 60% of health care costs for the employee, the employee could purchase separate/supplemental health insurance.

This supplemental insurance can be claimed as a tax credit on the employee’s tax return, triggering the IRS to penalize the employer for failure to provide “affordable” insurance.

Second, an individual employee’s health care premium cannot exceed 9.5% of the employee’s gross household march 13

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➾ aca

Each agricultural employer must be aware that beginning on January 1, 2014, they will need to comply with ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.’ income (including dependent insurance). If either of these scenarios occurs, the employer will be penalized the lesser of $3,000 per full-time employee that does not receive “affordable” health care as noted above or $2,000 for every one of the full-time employees that work for the employer minus 30 employees (see example in previous scenario).

As an example, an employer with a total of 60 full-time employees, 10 of which do not receive “affordable” care as described above, could pay the $60,000 penalty associated with not providing health insurance to full-time employees or $3,000 for each of the 10 full-time employees that do not receive the defined “affordable” care ($3,000 per employee x 10 employees = $30,000). In this example, the employer would benefit from paying the $30,000 penalty associated with not providing “affordable” care as opposed to the $60,000 fine associated with providing no health insurance to employees. This example does NOT factor in the cost of insurance premiums paid by the employer.

Conclusions

Each agricultural employer must be aware that beginning on January 1, 2014, they will need to comply with ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.’ As described here, this will require employers to collect and analyze data in 2013 to determine full-time equivalents (FTEs) as well as full-time employee numbers. It is vitally important for employers to collect and calculate these figures no later than the 4th quarter of 2013 so that employers can determine if and/or what level of health care best suits the financial stability of the business while protecting and benefiting employees. Additionally, this publication focuses on what information is available as of December 2012. Much information is yet to be released on the PPACA, particularly relating to state and federal health care exchanges.

Additional details of the PPACA will continue to be released, with an expectation that all rules associated with this legislation will be released by the beginning of the 4th quarter 2013.

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact your local Cooperative Extension office, trusted business lawyer(s) and/or accountants, trade associations and/or www.healthcare.gov.

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➾ member profile

member profile Out B ac k N ursery, Inc .

Meta L. Levin

Out B ac k N ursery, Inc .

Tom Tennant, Owner www.outbacknursery.com

Tom Tennant has become an evangelist for native plants. that using plants that were native to his area made much more sense than importing those that were supposed to do well in all zones, but didn’t belong, he has studied and promoted the material that is indigenous to Minnesota. And now it is his business. Out Back Nursery, Inc., in Hastings, MN, was so named because he started it “out back” of his home.

ever since it occurred to him

It’s been a long road from the day, more than 35 years ago, when his high school guidance counselor suggested that he study horticulture at Dakota County Technical College. He took the counselor’s advice and ended up working for a commercial landscape contractor full time. In the meantime, he began growing plants in his mother’s backyard. Tennant began taking residential work on the side, often using the material he was growing.

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“I didn’t want to be part of a fad; I want to be part of a movement.”

As a boy he had wandered the woods near his home, becoming familiar with the trees and other flora he encountered. In his horticulture classes, he noticed that “they weren’t telling us about the cool native plants.” The college had a little nursery and students were allowed to dig up anything they wanted. Tennant chose a native viburnum. He studied the plant, noticing that it acted differently where he planted it than the same plants did when growing wild in the woods. “So, I learned.” Even while still earning money as a landscape contractor, he invested time and energy in building his nursery facility and researching native plants.

planting and caring for the plants. Now he has six or seven regular workers, including Emily Kowalski, the plant production manager. She has been with the company for four years. “She makes sure that everybody gets an answer,” Tennant says.

“She is enthusiastic and is learning to be more of an ecologist.” Office manager Amy Brandon, also is Tennant’s “significant other.”

She has an associate degree in horticulture and he praises her for her business relationship skills. Erik Olson is Tennant’s landscape designer, who also serves as an unofficial “native plant ambassador” around the Twin Cities. “He is a true ecologist and scientist,” says Tennant.

plant business. “Making sure the plants are from the local genetic population is job one,” he says. He prides himself on being constantly vigilant to insure the integrity of his products.

He credits two incidents with contributing to the growth of his nursery. First, one of his neighbors sold him two acres adjacent to the property Tennant had bought, and leased him two more besides. Second, a landscape architect who was seeking native plants for some projects discovered them at a then little-known source: Out Back Nursery.

In the last few years more and more people, especially landscape architects and designers, have started to understand the concept of bio-regions, Tennant says.

This helps them realize the importance of sourcing plants from the locality in which they will be used. It also underscores the significance of insuring that the nursery from which you buy these plants is a reliable one.

He also has given back to the community, contributing to landscaping around schools, plus doing road maintenance and memorial tree plantings. Tennant has become a fixture at local plant sales, where he offers native plants, seeing it as a learning opportunity for participants.

From the beginning, Tennant has wanted to be in the native plant business for the long haul. “I didn’t want to be part of a fad; I want to be part of a movement,” he says.

Since then the business has grown considerably. At first he used the services of a retired farmer who lived next door and who was willing to help him with

Over the years Tennant has earned a reputation for his integrity in the native

First exposed to MNLA while working for that commercial landscape contractor early in his career, Tennant became a member when he started his own business. He later served on the Environmental Concerns Committee for five years, and has regularly attended and worked the Northern Green Expo. The networking and support has been instrumental in growing his business, Tennant says.

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2012 university of minnesota

Top Performin

Steven R. Poppe | University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris, Minnesota

ng Annuals A

nnual flower variety trials for the University of Minnesota are conducted at the Horticulture Display Garden in Morris. The garden features impressive displays of the newest cultivars of annual flowers. The annual flower trials at the Horticulture Display Garden are visited by thousands each year. Through these trials, our hope is to educate and thus inspire consumers to create even more beautiful and successful gardens.

In addition to the annual flower trials, the Horticulture Display Garden is also an All-America Selections®(AAS) trial and display garden. An AAS display garden features proven superior garden performers in North America. An AAS Trial Ground is where cultivars are observed and evaluated by an AAS Trial Judge applying several criteria. Only the best performers become AAS winners.

At the University of Minnesota in 2012, nearly 450 cultivars were trialed. As part of the evaluation criteria, cultivars are rated based on their unique characteristics, exceptional performance, color, and vigor under regional conditions. Once the final evaluations are completed, the report is requested by numerous floriculture professionals. Of the hundreds of trialed cultivars, these Top Ten Performing Annuals received the highest ratings. For a complete list of results, please refer to www.wcroc.cfans.umn.edu.

 Diascia ‘Darla Orange’ is a robust upright plant with extra-large showy and intense-orange blooms that cover the entire plant. Darla Orange is a very reliable performer in a wide range of container sizes. Darla Orange is tolerant of early cool season weather as well as consistently recognized for superb heat tolerance making it an excellent garden performer.

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 Salvia ‘Summer Jewel Red’ offers gardeners an early-blooming compact Salvia coccinea.

