OCTOBER 11, 2019
In Every Issue: Calendar TNLA Events & CEU Opportunities A Word From the State
Featured: Monday Management Webinar Best of Texas Spooky Sale TNLA Career Center MONSTER of a Deal TEIL Applications Due Hemp Workshop Coming Up! Grower Summit Coming Up! Save the Date for the Product Rodeo and Education Corral
TNLA Working For You is an exclusive member benefit we bring straight to you on a bi-weekly basis.
SPOOKY SALE! OCTOBER 11-31
GET 10% OFF BEST OF TEXAS LANDSCAPE GUIDES
Advertise in the Membership Directory!
Order Today!
TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER FEATURE: Best of Texas Spooky Sale TNLA CALENDAR A WORD FROM THE STATE Legislative & Regulatory The Green Report Podcast TNLA Attends Immigration Summit in Houston Texas Changes Coming for H-2A Program Leader List Legislative Action Center Education Grower Summit Texas Hemp Production Workshop Texas Excellence in Landscaping Award Member Benefit Partner Scholarships Nursery/Landscape EXPO 2020 Compensation Study TNLA Strategic Partners
-FLIERSTNLA CAREER CENTER MONSTER OF A DEAL FIND YOUR NEXT JOB ON TNLA'S CAREER CENTER DIGITAL MARKETING SAVVY WITH JACK JOSTES ADVERTISE IN TNLA'S MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY TEXAS EXCELLENCE IN LANDSCAPING AWARD GROWER SUMMIT 2019 SCHEDULE GROWER SUMMIT 2019 SPEAKERS HEMP PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
TOGETHER WE ARE CULTIVATING A STRONGER TEXAS GREEN INDUSTRY.
If you are new to TNLA and want to find out more about your Region offerings, please contact Sara Fern. Please submit Region photos to ashley@tnlaonline.org
CALENDAR OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
15 Region IV Meeting South West Nursery
1 TEIL Applications Due Apply Today
3 Region IV Meeting AgriLife Dallas
19 Region VIII Halloween Party Leaf Landscape Supply (North)
12 Region I Meeting Peterson's Wholesale Nursery
11 Region II Christmas Party Cadillac Bar
21 Monday Management Webinar Are you investing in your business' greatest ROI...Your team?
12 Region II Meeting Plants for All Seasons
13 Region V Christmas Party TBD
18 Monday Management Webinar Vendor/Subcontractor management for a true partnership
16 Monday Management Webinar Kicking off 2020! Baseline your team NOW to set the tone for the year
22 Region V Meeting Silver Creek Materials 31 Best of Texas Sale Ends Order Yours Today
19 Region V Wild Game Feast Guaranteed Hydromulch
EVENTS & CEU OPPORTUNITIES
TNLA GREEN CEU QUIZ September/October MONDAY MANAGEMENT WEBINAR SERIES
ARE YOU INVESTING IN YOUR BUSINESS' GREATEST ROI... YOUR TEAM? MONDAY OCTOBER 21 | 11:00AM CDT REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.TNLAONLINE.ORG
NOVEMBER 12, 2019 Baylor Club 1001 South Martin Luther King Blvd. Waco, TX 76704
Go to tnlaonline.org today to get more information about the Texas Hemp Production Workshop and register today!
EVENTS & CEU OPPORTUNITIES NOVEMBER 13, 2019 Texas Farm Bureau 7410 Fish Pond Road Waco, TX 76710
Go to tnlaonline.org today to get more information about the 2019 Grower Summit and register today!
