|
|
Senate Passes One-Year H-2B Extension
Oct 24, 07 ANLA
Last week, the Senate passed a one-year extension of the H-2B return guest worker exemption, offering some short-term relief for the industry. However, the American Nursery & Landscape Association emphasizes the need for all industry members to keep pushing for a more long-term solution to the industry's escalating labor crisis.
|
|
ANLA Expresses Disappointment At Immigration Bill Failure
Jul 11, 07 ANLA
After many weeks of heated debate, the comprehensive immigration bill stalled in the Senate. The American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA), disappointed with Senate’s failure to advance the bill, remains uncertain of the future of immigration reform. Though nothing is certain for the time being, ANLA will continue to develop recognition for the important provisions of AgJOBS and key reforms of the H-2B program.
|
|
ANLA Presses Senate To Finish Immigration Bill
Jun 13, 07 ANLA
Despite raising the hopes of several million people, the Senate did not move on the recent proceedings for a new immigration bill. The American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) reacted with both disappointment and hope in the wake of the Senate’s failure to end debate and move to final passage of S.1348, the comprehensive immigration reform bill, according to ANLA. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) pulled the bill after a crucial procedural vote failed 45-50.
|
|
House Subcommittee Passes Farm Bill Provisions
Jun 13, 07 ANLA
Chairman Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) convened the Horticulture and Organic Agriculture Subcommittee to consider the draft of provisions of the farm bill that falls within its jurisdiction. After several amendments and extensive discussion, the subcommittee reported on its draft, which will join the other subcommittees’ sections at the full Agriculture Committee scheduled for later this month.
|
|
White House Announces Immigration Agreement
May 23, 07 Various
For the past few years, lobbyists, industry leaders and government officials have been in the fight for immigration reform. An agreement has been reached on an immigration overhaul that would strengthen the U.S.-Mexico border and grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the United States.
|
|
ANLA Supports 2007 Specialty Crops Competition Act
Apr 25, 07 ANLA
Recently, Senators introduced the Specialty Crops Competition Act of 2007, a comprehensive bill geared toward the specialty crop industry that addresses many important issues and provides a vital pathway for the industry to be competitive in an increasingly global marketplace.
|
|
H-2B Cap Met For Second Half Of Fiscal Year 2007
Mar 28, 07 ANLA
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services recently announced it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 33,000 H-2B visa cap for the final six months of Fiscal Year 2007. According to the USCIS, the final receipt date for H-2B applications was March 16, 2007.
|
|
Bi-Partisan Group Introduces Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Mar 28, 07 ANLA
With immigration issues being on the forefront of the green industry, a bipartisan group of congressmen announced the introduction of the “Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007” (STRIVE Act). The STRIVE Act comprehensively addresses the nation's problematic immigration system.
|
|
ANLA Addresses Labor and Immigration Reform
Mar 14, 07 ANLA
ANLA spoke on behalf of labor-intensive agriculture in the United States at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual Agricultural Outlook Conference recently. The statement was presented by ANLA’s senior director of government relations, Craig Regelbrugge, who also co-chairs the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform.
|
|
AgJobs Legislation Reintroduced
Jan 24, 07 ANLA
AgJobs has been a major issue in this industry for a few years now, and Congress is back from recess and ready to talk about it again. ANLA feels this could be a successful year for the bill and recommends that businesses do as much as they can to help this work through the system.
|
|
Industry Members Battle Deceptive Listings
Jan 10, 07 Society of American Florists
For the past several years, a number of floral vendors have been misrepresenting their geographic locations by listing fictitious names in local telephone/electronic directories. Some states are now fighting back to help stop this misrepresentation, and Pennsylvania is one of the first to make it into government action.
|
|
ANLA News
Dec 13, 06 ANLA
The ANLA has been working hard on several immigration issues and seems to be making headway when it comes to this industry’s needs. The association is constantly working contacts and working with Congress to try and help all of the people in the industry find good employees to help out throughout the year.
|
|
Congress Passes Temporary H-2B Fix
Oct 9, 06 ANLA
There is finally some light at the end of the immigration-reform tunnel. Recently, the House and Senate passed and sent to the President legislative language that places a temporary fix on the H-2B visa cap. The fix, passed as part of the Defense Authorization Bill, allows workers who entered the United States with an H-2B visa during fiscal years 2004, 2005 or 2006 to enter the United States under an H-2B visa and not count against the 66,000 per year cap. This is a big step for the green industry and can hopefully help some of the immediate problems we have been facing. Yes, there is still a major battle to face, but we are making progress due to the support of industry members, Senators and Representatives.
|
|
Jobless Claims Drops Significantly
Sep 11, 06 AP Economics
Despite the drop in consumer confidence, the war in Iraq and the slowing U.S. economy, the job market may be seeing sunny skies. According to a new report from AP Economics, jobless claims are down 9,000 from the week before last.
|
|
ANLA Meets With Secretary Of Commerce
Sep 11, 06 ANLA
The debate on immigration continues to move forward, and green industry members are taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with high government officials: Matt Edmundson of Arbor Valley Nursery recently met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez to discuss the issue of comprehensive immigration reform and the positive economic impact immigrant workers provide in the U.S. economy.
|
|
Big Box Ordinance Approved, Retailers Put Plans On Hold
Aug 28, 06 Various
It is not easy when a big box moves into your community and adds to the pricing competition we all know and love. However, Chicago, Ill., is working on ways to make that a little more difficult. The Chicago City Council recently approved a measure requiring big box retailers to pay workers a “living wage,” making a lot of the big boxes rethink moving into Chicago’s city limits and allowing more independents to possibly keep their reign.
|
|
RSS: Lawn & Garden Retailer News