They produce an abundance of flower spikes that are loaded with densely packed brilliant red flowers. The flowers are long lasting, and the plants are full and heat tolerant. Summer Jewel Red is excellent for gardens, pots and mixed containers. The inspiration for the name Summer Jewel comes from the hummingbirds that are attracted to these brilliantly colored blooms.  Calibrachoa ‘Million Bells Bouquet Brilliant Pink’ features distinctive, shiny, striking deep pink flowers that won’t fade in summer heat.

Brilliant Pink has excellent branching and retains a mounding habit while producing a high number of blooms. Plants are heat and humidity tolerant. Brilliant Pink will be fully in bloom in early spring, offering an early display in the growing season.

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 Petunia Surfinia® ‘Patio Blue’ offers a deep, clear bluish purple color that won’t fade in summer. Like the rest of the Patio Surfinias, plants have excellent branching and will retain their mounding shape without pinching. Patio Blue is a great garden performer with superior heat tolerance. Plants will continue to bloom until frost, displaying outstanding vigor and toughness.  Supertunia® ‘Raspberry Blast’ is an exceptional unique variety with its popular bi-color bloom. These petunias thrive in full sun, and when fertilized on a routine basis during the heat of summer, will continually bloom. The bi-color blooms make it complementary to many other planting companions. They create extraordinary hanging baskets and containers because their compact habit means they fill in quickly and don’t get leggy.

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 Begonia ‘Whopper Red with Bronze Foliage’ is a vigorous wax-leaved begonia grown in partial sun. It grows 24 to 30 in. tall by summer’s end and has shiny leaves with extended trusses of large, 1½-in. flowers. The big, vigorous mounded plants have excellent heat tolerance.

 Angelonia ‘Serena Blue’ is a plant that prefers high heat, high humidity and full sun; a perfect choice for gardeners looking for water-wise, heat-loving plants. Its well-branched plants fill flowerbeds and mixed containers with unique dimensional color. Serena is maintenance and care-free with continuous blooms of large, true blue flowers.  Begonia Million Kisses ‘Devotion’ is a vigorous trailing begonia with easy maintenance in the garden and many early, large flowers.

It has gorgeous gardener appeal and makes excellent hanging baskets and containers. It performs best in partial to full shade.

Million Kisses Devotion offers a stunning orange-red color that brightens up shady gardens.

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 Pentas ‘Northern Lights Lavender’ is a stand-out in hot or cool climates. The beauty of this new Pentas isn’t just in its ease of growth and diversity of use, its most appealing features are found in the beauty of the unique flowers. The soft lavender colored flowers continue to open over an extended period. New flower heads appear long before the last flowers of older heads are finished, providing continuous color in the garden. Perfect for container gardening or large landscape beds, ‘Northern Lights Lavender’ performs under the widest of conditions and is truly the best Pentas ever trialed at the University of Minnesota.  Coleus Fuseables® ‘Chocolate Symphony’ is a multi-pellet seed that combines two to three varieties. They germinate and grow together to produce a more natural-looking mix; a great combination for partial sun gardens. Fuseables work well in hanging baskets or large patio containers by using three to five plugs per pot.

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Minnesota Agriculture dept of

Annual G y ps y M o t h Detect i o n T rapp i ng S urve y Natasha Nelson

MDA Gypsy Moth Trapping Coordinator

the minnesota department of agriculture (mda) has been the lead agency undertaking the annual gypsy moth detection trapping survey since 1973. Wholesale nursery dealers and nursery growers that report stock sources from gypsy moth quarantined areas or have a history of pest problems are considered high-risk for bringing gypsy moth into the state.

Mills, campgrounds, and other sites associated with the movement or sale of logs, firewood or outdoor items from infested areas for tourism/recreation are also deemed high-risk. High-risk regulatory sites annually receive two or more gypsy moth detection traps, which are set in addition to traps set on the standard trapping grid that blankets the entire eastern side of Minnesota. The western part of the state is only trapped on a rotating basis since the generally infested area is to the east and it is less likely to find moths there since.

Gypsy moth trapping at your nursery can be thought of as a safety net and as a part of being proactive. Eradication depends on early detection. Trapping allows us to find infestations early on so that if something does make it through to your nursery it can be taken care of right away. This also prevents the further spread of gypsy moth through dispersal of infested nursery stock.

2012 Trapping Results MDA set 16,906 traps in 2012 yielding 10,444 gypsy moths. A USDA cooperator trap also yielded one moth west of MDA’s trapping area. MDA staff set 409 traps at 122 nursery sites in 2012, yielding 12 positive traps and a total of 118 moths recovered from three different nursery sites. These sites all resided in the northeast “Slow

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Gypsy moth trapping at your nursery can be thought of as a safety net and as a part of being proactive.

Total Male Gypsy Moths Caught by all Trapping Cooperators in Minnesota from 2002–2012

regulatory tips for the nursery industry Know the locations of the gypsy moth quarantined area.

List all out-state stock sources on your nursery certificate application form.

the Spread” (STS) area, which includes the northeast and southeast corners of the state where gypsy moth is becoming more prevalent.

One nursery in Lake County entered a compliance agreement with MDA this year after yielding high trap catches, but it was cancelled when moth catches from the surrounding area showed that the infestation did not originate at the nursery.

The total number of gypsy moths trapped in Minnesota increased by 46% since 2011 but does not exceed higher totals from 2008 or 2009 (see chart). Managing infested areas over the years with treatments has played a major role in curbing these numbers.

Moths found in St. Louis, Lake, and Cook Counties accounted for 99% of the statewide 2012 moth totals. There are currently no quarantined Counties in Minnesota, but Lake and Cook Counties are now likely candidates for being quarantined in the near future.

2013 Trapping Plans The proposed 2013 trapping area and grid densities are shown on the map at left. It is projected that ~17,200 traps will be set. The annual survey will continue to focus on the eastern half of the state, including the STS area. High-risk sites will once again receive traps to help play a key role in slowing the spread of gypsy moth into Minnesota.

Verify that all stock received from quarantined area arrives with proper certification.

Isolate stock received from quarantined area from other stock on your premises.

Train your staff to recognize gypsy moth life stages.

Inspect all stock you receive to verify that it is free of gypsy moth.

Consider conducting precautionary treatments of high-risk stock from April–June.

Contact the MDA immediately if you find any gypsy moth life stages.

Compliance agreements are available to businesses that regularly import nursery stock into Minnesota from quarantined areas. These agreements stipulate handling practices that minimize the risk of introducing gypsy moth and other invasive species.

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➾ Researc h for the R eal Wo rld

The History of Horticulture Holds Promise for the Future Be optimistic, embrace change when justified, and promote your industry.

