Be the First to Know News and Updates from TNLA! MARCH 27, 2020
TNLA
Working For You
Table of Contents TNLA Working For You March 27, 2020 Cover Feature:
Encourage Your Customers to Embrace Their Space During Their Time at Home. Show Homeowners How to Find Beauty in Their Own Backyard! Members' News You Need to Know -COVID 19 UPDATE --Employee Letter for Essential Business --Major Cities Confirming Landscape Services Essential --City of Austin Ends Non-Essential Construction -Embrace Your Space -A Word From Jay Williams on Region Meetings -Lawn & Garden Tax Holiday -Young Leader & Summit Nominations -Compensation Study
Legislative & Regulatory -Feedback Needed as the Fight Continues -State Department Announces Waivers on H-2 Programs -Department of Labor Releases FAQ's for COVID 19 Effect on H2-Programs Education - Certification Renewal in June
EDUCATION & CEU OPPORTUNITIES Don't Ask The Expert, Be The Expert
TNLA Green Magazine Articles Including: Notes From SFA Gardens Bugs & Fuzz GreenVision Authors Including: Meng Meng Gu, Ph.D. Kevin Ong, Ph.D. David Creech, Ph.D.
CEU Quiz in Every Issue! Read the Latest Issue Here!
TNLA Academics Education-On-Demand Self-Paced Online Courses Guided Web Courses TNLA Academics Mini Sessions Nursery/Landscape EXPO Keynotes Nursery/Landscape EXPO Interviews Green Industry Essentials (PDFs) Free Webinars
A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
COVID 19 UPDATE Texas Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA) has been urging state and federal policymakers to designate Green Industry businesses as “Essential Business” in order to exercise the option to remain open for business. We have already sent letters to Governor Abbott, USDA Secretary Perdue, and Ag Commissioner Sid Miller calling on them to support the Green Industry with the Essential Business designation. Counties and cities are setting their own various “Stay-At-Home” Orders which close nonessential businesses. Please read your local order carefully and determine if you feel your business fits under the classification for essential business or critical infrastructure. If your order lacks clarification, please download and modify a letter to email or mail to your local officials stating that your company should be considered an "essential business" and remain open, on your company letterhead.
Retail Garden Center "Essential Business" During COVID-19 Landscape "Essential Business" During COVID-19 Horticulture is “Essential Business” During COVID-19
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A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
COVID 19 UPDATE: Employee Letter for Essential Businesses The county Stay-At-Home Orders are not identical across local governments. Some local jurisdictions have begun to explicitly confirm landscape services are essential. Member companies have requested examples of letters they can give to employees demonstrating their “Essential” status. *These letters do not constitute a legal opinion. Clarification can best be provided by the County or City issuing the order. Designation as an “Essential Business” does not exempt the business from following CDC guidelines or local social distancing and occupancy requirements*
Retail Garden Centers: Retail Garden Center Template Letter - download and modify this letter with your retail company's information to have on hand to cite the CISA Guidance Memo from the Department of Homeland Security that your company is within the realm of agriculture production and is, therefore, "essential business of operation," Download letter by clicking here. Landscape/Irrigation: Landscape Template Letter - download and modify this letter with your landscape company's information to have on hand to cite the CISA Guidance Memo from the Department of Homeland Security that landscape is within the realm of residential and commercial construction and public works and is, therefore, "essential business of operation," Download letter by clicking here. Growers/Re-Wholesalers: Grower Template Letter - download and modify this letter with your grower operation's information to have on hand to cite the CISA Guidance Memo from the Department of Homeland Security that your company is within the realm of agriculture production and is, therefore, "essential business of operation," Download letter by clicking here. Essential Worker Travel - TDA Commissioner Sid Miller has shared an essential worker travel form you can provide your drivers to have some supporting documentation on hand. Click here to download the letter.
#EmbraceYourSpace
A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
COVID 19 UPDATE: Major Cities Confirming Landscape Services Essential The County of Dallas Confirms Mowing City of San Antonio Confirms Landscape Services Harris Co. Order Incorporates Landscaping and the Press Answers
COVID 19 UPDATE: City of Austin Ends Non-Essential Construction According to the City of Austin guidelines issued earlier this week, residential and commercial construction projects (including landscape install) must stop unless they meet one of the following categories: Public works construction projects Affordable housing projects Construction of facilities for individuals experiencing homelessness Construction of facilities that provide social services Construction of facilities that are defined in the Order as Essential Businesses, Essential Government Functions, or Critical Infrastructure Construction of facilities specifically required by the City in response to the current COVID-19 emergency Landscapers in Austin are encouraged to contact their local elected officials and urge them to re-open construction in the city. Austin’s actions are in contradiction to nearly all of the other major cities across Texas.
#EmbraceYourSpace
A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
Embrace Your Space Encourage Your Customers to Embrace their Space & Take Advantage of their Own Backyard! We all know that COVID-19 has been making a huge impact on communities and businesses. With schools shut down, and remote work for many, this is a great time to get people out in their gardens! Time spent in the yard with family is invaluable and the benefits to gardening are bounding. Take advantage of this opportunity to remind people why it feels so good to get your hands in the dirt!