MONDAY MANAGEMENT WEBINAR SERIES
VENDOR/SUBCONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT FOR A TRUE PARTNERSHIP MONDAY NOVEMBER 18 | 11:00AM CDT REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.TNLAONLINE.ORG
MONDAY MANAGEMENT WEBINAR SERIES
KICKING OFF 2020! BASELINE YOUR TEAM NOW TO SET THE TONE FOR THE YEAR MONDAY DECEMBER 16 | 11:00AM CDT REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.TNLAONLINE.ORG
FEBRUARY 25- 27, 2020
LET'S Rodeo! WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL CENTER: WATT ARENA 1501 RIP JOHNSON DR FORT WORTH, TX 76107
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
Legislative & Regulatory
THE GREEN REPORT PODCAST New Green Report – EP. 6 Coming to TNLAONLINE.ORG October 15, 2019 Cities Requiring Paid Sick Leave In the past two years, major cities across Texas have expanded their regulatory authority by creating new employment mandates on businesses of all sizes. As Texas employers struggle to comply, the business community, including TNLA, have begun to push back on these patchwork regulations. This episode we speak with Annie Spilman, Texas State Director for NFIB and spokeswoman for the ASSET coalition on the fight against cities creating employer mandates.
TNLA ATTENDS IMMIGRATION SUMMIT IN HOUSTON Last week TNLA Chairman Jay Williams and Director Ryan Skrobarczyk attended the Texas Summit on Immigration provided by several non-profit business advocacy groups. The focus of the summit was to coalesce the business community around efforts to bring positive reform to the immigration system in the U.S. Critical to the overall reform of the immigration system is ensuring that we have better non-immigrant programs like the H-2A and H-2B programs. Invited speakers included Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman Will Hurd and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce along with Houston business leaders like Stan Marek of MAREK Construction and Massey Villareal of the Greater Houston Partnership.
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
Legislative & Regulatory
TEXAS CHANGES COMING FOR H-2A PROGRAM In addition to potential changes ongoing in Washington D.C., the State of Texas is also proposing to make changes which will affect the H-2A program. TNLA staff attended the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Rules committee meeting this week where the agency is proposing to change the rules for migrant housing licenses. Currently, TDHCA requires H-2A users to obtain a state license for their housing facility required under the federal program and go through a second inspection by state inspectors. The fee for the TDHCA housing license is $250.
TEXAS CHANGES COMING FOR H-2A PROGRAM
While some of the changes proposed by the agency are positive including lowering the fees for certain licenses and making the process simpler for H2A users, this new rule may pose new issues for the H-2A community. Our association will be preparing comments for submission when the comment period opens Oct. 25th. You can find the proposed rules HERE
LEADER LIST A TNLA member-exclusive benefit, this newsletter is sent out with political notices, Legislative alerts, and highlights of TNLA advocacy work. Sign up and during the Texas Legislative session receive a weekly newsletter featuring all of the Green Industry related action.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER We are all stronger when acting together so be sure to check on the TNLA Legislative Action Center. Here is where you can participate in our grassroots campaigns concerning federal and state issues. With the ease of pushing a button, send electronic communication directly to your elected official on the issues that matter to your business.
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
Education
GROWER SUMMIT Join TNLA in Waco on Wednesday, November 13 at the Texas Farm Bureau Headquarters for the 2019 Grower's Summit. This full day of education will feature topics you asked for, and industry experts from across the country. Lunch is included in registration! Make Sure to check out the Grower Summit Schedule and Speaker Feature Page in this newsletter!
HEMP PRODUCTION WORKSHOP Please join us for our 2019 Texas Hemp Production Workshop at the Baylor Club in Waco, Texas. Not only is this a great event for growers, but it is open to anyone in the Texas Green Industry who is interested in learning about this new and upcoming product. You'll hear from industrial hemp experts from across the US and discover all that hemp has to offer. More details to come.
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
TEXAS EXCELLENCE IN LANDSCAPING AWARD Does your business deserve to be considered and AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS? Do you have projects that you feel deserve STATE-WIDE RECOGNITION? TNLA’s Texas Excellence in Landscape Awards, aptly known as TEIL Awards, should be a consideration for your company. The TEIL Awards are a highly sought-after program that allows companies to turn in projects that they feel are deserving of higher recognition by industry peers. In fact, the projects would not just be recognized, they will be celebrated at the Nursery/Landscape EXPO’s Awards Fiesta!