Dr. James Calkins

Research Information Director MNLA Foundation

as indicated by the title of his 2012 ASHS presidential address, Dr. Dewayne Ingram, a professor in the Horticulture Department at the University of Kentucky, believes “It is a Great Time to be a Horticulturist.” if his hypothesis is correct, and he does provide supporting evidence, this is a perspective we can all embrace. Dr. Ingram served as president of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) from 2011– 2012. He started his career running a landscape design and installation business while in college and currently holds a teaching, research, and extension position in nursery crops with an emphasis in sustainable systems.

He also served as the head of the horticulture department at the University of Kentucky for 19 years beginning in 1990. His current research interests include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as it relates to the green industry (the focus of my February, 2013, Research for the Real World update in The Scoop) and the carbon footprint of nursery plants during production and throughout their life cycle.

Dr. Ingram noted that the green industry faces significant challenges: • labor shortages • rising production and transportation costs • climate variability • increasing water demands and a need for reliable water supplies • increased regulation • growing insect and disease concerns • better informed and increasingly choosy customers Even given these challenges, a growing body of evidence in support of the environmental, economic, and quality of life benefits associated with horticulture and the green industry, can hopefully inspire optimism

and growing support. Consider some of the key points highlighted in Dr. Ingram’s presidential address: Horticulture is increasingly being recognized for its contributions to the agricultural economy and human health and well-being. While we have a long way to go, Dr. Ingram believes he has observed notable changes in the perception of horticulture in the last few years at the national level.

The demand for horticultural crops is increasing and the economic footprint of horticulture continues to grow worldwide and especially in developing nations.

For example, fruit production has increased by 82% and vegetable production by 65% in from 1990 to 2009.

The U.S. farm gate value of nursery and floricultural crops in 2007 exceeded $27 billion while the green industry as a whole generated $175.26 billion in total revenue and employed 1.95 million people resulting in $53.16 billion in labor earnings and $107.16 billion in value added to the U.S. product and service economy.

These are large and encouraging numbers.

When compared to the estimated value of $147.8 billion for green industry products and services in 2002 reported in 2004 dollars), this reflects an increase in value of more than 18% even though numbers have been down in recent years as a result of the fairly significant downturn in the U.S. economy.

Since 1987, the landscape and horticultural services sector has experienced the most growth – $15 billion in 1987, $40 billion in 2001, and nearly $93 billion in 2007; an average increase of about 26% per year.

The value of horticulture to the U.S. economy and the promotion of horticulture by industry professionals and groups has resulted in increased attention and an upgrade in the classification of horticultural crops which are now classified as “specialty crops” rather than “minor crops.” Still, Dr. Ingram would prefer the term march 13

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➾ Researc h for the R eal Wo rld

Figure 1. The green industry, and horticulture in general, faces many challenges, but these challenges are not insurmountable and the future remains bright; horticulture is increasingly associated with quality of life and demand for superior horticultural products and services is on the rise (Eupatorium purpureum — Sweet Joe-Pye Weed.) Photo credit: Jim Calkins

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“horticultural crops” and we can all probably agree as this would likely further elevate the status of the horticulture industry.

These trends and improving perceptions of the horticulture industry are resulting in a growing consensus that horticulture has public value and growing support for increased levels of funding for horticultural research.

The year 2012 was the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, which established the land-grant university system, of which the University of Minnesota is a part, and the birth of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; these institutions are the envy of the world and the world has benefited greatly from them and agricultural education and research have greatly benefited the science and profession of horticulture and the green industry.

For those who don’t know the history here, the Morrill Act was passed by Congress in 1859, but was vetoed by President James Buchanan. It was resubmitted and passed in 1861 and was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln 1862.

The Hatch Act of 1887 subsequently dedicated federal funds to create agricultural experiment stations at the land-grant institutions founded under the Morrill Act of 1862 and resulted in the formation of the cooperative extension service under the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 and fostered increased dissemination of the agricultural knowledge developed at the land-grant colleges to growers and the public.

We live in a time of change and an increasing speed of change and this is having a significant impact on the science and profession of horticulture. We must embrace change when justified and when it

We must, however, be fully engaged and lead — academically, professionally, and politically — if the future is to be as bright as the past. will promote the advancement of the horticultural industry and its benefits to individuals and society. More than ever, horticulture and the green industry are needed to meet the growing demand for horticultural products and services. Dr. Ingram believes this increased rate of change and increasing demand for horticultural products and services are reasons why it is a great time to be a horticulturist.

Many believe a significant shift in the paradigm of higher education is coming and economic conditions in the U.S. and the world, including assaults on budgets during the past decade and especially since 2008, are contributing to the rate of change. Much of this change is occurring when teaching, research, and outreach positions are lost, and most of these cuts are not strategic resulting in an indiscriminate loss of positions in areas of expertise critical to our industry. Dedicated research and the continued sharing of research findings will be critical to the future success of the horticulture industry and its benefit to the public at large. We must be certain that horticulture remains an important part of the mix.

Extension is also evolving; less dependent on one-on-one consulting and a county perspective and more focused on statewide, multi-state, and national constituencies and the electronic dissemination of information. This trend is likely to continue, but must be held to a high standard.

Although there are many challenges to be faced, pessimism must be avoided as it is likely to lead to defeat while optimism, tempered with realism, is more likely to lead to solutions and innovations and an increasingly positive view of horticulture and its benefit to society.

We need to continue pushing for increased professionalism in horticulture and better educated and trained practitioners. Certification programs are a needed and important step in the right direction, but it will take time to achieve the desired effect. Certified Arborists are used as an example; sponsored by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the program started out small more than 25 years ago, but now boasts 22,000 certified arborists worldwide and 80% are in the U.S. Horticulture is well positioned in domestic and global agriculture and is increasing in value from an economic, political, and social perspective; the science and profession of horticulture is advancing at a rapid pace and horticulture is becoming increasingly relevant to society in relation to human nutrition, environmental protection, enhanced living spaces (indoor and outdoor), quality of life, and human well-being.

Dr. Ingram encourages us to ask ourselves how our individual and collective horticultural endeavors are contributing to the advancement of horticulture and solving societal needs. If we view our efforts from this perspective, and effectively communicate the value of horticultural products and services in as many venues as possible it will be mutually beneficial to our industry and society.

Yes, Dr. Ingram is right; it is a great time to be a horticulturist.

These are all good points and reasons for optimism when considered in a positive light. Times are changing and there are challenges to be faced, but this is nothing new; our industry has faced challenges throughout its history. We must, however, be fully engaged and lead — academically, professionally, and politically — if the future is to be as bright as the past. Research that expands and quantifies the value of horticultural products and services, and their contribution to the Minnesota and U.S. economy, has value and is needed to provide the innovation and documentation required to justify investments in horticultural research and education. And, while common sense requires prioritization when approving budgets and funding, this information can help industry make the case for investments in horticulture when funding decisions are made. As Dr. Ingram tells us, our programs, products, and services are very much needed and a motivating force for investment and enhanced quality of life; we must continue to tell our story.

Citation: Ingram, D.L. 2012. It is a Great Time to be a Horticulturist.