Please use the media kit (examples below) for your social media or inspiration to keep customers inspired. Go to the media kit here!
Don't forget to use #EmbraceYourSpace on Social Media!
#EmbraceYourSpace
A WORD FROM THE STATE Members News' You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
Embrace Your Space We love seeing our members getting out there to encourage customers to embrace their space! Please share what you are doing to keep people outdoors and remind them that Gardening is NOT Cancelled! Check out some of these posts from our members spreading the inspiration.
Don't forget to tag us in your posts and use #EmbraceYourSpace
#EmbraceYourSpace
A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
A WORD FROM JAY WILLIAMS ON REGION MEETINGS All, Through the years at TNLA, I have met many wonderful and inspirational people. They are now a big part of my life.I like to shake hands, slap shoulders and hug necks, but I am changing my ways. Covid-19 has thrust on us the importance of minimizing physical contact with others. The vast majority of people who contract Coronavirus will recover with only minor problems. However, our American culture does not accept the idea that a few will be sacrificed for the many. Ghandi said, “A nation is measured by the way it treats its weakest members.” Our culture has exhibited this strength in the past and we’re showing it again.If we have a TNLA meeting in which one person is infected and carries the virus home to an elderly or infirmed person, we will have been derelict in our responsibilities to our neighbors, our society and ourselves. As Chair of TNLA, I wish to ask that all Region Meetings and gatherings be suspended until our elected officials give us the green light. Thank you, Jay Williams
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A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
LAWN & GARDEN TAX HOLIDAY While we are encouraging customers to embrace their space.. it is also a great time to start preparing for the Lawn & Garden Tax Holiday! Keep the customers coming through the summer and maximize your return on this opportunity. On Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25, there is no need to charge customers sales tax on any water saving products. Head down to tnlaonline.org for more information and a media kit with downloadable media posts. We want to help you take advantage of this tax holiday and keep your Spring going hot! We will be hosting an interactive map of participating retail stores on our consumer website LandscapeTX with our awareness campaign and we want to get your business on the map! Let's Make this Memorial Day Weekend Water Smart! If you would like to be placed on the map, please email ashley@tnlaonline.org with your company name and address.
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A WORD FROM THE STATE Members' News You Need to Know Hear it straight from the State Office
YOUNG LEADER & SUMMIT NOMINATIONS Each year, TNLA recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements in the Green Industry with Young Leader Awards and Summit Awards. Nominations for these awards are currently being accepted! Please help TNLA honor individuals and Member companies doing great work in out industry by submitting nominations by May 15! Go to www.tnlaonline.org today to submit your nomination!
2020 TEXAS GREEN INDUSTRY COMPENSATION STUDY & BENEFITS SURVEY The Texas Nursery & Landscape Association is excited to have completed the 2020 Texas Green Industry Compensation & Benefits Survey and is ready for it to be released. With over 100 companies contributing, the survey represents a window into the employee benefits and compensation of your colleagues in the green industry. This valuable data is an opportunity to know how your competitors monetarily compensate employees, in addition to analysis on workplace culture, education, certification, and ancillary benefits. The study features hard data on compensation, as well as comments from the study participants in order to contextualize the results. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight into Texas-specific green industry employment information. The complete survey results are available to TNLA members at $100 and non-members at $250. Purchase here
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A WORD FROM THE STATE Legislative & Regulatory Hear it straight from the State Office
FEEDBACK NEEDED AS THE FIGHT CONTINUES TNLA staff has been constantly monitoring and coordinating the messaging of local officials in the wake of the “Stay-At-Home� orders. While the messages are outgoing, we have also been handling an influx of members messaging and calling TNLA staff with any potential issues. Know that TNLA is in your corner to help in the fight to keep your business open. If you are being shutdown by local governments, share that information with us by contacting the TNLA Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs, Ryan Skrobarczyk at ryan@tnlaonline.org or call at (512) 367-9922.
STATE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES WAIVERS ON H-2 PROGRAMS Secretary Pompeo, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has authorized consular officers to expand the categories of H-2 visa applicants whose applications can be adjudicated without an in-person interview. Consular officers can, if they so choose, now waive the visa interview requirement for first-time and returning H-2 applicants who have no potential ineligibility. This expansion also increases the period in which returning workers may qualify for an interview waiver. Applicants whose previous visas expired in the last 48 months (increased from 12 months), and who did not require a waiver of ineligibility the last time they applied, do not need to be interviewed in-person if they are applying for the same visa classification as their previous visa. We anticipate the vast majority of otherwise qualified H-2 applicants will now be adjudicated without an interview.
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A WORD FROM THE STATE Legislative & Regulatory Hear it straight from the State Office
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RELEASES FAQ'S FOR COVID 19 EFFECT ON H2-PROGRAMS The DOL released the following updates related to the certification of workers through the H-2 program as problems have come up with COVID 19. The FAQ can be found here
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A WORD FROM THE STATE Education
Hear it straight from the State Office
CERTIFICATION RENEWALS DUE JUNE 2020 Certification renewal time is right around the corner, and we wanted to remind you while there is still time to take advantage of our many CEU opportunities. Explore TNLA's Education On-Demand for CEUs to get you renewed by June!
#EmbraceYourSpace