TEXAS CHANGES COMING FOR H-2A PROGRAM Submission is easy and convenient. TNLA’s new online submission portal allows
companies to easily and quickly submit photos and descriptions either on site or when you finally get back into your office. (TIP - Submissions of high-quality photos are a must! Also, add as much technical information as you can for the descriptions. The more the judges can see and know about the project, the better chances that no questions will come up while your projects are being judged). Project submission is also aided by the online platform, so you will know exactly what fields to fill out and how you need to fill them out. It is pretty much a less than 10-minute process that could land you years’ worth of promotions to your clients. And some bragging rights to your business peers! The TEIL Awards program is an easy and cost-effective way promote your companies’ level of expertise, as well as giving your clients the benefits of working with “An AwardWinning Business”. Hurry to submit your projects, TEIL Submission Deadline is Friday, November 1!
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER One of the many benefits of being a TNLA Member include TNLA's Endorsed Service Providers & Member Benefit Partners. One of our fun and exciting Member Benefit Partners is AAA! Members get discounts on all levels and coverage for the whole family! Check out your TNLA Member Benefit Partners Here!
SCHOLARSHIPS We are accepting on-line scholarship applications for the 2020-2021 school year between September 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019 from students interested in the fields of Horticultural and Agriculture. If you know of a deserving student interested in these fields of study, please send them to the following website for more details: tnla.awardsplatform.com If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact Cheryl Staritz at cheryl@tnlaonline or 512.579.3863.
NURSERY/LANDSCAPE EXPO 2020 Find Your Greatness by exhibiting at the 2020 Nursery/Landscape EXPO August 13-15, in San Antonio. Grow your business in Texas by reserving a booth today at Texas' premier horticulture show. Click here for additional information
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
COMPENSATION STUDY If you have already completed the survey, thank you! Texas Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA) is conducting a detailed Texas Compensation Survey for the horticultural industry. This survey is collecting data on employees in Texas, so please only submit data on employees in Texas. If you have not completed the survey, please help us gather credible, comprehensive compensation data for our industry. TNLA has engaged one of the leading consulting firms, Impact Consulting, to develop and independently manage the collection of this data, ensuring it is kept 100% secure and confidential. At no time will anyone outside of Impact Consulting be able to see any specific detailed data. We are asking companies to participate in this survey by providing information no later than October 14. If you have questions or need help, connect with Impact Consulting at 512.261.3442 or mary@impactconsult.com. Go here to participate in the survey
A WORD FROM THE STATE Hear it straight from the State Office
TNLA STRATEGIC PARTNERS Strategic Partners help TNLA and the Industry Grow! Strategic Partners assist TNLA in producing quality education and cultivating future leadership within the Green Industry while increasing value-added member benefits. Through their continued support, TNLA continues to be at the forefront with programs and content. Member firms who have contributed a minimum of $10,000 per calendar year through sponsorships and contributions are placed as a TNLA Strategic Partner for the full calendar year after contribution. All opportunities listed are eligible towards this prestigious designation.
There are three levels of Strategic Partnerships: Yellow Rose Partner - Contribution of at least $30,000 in one calendar year Pecan Partner - Contributions of at least $20,000 in one calendar year Bluebonnet Partner - Contributions of at least $10,000 in one calendar year BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE FOLLOWING 2019 TNLA STRATEGIC PARTNERS WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TNLA AND THE GREEN INDUSTRY! YELLOW ROSE PARTNER - $30,000+ Level Landmark Nurseries, Inc. BLUEBONNET PARTNERS - $10,000-$19,999 Level Southwest Wholesale Nursery Creekside Nursery TreeTown USA Living Earth Texas Green Industry Safety Group New Earth
MONSTER OF A DEAL EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OFFER
30 DAY FREE JOBPOSTING OFFER VALID UNTIL 10/31/19 ONE TIME USE ONLY
USE CODE:
Monster19 GO TO CAREERS.TNLAONLINE.ORG TODAY TO POST YOUR JOB!