HortScience 47(12):1844-1847.

For more detail and additional information related to the recent history and current status of the horticulture industry, challenges facing the industry, where the industry might be headed, and how horticultural professionals can help promote the green industry, see the following selected references: Hall, C.R., A.W. Hodges, J.J. Haydu. 2005. Economic Impacts of the Green Industry in the United States. Final Report to the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Committee. 90 pages. Summarizes the value of the green industry nationally and by state and region. http://www.ufei.org/files/pubs/EconomicImpactsoftheUSGreen%20 Industr(NUCFACfinalreport).pdf Hodges, A.W., C.R. Hall, and M.A. Palma. 2011. Economic Contributions of the Green Industry in the United States, 2007. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin #413. 66 pages. The most recent analysis of the value of the green industry on a national, state and regional basis. http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/economic-impact-analysis/pdf/US-greenindustry-in-2007.pdf International Society for Horticultural Science. 2012. Harvesting the Sun: A Profile of World Horticulture. Scripta Horticulturae Number 14. 76 pages.

An interesting read and a realistic summary of the status of horticulture that highlights the importance of horticulture and horticultural research to the general public and policy makers. http://www.harvestingthesun.org/sites/default/files/ISHS-Harvestingthe-Sun-full-profile.pdf

to comment on this month’s update,

suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at Research@MNLA.biz.

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the

green consumer Consumer profiles are constantly changing. A few years ago we focused on customer profiles based on age.

The focus was on Gen Y, Gen X, Jones Generation, Baby Boomers and Greying Tigers. These demographic groups are still important, but we also need to consider how we market to new and emerging consumer segments who we are told may be overweight, mobile, multicultural, value shoppers and/or eco-friendly.

John Stanley | JSA

➾ green consumer

Suppliers and retailers need to combine forces to tell the story from start to finish.

The “green” consumer wants to know the story and expects the retailer to tell the story.

promotes local growers. The consumer can search out a local farmer and find where their produce is sold.

You cannot get more local than manufacturing and growing in your own community. Community gardens are appearing around the world and some supermarkets are considering growing some produce at the store. This is easy with produce such as lettuce.

This means you have to be “clicks and bricks” savvy when communicating with this new local consumer. To help retailers I produce a monthly “Clicks for Bricks” webinar that looks at a new marketing subject each month. You can get involved with this webinar on http://www.clicksforbricks.com.au.

No Waste is Important

O

ne of the fastest growing segments is the eco-friendly segment.

These consumers are still looking for value, but are prepared to put sustainability above price.

One of the big issues urban communities will face over the coming months and years is biodiversity, with legislation beginning to appear in many parts of the world that attempts to stop agricultural land and natural areas being used for urban development. This will change the way cities look and make consumers more conscious of sustainable principles. For example, Paris, France plans to double the amount of green roof space in the city by 2020.

The Green Consumer

Not all consumers are interested in sustainability and saving the planet, but it continues to be a growing segment of the community and a sector we all need to be aware of.

Over recent years, we have seen major growth in farmer’s markets and ethical retailing; I see that continuing over the next few years.

Having said that, over the last few years despite growth in organic food retailing, sales of organic food has stagnated and I believe this has occurred for a number of reasons. One is that the consumer is more price-conscious and organic food is perceived as expensive.

Organic advocates have continued to buy, but many consumers cannot justify the extra cost. Secondly, in my experience consumers are confused by the term “organic.” In my own community a lot of consumers do not know the difference between “organic” and “local.”

Local is Important

Consumers are starting to search out products made in their own country or locality and preferably locally grown products. This means there is an opportunity for the promotion of local products.

An example of this is “Good Eggs,” a website in San Francisco that 40

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Apart from being local, the consumer is looking for less waste.

This includes packaging and recycling of so called “waste products.”

On a grand scale we are seeing this theme coming through with sculpture parks being created in Nepal from scrap brought down from Mount Everest and recycling of washing machines being used to create art at the 2012 Olympic Park in London. At a more local level, recyclable garden containers are starting to replace the traditional plastic pot around the world.

Telling the Story is Important

One of the most important issues is that we need to tell the story.

Suppliers and retailers need to combine forces to tell the story from start to finish. The “green” consumer wants to know the story and expects the retailer to tell the story.

The story can be told in numerous ways. It can be on packaging, via links to YouTube or a mural in the store that explains the process.

Nostalgia is Important

The “green” consumer often wants to reflect back to earlier days when they feel they lived in a happier, more harmonious society when life was more harmonious and “values” were more important.

Whether they were or not is not the role of this article. The fact is that at present, nostalgia sells.

This is a marketing opportunity for any retailer. What products do you sell that reflect on nostalgia and how can you use them to generate sales? Even your sales team could get involved and play the nostalgia game and provide “good old fashioned service” — something most customers now think is lacking. john stanley

is a conference speaker and consultant. In 2012 he was

awarded the WA Small Business Exporter of the Year. He works in 35 countries. Contact John at john@johnstanley.com.au.

Continued from page 10 the property maintenance after the project is complete, and this maintenance plan is presented to the client with the designs and bids.

The answer to maintaining a beautiful new garden, landscape or patio might lie outside the walls of the company that designed or installed the project. If your company is not set up to maintain landscapes after the installation, refer a qualified maintenance company, gardener or property manager.

Maintenance crews need proper training about specific materials and components installed. The proper maintenance plan and team will enable you to build long-lasting relationships with clients and also help you grow your professional network. Whether it is a licensed arborist, master gardener, reliable irrigation technician, artistic lighting designer or other contractor, these services are all part of what I consider to be a quality maintenance team.

Learn to include short term and long term maintenance services in your bidding process. Build relationships with other maintenance professionals to utilize their expertise. Exceed client expectations and go that extra mile by helping clients understand quality maintenance is essential to the ongoing appearance, function and value of their property. q _________________________________________________ Seth Midura is a member of the MNLA Landscape Design Committee and can be reached at seth@naturalcreationsmn.com.

J

ust ask Van why he chose CounterPoint and Dailey Data as his POS solution providers for Malmborg’s Garden Centers:

“CounterPoint and Dailey Data have helped us become more profitable by improving our purchasing with detailed historical sales information, as well as controlling our margins by identifying return items and limiting inventory losses with controlled receiving procedures.

“I highly recommend Dailey Data and CounterPoint to others in our industry because they have the hands-on experience to understand the specific needs of the Nursery, Greenhouse, and Garden Center businesses.” ~ Van Cooley Malmborg’s Garden Centers

Want to know more? Call or email for a no-obligation survey and ROI analysis for your company.

12

www.MNLA.biz | July 2012

➾ government affai rs

Nonhardy Nursery Stock Labeling Now Required One of the many ways MNLA interacts with government regulators is through our participation in the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Regulatory Advisory Committee (MNLRAC), a group formed to advise the Commissioner of Agriculture on issues of importance to the Green Industry.

Tim Power

MNLA Regulatory Consultant

mnlrac has met periodically for many years, since shortly after the arrival of MDA Plant Protection Division Director Geir Friisoe. MNLRAC has discussed and advised on issues including a major rewrite of the nursery law, the regulatory status of Japanese beetle, and the change of the MDA nursery program from a general fund program (biennial allocation) to one funded by dedicated funds (revenue from fees only).

The 2012 Minnesota legislature made several minor changes to the nursery law (MN Statutes Chapter 18H).

These changes were suggested by agency staff, included in MDA’s 2012 “agency bill,” supported by MNLRAC and MNLA after thorough review, and ultimately passed into law. Among the 2012 changes to the nursery law, nonhardy nursery stock that is not labeled with proper zone hardiness information must now be labeled as such. The purpose of the change to the labeling requirement was to assure that customers are aware of plants that are not reliably hardy and may need special attention to survive, flower or fruit in the area in which they are being sold. Last year the MDA began enforcing the nonhardy labeling statute via education and outreach by inspectors; violations were addressed when encountered but no monetary penalties assessed. In 2013, violations will be assessed in conjunction with last year’s experiences of enforcement and compliance.

In the “Labeling and Advertising of Nursery Stock” section of the law, the following language (underlined in section b) was added: 18H.14 LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF NURSERY STOCK.

(a) Plants, plant materials, or nursery stock must not be labeled or advertised with false or misleading

information including, but not limited to, scientific name, variety, place of origin, hardiness zone as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, and growth habit. (b) All nonhardy nursery stock as designated by the commissioner must be labeled “nonhardy” in Minnesota.

Section a) above prohibits misleading labeling of any kind and has been in the statute for many years. The “nonhardy” revision was needed to prohibit sellers from simply removing hardiness information from non hardy plants.

In the “Definitions” section of the law, the following language was added: Nonhardy. “Nonhardy” means a plant that cannot be expected to survive or reliably produce flowers and fruit in average minimum winter temperatures at the growing site as determined by the commissioner based upon independent field trials and industry input represented by the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone designations.

MNLA supported and lobbied for this law change for a variety of reasons. Rather than “banning” plants that are not hardy, this law change continues to allow the sale of nonhardy plants in Minnesota, while requiring additional labeling for those plants deemed nonhardy.

MDA maintains lists of plant hardiness, developed over many years with regular review from the University of Minnesota. Information maintained by the USDA for crop insurance purposes has recently been included.

The list for zone 4 sales sites details plants that are zone 5 and above while the list for zone 3 sales sites lists zone 3 march 13

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➾ government affai rs

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and below. Both lists are on the MDA website www.mda.state.mn.us under “Plants/ Pests,” then “Nursery Inspection & Certification.” While members may question USDA’s hardiness zone listings for individual plants and because the hardiness of plants can be influenced by many variables, these lists are expected to be dynamic with revisions made as independent, new, credible hardiness information is presented.

Important: if nonhardy plants are properly labeled for non-hardiness no additional labeling is needed. However if labels are not consistent with the list, they will be removed from sale pending relabeling.

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This “nonhardy” law change may increase the hassle factor of plant labeling, but it also offers the opportunity for MNLA members to differentiate their products and services from their competition. Members selling only hardy plants avoid this issue altogether.

However, providing properly-labeled nonhardy “microclimate” plants for protected sites in the landscape, along with the siting, planting and maintenance advice to make them survive and thrive, can be a powerful selling tool for specialty retailers.

At the same time, the big boxes may be unable or unwilling to provide such service, though they are still required to meet the nonhardy labeling requirements.

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➾ mda

Minnesota Agriculture dept of

Co rrectly I d enti f y i ng B i ttersweet Cult i vars Monika Chandler

MDA Invasive Plant Early Detection Coordinator

Oriental bittersweet fruit

is the MDA Invasive Plant Early Detection Coordinator. She can be reached at: 651-201-6537, Monika.Chandler@ state.mn.us. monika chandler

46

mnla .biz

American bittersweet fruit

kudos to the green industry for quickly reducing the spread of Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) through nursery and floriculture pathways. Oriental bittersweet is invasive and severely damaging to Minnesota’s forest resources.

The following identification of species cultivars is a result of a genetic study by the University of Illinois at Chicago. The MDA is using this list (and will modify it as new information becomes available) to regulate Oriental bittersweet in Minnesota.

Therefore, in November of 2011, Oriental bittersweet was designated a prohibited noxious weed on the eradicate list. This means that all plant parts must be destroyed and that no transportation, propagation, or sale of these plants is allowed in Minnesota. The green industry responded quickly to this designation and removed identified Oriental bittersweet materials.

However, questions then arose about definitively identifying Oriental bittersweet from American bittersweet (C. scandens), and plant also in use in the trade.

Diana

Oriental bittersweet (C. orbiculatus) is sometimes mistakenly labeled as American bittersweet (C. scandens), or simply as bittersweet. American bittersweet is native, legal, and similarly used in landscapes and floral arrangements. It is an excellent alternative to Oriental bittersweet. The problem is, in the marketplace, bittersweet cultivars are sometimes incorrectly listed as species.

march 13

Oriental bittersweet cultivars

Hercules Indian Mix Indian Brave Indian Maiden

American bittersweet cultivars Autumn Revolution Sweet Tangerine ‘Swtazam’ was not included in the study but is American bittersweet

Additional information on Oriental bittersweet can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/en/plants/badplants/orientalbittersweet.aspx.

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mnla charts

course to the future This article first ran in the August 2012 issue of The Scoop. We are running it again (with some updates) as many members have been asking for more background information on some points of the new MNLA strategic plan.

Along with this background piece, we will also be highlighting focus areas of the plan in this and upcoming issues of The Scoop.

march 13

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➾ future

W

hile MNLA has been one of the nation’s most successful state green industry associations, resting on its laurels would be a sure recipe for future failure. To quote nationallyrecognized association consultant Glenn H. Tecker: “Today’s associations operate in an environment of explosive change, increasing competition and higher expectations from more diverse constituencies . . . In such a competitive environment, effective organizations will take the fullest possible advantage of distinguishing attributes that are of particular value to those they service. For associations, one of these distinguishing attributes is a special ability to pursue high-level, worthy outcomes that can only be accomplished through consistent and organized attention over time.”

For those of you who may react with a “what the hell!” comment about one or more of the directions of the new strategic plan, it’s important for you to know that no decision was reached lightly nor done in haste. The association’s Strategic Plan was several years in the making, with a very intense period of activity last year. With respect for MNLA’s traditions and successes, the “Team Tomorrow” planning group ultimately looked forward to what the needs of members in the future will be and in what areas the association can effectively deliver on those needs.

Following is a timeline of the most significant steps in the process that led to the current plan.

• 2008–2010 — The Board of Directors and various committees had multiple discussions

about the association’s focus, structure and revenue development potential for the future.