KICKSTART YOUR GREEN INDUSTRY CAREER ON TNLA'S CAREER CENTER Easily find jobs that are available in the Green Industry Upload your resume for employers to see Search for a position that matters to you Use one of the many RESOURCES available Get customized job alerts for new openings Fast & easy application process
S E R
R U O
S E C
GO TO CAREERS.TNLAONLINE.ORG TODAY TO GET STARTED!
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FALL COURSE DATES: November 2019 – January 2020 COURSE PRICE: $250 Early Bird | $325 Per Person Limited to 30 Participants
EARLY BIRD SPECIALS $75 off registration Signed copy of Get Found Online The Complete Guide to Responding to Negative Online Reviews Jack’s 100% Money-Back Guarantee
REGISTER AT WWW.TNLAONLINE.ORG TODAY!
FINAL AD ARTWORK AND UPGRADES ARE DUE OCTOBER 27, 2019
Advertise in TNLA's Membership Directory and Buyer's Guide By Aligning your marketing strategies with TNLA your company will be able to reach customers within the Texas market directly! TNLA’s membership Directory and Buyers’ Guide Receives over 6,000 Impressions through direct mail to TNLA members and Certified Professionals and is handed out throughout the year at TNLA events plus receives over 10,000 impressions digitally! Spiral Bound referencing important information about TNLA and the industry with sections including: About TNLA Business Member Company Listings Individual Member Listings TNLA Regions (leadership and company listings) Greenline and Hardline Product Listings (products listed in alpha order with company information) Digital links to advertiser's website included Contact advertising@tnlaonline.org or Call 512-579-3861
AWARD CATEGORIES: A: Commercial Installation B: Commercial Maintenance C: Residential Installation D: Residential Maintenance
E: Special Project F: Unique Features G: Design
SEND IN YOUR TEIL APPLICATION BY NOVEMBER 1, 2019 AT TNLA.AWARDSPLATFORM.COM
-Schedule at a Glance7:30-8:30 AM 8:30-8:45 AM 8:45-9:45 AM
REGISTRATION + COFFEE TEXAS FARM BUREAU WELCOME + INTRODUCTIONS
H2A & TX HOUSING BUREAU UPDATES FEWA + Texas Workforce Commission
10:00-10:50 AM
This panel presentation will cover the H-2A program requirements and briefly look at some of the newly proposed changes.
ROAD RULES - COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT: A TEXAS OVERVIEW Major Chris Nordloh & Lt. Monty Kea
11:00-11:50 AM
This panel will be covering an overview of our Commercial Vehicle Enforcement operations, facilities, and technologies and Covered Farm Vehicles with Q&A afterwards.
UPDATES FOR LICENSED APPLICATORS Dale Scott
12:10-1:00 PM 1:10-2:00 PM
Major changes are coming to licensed applicators. Get the inside scoop from TDA’s Dale Scott.
LUNCH NEONICS...NOW WHAT? Dr. Mengmeng Gu
2:10-3:10 PM
There have been many debates on the role of neonicotinoids. This presentation focuses on facts about honeybees, their role in agriculture and health of bee colonies, and the role of neonicotinoids on this issue.
PLANT PREMONITION: SELECTING ORNAMENTALS IN AN ERA OF RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE Dr. David Creech With long range climate models predicting a warmer and more erratic Texas climate, selecting plants for the future perhaps means we need a new way of looking at the way we evaluate plant materials.
3:20-4:20 PM
ACRES ONLINE LIVE Chris Beytes
4:20-4:30 PM
A fast-paced presentation covering the important horticulture industry trends. Chris combines nearly four decades of industry experience, professional journalism skills and a wary sense of humor to keep it informative, fact-based and fun.