• 2011 — The Board of Directors appointed an “assessment team” to review what

type of planning process we should pursue and what type of professional assistance, if any, we should hire. A number of alternatives were considered, including a traditional two-day strategic planning conference; a staff-written plan; traditional member surveys; and bringing in an association “futurist.” The group strongly considered a low-cost, less time-consuming “shortcut” planning exercise, but ultimately decided to recommend a more in-depth process; albeit on an accelerated schedule.

• October 2011 — The Board of Directors accepted the assessment team’s recommen-

dations and allocated the necessary financial resources to hire a professional market research firm to conduct “Ideation” sessions (a super-charged focus group) with members and non-members; and to serve as the strategic plan facilitator. An additional consultant was hired to conduct a session on helping leaders “learn the language of change.”

• December 2011 — “Team Tomorrow” was appointed and empowered to study and act on the strategic needs of MNLA. Team Tomorrow consisted of all nine board members, four full-time staff, and three additional key committee leaders. All of MNLA’s committees and industry segments were represented via this group. A two-day “learning the language of change” session was held in December 2011.

To gain a global perspective on the challenges facing associations within our rapidly changing society, Team Tomorrow was charged with reading three books prior to February: Race for Relevance – 5 Radical Changes for Associations; 101 Things About Associations We Must Change; and Good to Great for the Social Sectors.

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• January 2012 – MNLA engaged the The StandPoint Group

of Atlanta, Georgia, led by owner Kip Creel. Kip and his crew work with clients ranging from multi-national Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses, delivering carefully designed, insightful research with actionable recommendations.

StandPoint’s green industry clients have included the American Nursery & Landscape Association, the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, and Bailey Nurseries.

StandPoint facilitated a two-day Ideation group exercise with 12 members and 4 non-members. Because of a desire to not adopt a plan based on feedback from a closed loop, participants were purposely chosen from outside the association’s inner circle to provide input on how the association could help them make their businesses more successful. Those taking part were primarily owners, although some were non-owners, but still senior management, representing a cross-section of MNLA members. There was a bias towards ensuring a generally younger group of members, although veterans were also represented. The executive director was the only member of Team Tomorrow in attendance, and he was in a listening mode, speaking only when asked for program or financial clarification.

This Ideation group was very frank in its criticisms and generous in its praise for various MNLA program areas. The most vital ideas from the group that ultimately were included in the final plan included: • Readily-accessible online training • Improvement of communication and interaction on association government affairs activities • Association organization of small group networking opportunities • Improved delivery of business knowledge information and greater ease of finding segment-specific information • Identification of MNLA membership as being prestigious • Focus on doing fewer programs at a higher quality level.

• February 2012 – Team Tomorrow met for two days of

discussions. The sessions started with a presentation of the information gathered from the member/non-member focus groups; and a subsequent analysis by The Standpoint Group.

There was substantial discussion and need for information digestion about the focus group information. The group then moved into full-on discussion, with the focus group input used as an ever-present compass. By the end of the two days, consensus was reached on major strategic focus areas. Team Tomorrow empowered staff to flesh out the consensus agreements into a more detailed document for further consideration.

• April 2012 – Team Tomorrow met for another two-day session.

As a reminder of the needs of members, the focus group results were re-presented to an extent; and the group revisited how consensus was reached in February on certain controversial topics. Details were debated. By noon on the second day, Team Tomorrow adopted six of the seven focus areas, with

When talking about the need to narrow the scope, the Strategic Plan states, “In order to focus its staff and volunteer resources, MNLA will direct its energies into education, government affairs, business connections, access to information, enhancement of industry professionalism, and membership retention and recruitment.” This is an area where the new MNLA Strategic Plan steps out of the comfort zone for long-time active MNLA members. Discovering the need to shift from the association marketing to the public to instead having the association help members market themselves to their prospective customers was a surprising outcome of the planning process.

However, making this shift is vital to the plan’s success on those key initiatives for which MNLA can make a real difference for its members.

This shift also represents the biggest divergence from the guidance of the member/non-member focus group. The focus group rated industry marketing/public relations by the association as their greatest need and area for greatest improvement by the association. They wanted their clients to look for the MNLA logo when making buying decisions. However, the focus group also said “if you can’t do it right, don’t do it all.” An honest assessment and a reality check by consumer market expert Kip Creel revealed that the association “can’t do it right” – MNLA has nowhere near adequate resources to conduct an effective and comprehensive branding campaign to the public.

So MNLA phased out its direct marketing to the public. Included in this is GardenMinnesota.com, Garden Minnesota Yearbook, the Landscape Awards program, Capitol decorating, association management of the “Green for Life” event, and our current cooperative program with Midwest Home magazine.

All of these programs have provided value to many of our members over the years, and some still could. However, to meet the needs our members have for education, business connections through networking, government affairs, and critical business information, we had to leave some things behind. Instead of trying to do a wide variety of programs at an ‘okay’ level, MNLA will plan to deliver a higher level of excellence on our core competencies.

Thanks for taking a leap of faith forward with MNLA as we continue the mission of helping you, the members, operate your businesses more successfully.

final word-smithing left to the staff. The Board of Directors officially approved the concepts of the plan that same afternoon. (At its June meeting, the Board approved the plan’s outline for the final focus area — mission and Board governance.) march 13

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➾ future

progress being made on the plan Since the decision was made to end the landscape awards program, we’ve heard from many members who valued the program far beyond its place in MNLA’s marketing to the public. Because of this, President Debbie Lonnee has formed a Recognizing Excellence Task Team, which is working to create programs that communicate and establish standards of excellence in our industry as well as recognize innovative and successful companies within the organization. See page 52 for an update on the progress of this Task Team.

In the marketing realm, MNLA will expend resources helping members access marketing expertise, tools and techniques to market their own companies. Be on the lookout for the MNLA Marketing Toolbox, which will become a treasure trove of tools and resources to help you promote your business.

As the first initiative on the MNLA Marketing Toolbox, this spring we are offering consumer market research to garden center members. See announcement directly to your left for more details of this exciting new FREE member-only service. Other resources may include education, media consulting, templates and plans for media relations, and social media plans.

• May 2012 – MNLA President Debbie

Lonnee called nearly all committee chairs and past presidents to explain the major decisions contained in the plan.

• June 2012 – A meeting attended by

approximately 100 volunteer committee leaders was held to introduce the new strategic plan. Executive Director Bob Fitch did follow-up communication to all committee members.

• July 2012 – The plan was introduced

to members-at-large with the publication of an executive summary in The Scoop.

is the communications director for MNLA and can be reached at jon@mnla.biz.

jon horsman

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report from the

recognizing excellence task team

As most people probably recognize, the previous landscape awards program came to an end last year as part of the new MNLA Strategic Plan. The new overarching MNLA Strategic Plan determined that public branding was an impossible goal, so MNLA’s public relations programs like the awards were discontinued to focus on the core mission.

Jason Rathe | Field Outdoor Spaces

march 13

mnla .biz

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19

Page

➾ ex cellence task team

M

any members immediately felt that the awards program should be revived since it offered a vital means of communicating and establishing standards as well as recognizing innovative and successful companies within the organization and industry as a whole.

Our team has been tasked to come up with recommendations for a new program for rewarding excellence in MNLA member companies.

We have had two meetings so far and have really taken it upon ourselves to start from scratch and reimagine what a recognition program could look like. We considered which things about the former awards program were positive and what things were problematic or limiting. Our team members agreed that the former awards program was important to the association in general and specifically was seen as an integral and expected part of the Green Expo. We felt the awards program gave landscape companies a way to see what other companies are doing, and new ideas to try. It also provided designers and companies a goal to shoot for and for winners, the respect and recognition of our peers. We further realized that the awards program rewarded only a subset of our membership — primarily landscape and management companies, but didn’t do anything for many other important industry segments.

We are getting really close on the rough outline of a recognition program. We have aspired to represent all members in our deliberations and would appreciate any comments and reactions. Feel free to e-mail me any thoughts.

In looking at a renewed recognition program we kept these principles in mind: • Any awards program or recognition program should not devalue the high standards the prior awards program maintained. Winning must be a recognition of excellence and not a “participation award.”

• Inclusivity — we would like to provide for recognition of as wide a swath of our membership as possible.

• A recognition program should be of the highest value to members.

• A recognition program should enable a high level of learning and inter-member communication.

Again, we welcome feedback. We’ve taken this task really seriously, since we know that the awards have been a source of both happiness and frustration in the past, and many companies and individuals have looked to the awards for marketing, recognition and advancement.

We aim to create a program that maintains all the great things about the previous program that was managed by so many hard-working members, while making changes that minimize some of the program’s frustrations and complexities. we will be finalizing the program by the end of march, so please forward your comments to field@fieldoutdoorspaces.com or staff liaison Jon Horsman (jon@mnla.biz, 651-633-4987) as soon as possible.

here are some basic proposals on which our team has reached consensus: MNLA should initiate a company-based recognition program, which could feed a feature in the Scoop. This program would recognize excellence in all types of member companies. The idea would be to recognize particular segments of the industry that aren’t recognized through a traditional landscape awards program.

This could include garden centers, nurseries and wholesale companies, irrigation companies, lighting companies, arborists, suppliers, masonry, and carpentry. It would include both big companies and small and have the goal of highlighting companies that are doing something uniquely excellent that everyone should know about.

We have determined that a project-based landscape awards program should be re-instituted but with changes that build on the legacy of the former program while addressing some misunderstandings and over-complexities of it.

what we’ve agreed upon so far on the new design/build awards program: All entries will be completed on-line. This will make the entry process easier and more streamlined since each step will have inline instructions and many of the rules and stipulations can be checked while you’re entering.

One re-submittal will be allowed if entries don’t match rules. In the event that photos or other materials are not correct, entrants will have one opportunity to amend their submission.

On-line display of entries – having all entries online will make it easy to display winners online.

There shouldn’t be levels of recognition (Merit, Grand Honor). Judges will simply be called on to “recognize outstanding excellence” or not.

Going through the projects on-line, some form of giving feedback will be included so that members can give and receive constructive feedback on their submission from their peers.

All entries (not just winners) will be displayed in an anonymous and educational way at Expo. This will most likely be in a binder or other format.

We would like to institute a “Member’s Choice Award.” Each member company would have one vote each for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and would go through the projects on-line and submit their vote.

We think this will be a fun exercise for many companies — having a meeting with crews, designers and leaders to come up with their company’s vote. Votes will be for 1st, 2nd and 3rd and tallied via “ranked voting” methods. Recognition will be given for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners and announced at an awards event.

The winners won’t be known until the event.

march 13

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what’s next for

recycling?

F

Jon Horsman | MNLA Communications Director

or the past seven years, MNLA has been coordinating and promoting a program of plastic recycling for our industry.

Though we’ve experienced some bumps in the road during those years (including some of significant size!), MNLA volunteer-leaders and staff are proud of the work that’s been done to jump-start widespread involvement in recycling horticultural plastics. Many members stepped up to the plate and agreed to take the right environmental step, averting millions of pounds of plastic wasted from landfills.

In 2013, MNLA will again be encouraging all possible means of recycling the plastic used in our industry, however MNLA’s involvement in coordination and promotion will come to an end.

Our current strategic plan states, “In order to achieve superior levels of excellence in its strategic focus areas, MNLA must narrow the scope of engagement of its staff and volunteer resources.

Consequently, MNLA will direct its energies into education, government affairs, business connections, access to information, enhancement of industry professionalism, and membership retention and recruitment. Staff and volunteer resources will be directed away from direct-to-consumer industry marketing.” The recycling plan is specified as part of that industry marketing effort, as the plan calls for us to “Discontinue MNLA as the organizer and promoter of the Green Industry Recycling Program. Instead, provide a list of recycling resources on-line as a reference for members.”

We are working on that list as a service to our members, but the list will be missing a familiar name. As of 2013, Choice Plastics has

opted to focus on other streams of plastic waste for their recycling business. They have been vital to the success of the program the last three years. Now as we transition away from promotion of the program to providing access to information about plastic recyclers, we are doing all we can to set up other options for MNLA members.

It remains challenging to find companies who are ready to accept the used plastic material our industry generates.

We will be maintaining a web page with all the helpful recycling information we can find (http://www.mnla.biz/content.asp?pl=55&sl =130&contentid=130). On this page, we’ll have contact information for all recycling companies we can find that may be a good option for you. If you are currently working with a company that is accepting and recycling your used horticultural plastic, please contact Jon Horsman at jon@mnla.biz.

Thanks to all the volunteers that worked to see this program started, and thanks to all the companies that have participated over the years. Together, leaders and members like you have moved our association and industry toward better stewardship of our resources, taking the risk of financial loss while investing in environmental responsibility. Your leadership has demonstrated the viability of recycling horticultural plastic, and encouraged more companies to evaluate their impact on the environment. jon horsman

is the Communications Director for MNLA, and can be

reached at 651-633-4987 or jon@mnla.biz.

march 13

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➾ volunteer

mnla

member

volunteers needed f o r netw o r ki ng gr o ups

The best part about belonging to MNLA is the opportunity to participate. When you give your time to make MNLA and the green industry better, you’ll find personal connections, knowledge, and wisdom you won’t gain anywhere else. Personally and professionally, you will grow with MNLA.

Looking for a fun, informal way to connect with industry professionals and get “just-in-time” answers to nagging questions? Get involved in MNLA’s networking groups. There are a variety of groups to choose from!

Get involved! We know you’ll take away more than you were expecting.

What is a networking group? It is an informal, volunteer, special interest group made up of MNLA members.

Networking groups were created at the request of members and serve several purposes including: Creating more ways for members to connect with each other…peer-to-peer interaction.

Providing opportunities for enhancing organizational and personal success.