CLOSING
Proudly Partnered with:
GROWER SUMMIT SPEAKERS DR. MENGMENG GU Neonics...Now What? Dr. Mengmeng Gu is an Associate Professor/Ornamental Extension Specialist in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in College Station, TX. She is the liaison between Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, and serves on TNLA Education Committee and Park & Patio Task Force. Dr. Gu is the Project Director of the multi-disciplinary multi-state Specialty Crop Research Initiative project ‘Systematic Strategies to Manage Crapemyrtle Bark Scale, An Emerging Exotic Pest’.
DR. DAVID CREECH Plant Premonition: Selecting Ornamentals in an Era of Rapid Climate Change Dr. Dave Creech is Professor Emeritus, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas. After a long career teaching, he now directs SFA Gardens, a 128-acre on campus horticultural resource. His research interests includes fruit production, ornamentals evaluation, and woody tree and shrub studies. He has authored numerous scholarly and trade articles, lectures widely and has accumulated a long list of international work since 1981. He signs all his correspondence "Let's keep planting."
CHRIS BEYTES Acres Online LIVE Chris Beytes is editor of GrowerTalks and Green Profit magazines and author of the Acres Online newsletter, which reaches more than 23,000 industry folks in 66 countries. He's a graduate of the University of Florida, with a degree in journalism and a minor in ornamental horticulture. He and his wife ran their own greenhouse business in Florida before he joined Ball Publishing in 1993. Chris travels the world to stay current on the latest horticultural production, marketing and retailing trends and strategies.
JARROD SHARP FEWA Jarrod Sharp is General Counsel at FEWA, where he advises the association on matters relating to the H2A and H2B programs. Jarrod also serves on the steering committee of the H2B Workforce Coalition, and regularly meets in Washington D.C. with legislators and agencies about guest worker program reforms.
DALE SCOTT Director for Environmental and Biosecurity Programs Dale has a Bachelors from Texas Tech University and Masters in Integrated Pest Management from West Texas A&M University. Dale came to TDA in 2003 with previous experience in the sorghum seed and chemical industries. He has worked in previous positions as Coordinator for Pest Survey as well as Coordinator for Pesticide Product Evaluation and Registration. Dale has been in his current position since March of 2016
MAJOR CHRIS NORDLOH Texas Department of Public Safety
Major Chris Nordloh, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) Coordinator for the Texas Department of Public Safety, which is the lead CVE agency for the state ofTexas.He has been with the DPS since 1996 and CVE since 1999. A graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, Major Nordloh is responsible for developing poliCies related to CVE for DPS and local agencies, oversees the Motor Carrier Bureau and the Compliance Review and Safety Audit programs and supervises the CVE Training Units. He is responsible for oversight of federal grants related to CVE. He is responsible directly to the Chief of the Texas Highway Patrol Division and is his liaison to the field with respect to CVE operations.In addition, he is responsible for updating the Texas Administrative Code relating to commercial vehicle regulations and enforcement.Major Nordloh coordinates enforcement efforts between DPS and the FMCSA and the CVSA. Major Chris Nordloh, program manager for commercial vehicle enforcement at the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Proudly Partnered With:
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE 8:30-9:30 AM
REGISTRATION + COFFEE
8:30-9:45 AM 9:45-10:45 AM
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
TEXAS HEMP POLITICAL LANDSCAPE Wendy Foster
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
HEMP IN TEXAS: LAWS, REGULATIONS & PERMITS Dan Hunter
12:00-12:50 PM 1:00-2:00 PM
LUNCH
ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF HEMP PRODUCTION Dr. Tyler Mark University of Kentucky
2:10-3:10 PM
PLANT PREMONITION: SELECTING ORNAMENTALS IN AN ERA OF RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE Jeff Lake Elemental Processing, Kentucky
3:20-4:20 PM
ACRES ONLINE LIVE Travis Higginbotham The Hemp Mine LLC, South Carolina
4:20-4:30 PM
CLOSING
REGISTER AT WWW.TNLAONLINE.ORG TODAY!