Producing a vehicle for special interest group input to MNLA on educational, government affairs, and professional development programs Being a platform for future leader development within the organization The following networking groups are currently recruiting new members!

Garden Centers

Landscape Designers

Landscape/Hardscape Contractors

Professional Gardeners Landscape Management

Commercial Arborists Sustainable Environment Nursery Growers CEO Commercial Flower Growers Irrigation

You will walk away with ideas you can implement and life-long industry contacts.

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NETWORKING NEWS Professional Gardening Services Leader: Julie King, Sage Landscape Design Last Meeting Date: February 7, 2013 at Sage Landscape Design Topic: Nuts & Bolts of Running a Professional Gardening Business Top Takeaways: 1) Finding employees requires utilizing a combination of sources.

There is no magic bullet. 2) Using a temp agency for payroll may alleviate employer headaches especially for the smallest companies. 3) Because each company is unique, participants felt training had to be primarily done in-house to assure the proper level of competence and attention to detail.

Landscape/Hardscape Contractors Leader(s): Scott Frampton, Landscape Renovations and Dave Klein, Amcon Last Meeting Date: January 9, 2013 at the Northern Green Expo Topic: Future Meeting Topics Top Takeaways: The group discussed future meeting topics which included: Biggest challenges of 2013, healthcare, garden center/contractor relationship, hardscape supplier/contract relationship, BMPs for tree planting depth, employee retention.

Garden Center Leader: Jeff Pilla, Bachman’s, Inc. Last Meeting Date: January 15, 2013 at Purple Onion Café, Minneapolis Topic: Challenges for Spring 2013 Testimonial: “Interesting conversation that I know I will profit from, so time well spent!”

— Nick Sargent, Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc Commercial Arborists Leader: Dennis Ullom, St. Croix Tree Service Last Meeting Date: January 23, 2013 at the MNLA Office Topic: Employee Recruitment Top Takeaways: 1) Good places to recruit: Employment news and vet job fairs. Don’t use Craigslist. 2) Ideas for keeping good climbers; consider apprenticeship programs.

Landscape Management Leader: Todd Dilley, The Lawn Ranger Topic: How to Find Quality Employees Last Meeting Date: January 29, 2013 at Champps in Eden Prairie Top Takeaways: 1) Flexible work Force, 2) Veterans, 3) Incentive Programs see pages 8–9 or our online calendar at mnla.biz.

to see upcoming networking group events

march 13

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59

➾ business

business briefs march 2 0 1 3

S&S Tree and Landscaping Specialists Joins Davey Tree The Davey Tree Expert Company has acquired S&S Tree and Landscaping Specialists, the largest family-owned tree company in Minnesota. The acquisition of S&S is Davey’s fifteenth in the past five years and is part of a larger growth and expansion strategy.

Based in St. Paul, Minn., S&S provides tree, landscape and lawn services and will continue to operate under its existing name as a division of The Davey Company. Louie Sylvester will assume the role of district manager of the office, while Tony Sylvester will serve as assistant district manager. Steve Sylvester, S&S owner and CEO, will help during the transition as a consultant. The addition of S&S means that Davey will now have three offices in the greater St. Paul/Minneapolis region.

“S&S is a welcome addition to Davey Tree. This will strengthen Davey’s presence in the Midwest and will bring additional regional business expertise, talented arborists and employee owners to our organization,” said Pat Covey, Davey’s chief operating officer.

“Both S&S and Davey are actively involved in efforts to preserve and improve the health and beauty of our environment and are committed to supporting the highest professional standards.”

Steve Sylvester started S&S in 1976, and today the company includes more than 75 employees, many of whom are International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists. “We were attracted to Davey because, much like S&S, it was built on customer service and high-quality work, completed by hard-working and dedicated employees,” said Sylvester. “Our success has been based on core values that are central to achieving our mission: hard work, passion, commitment, safety and professionalism. We believe Davey Tree shares these values.”

Rich Westerberg New HedbergFarmington Branch Manager Hedberg Aggregates Inc., dba Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies, is pleased to announce Rich Westerberg as the new Branch Manager for the HedbergFarmington location. “We are very pleased to add Rich to our staff,” said Kathy Hackworthy, Hedberg’s Chief Branch Officer.

“He has over 20 years of retail management and business ownership experience.

These are leadership roles in Fortune 100 companies as well as business start-ups.

He is a great addition to our company,” she concluded.

Kelly Gress Promoted to Vice President of RDO Integrated Controls Kelly Gress has been promoted to Vice President of RDO Integrated Controls, RDO Equipment Co.’s positioning division which provides solutions through survey, GPS, laser, GIS, and machine control products. Gress began his career with RDO Equipment Co. in 2002 as an internal auditor and since has held roles as General Manager, Regional Controller, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, and most recently, Director of Sales Operations and RDO Integrated Controls. Prior to joining RDO Equipment Co., Gress worked at Eide Bailly LLP and honorably served in the United States Marine Corps.

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60

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march 13

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Bloom & Groom, Long Lake, MN Circle W. Ranch, Pequot Lakes, MN Cutting Edge, Plymouth, MN Frye Landscape Services, Minneapolis, MN Green Scene, Minnetonka, MN Humes Landscaping, Jamestown, ND Hypro LLC, Apple Valley, MN Irrigation Doctor Inc., Fridley, MN Landscape Gal, Northfield, MN Lenz Lawn Care, Inc., Waseca, MN Linehan Outdoor Services, River Falls, WI Microbasics, Inc., River Falls, WI Outdoor & More LLC, Long lake, MN Residential Gardens LLC, St. Paul, MN Rock Ridge Landscaping, Hastings, MN Striking Image Landscaping, LLC, Cottage Grove, MN Supreme Outdoor Services, Plymouth, MN T.O. Plastics, Clearwater, MN Traut Companies, Waite Park, MN Turkey Run Hostas, Pine Island, MN

38

www.MNLA.biz | ocTober 2012

➾ th e scoop

share scoop! the

each month,

the Scoop is mailed to every company in the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. A portion of your annual dues covers your yearly subscription to our official publication, which is one of the most-loved benefits of MNLA membership. Because each company only receives one copy of the Scoop, it’s important to share the wealth! Make sure your employees are able to take advantage of the insights and information in this magazine by putting it in your company break-room, or directly into the hands of that employee you’d like to develop into a leader in your company.

to receive the online scoop,

Want to make the Scoop accessible to everyone in your company? Every month, we publish an online issue of the Scoop, using a leading web platform for magazines. This digital issue is available to all personnel in all MNLA companies. To utilize this member-only benefit, send us all email addresses for whomever in your company you think should be receiving the Scoop, and we will email the link directly to your employee’s inbox each month. In fact, our online issue is available a week before the hard copy of the magazine arrives. Your employees will be privy to the latest and greatest information.

email Sue Flynn, susan@mnla.biz.

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Also Inside

Also Inside

Also Inside

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Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association 1813 Lexington Avenue North Roseville, MN 55113

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