Industry Alerts

FNGLA Receives Specialty Crop Grant Funds in Partnership with Florida Department of Agriculture (4/16/2008)
Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA) executive vice president Ben Bolusky today announced the establishment of a partnership program with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS).  The program was made possible by a USDA specialty crop block grant and will be conducted over a two-year period. (more >>)

2007 FNGLA’s Landscape Wage & Benefit Survey (2/11/2008)
Be ahead of the competition and use this valuable tool to assure you are attracting and keeping key personnel essential to the survivability and success of your business. (more >>)

Risk Management Association (RMA) releases a new insurance program (2/6/2008)
The Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR Lite) is a revenue-based product which protects against loss of revenue generated from the whole farming operation. The AGR Lite program is also designed to provide an option for farm operations not currently covered under the traditional crop insurance program. Although there are some limitations to the program as written, the new AGR Lite program could be a significant benefit to many producers who cannot currently get traditional crop insurance. (more >>)

Water Conservation Rules Effective Jan. 15th (1/10/2008)

The South Florida Water Management District's new water conservation rules become effective January 15th.

Please Click Here to download an At-A-Glance document which summarizes the new provitions.

Red Palm Mite Found in Florida (12/6/2007)
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson announced on December 5 th the detection of the red palm mite on a coconut palm in a landscape setting in Palm Beach Gardens . The red palm mite can affect a variety of palms, heliconias, gingers, birds of paradise and other plants. (more >>)

Florida's Department of Agriculture issues pest reminder to all Florida nursery growers about shipping plants. (11/9/2007)
Working with FNGLA, Florida's Department of Agriculture issues pest reminder to all Florida nursery growers about shipping plants.

CLICK HERE to view. (more >>)

Letter FNGLA sent to the Governor and the Cabinet on November 5, 2007 concerning the drought in Georga and Florida. (11/6/2007)
This is a letter FNGLA sent to the Governor and the Cabinet on November 5, 2007 concerning the drought in Georga and Florida. (more >>)

Four Nursery BMP Workshops: Put Water and Nutrient BMPs into Practice (9/13/2007)
Growers wishing to learn more about the BMP program should plan to attend one of the upcoming regional BMP workshops (Put Water and Nutrient BMPs into Practice).
Growers need to register for the BMP workshops. For more details click on http://hort.ufl.edu/bmpworkshop.pdf. (more >>)

2007 Drought Impact Survey (9/6/2007)
PLEASE - Take a few brief moments to answer the seven questions on this survey. We realize you may not have the exact numbers with which to answer each question. So, make your best estimate of your business situation. Your individual answers will be kept strictly confidential as only the total aggregates will be used. With your help, FNGLA can present the most accurate assessment of our industry. (more >>)

Advice from the Ad Hoc White Fly Task Force to manage the whitefly problem. (8/31/2007)
The task force is comprised of federal and state regulators, as well as representatives from the nursery, cotton and vegetable industries.” (more >>)

FNGLA Formally Requests Delay in the New "Social Security No-Match Rule" (8/29/2007)
On August 27th, FNGLA joined with 44 other leading associations across the nation formally asking both the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Commissioner of Social Security Administration (SSA) to delay -- for at least 180 days -- the September 14th date of implementation for the “Social Security No-Match Rule.” (more >>)

2004 Florida Hurricane Disaster Grant Program (8/27/2007)
On the heels of the 2004 hurricane season, FNGLA successfully worked to create the USDA Florida Nursery Crop Disaster Program for that year. (more >>)

US Department of Homeland Security Issues Final “No-Match” Rule (8/15/2007)
Just a few hours ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its anticipated final rule identifying employer responsibilities in the event you receive so-called “no-match” letters from the Social Security Administration. The no-match rule applies to businesses in all industries throughout the entire nation. To read the complete rule, CLICK HERE. You may wish to retain the rule for future reference. (more >>)

Bronson and Agricultural Industry Officials Laud Vote on Historic Farm Bill (7/30/2007)
Click Here for press release and more information. (more >>)

Irrigation Rules Relaxed in South Florida (7/12/2007)
FNGLA is pleased to report the South Florida Water Management District relaxed its lawn and landscape irrigation restrictions effective July 11th. The new rules lifted the one-day per week rule to allow homeowners now to water their lawns and landscapes twice each week for up to four hours each of those two days. The welcome industry wide variance recently secured by FNGLA expanding the number of days and hours to irrigate newly installed landscapes remains in effect. (more >>)

Nursery Growers- New Sales Tax Exemption Certificates are available: (7/5/2007)
The Florida Department of Revenue has just published the Tax Information Publication (TIP) sheet regarding the sales-tax exemption for electricity used on a farm or nursery operation. FNGLA members need to download the new TIP sheet through the following link: (more >>)

FDACS/DPI Intent to Add Orange jasmine to the Citrus Greening Host List On Screening New Plant Imports (6/29/2007)
As a follow up to the notice addressed to all Florida Nurserymen dated March 2007, the Division of Plant Industry will now move forward to place orange jasmine, Murraya paniculata on the list of plants that serve as a host for citrus greening. (more >>)

State Agriculture Officials Requesting Public Cooperation In Efforts to Eradicate Gladiolus Rust (6/26/2007)
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Charles Bronson is asking for the public’s help in the department’s ongoing effort to eradicate gladiolus rust, Uromyces transversalis, from Florida. (more >>)

Possible SBA Drought Emergency Loan Assistance for Landscape & Retail Businesses (6/26/2007)
As reported in last week’s Member Alert, FNGLA is working with the Florida Office of Emergency Management in Tallahassee to pursue a drought disaster declaration. This would trigger the availability of low-interest emergency loan assistance under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for drought-injured non-agricultural businesses. (more >>)

FNGLA Secures Temporary Drought Relief to Spur New Landscape Installations in South Florida (6/21/2007)
Unless you’ve taken a three-month hiatus, you are well aware of the drought conditions impacting most of the Florida peninsula. Although the summer rains have begun in many areas, we can use rain throughout the entire state. Florida’s lower east coast has taken the brunt of the drought. (more >>)

Phase III (Extreme) Water Restrictions – Nursery and Landscape As of May 16, 2007 (5/15/2007)
The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) and its Palm Beach and Broward Chapters continue dialogue with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to limit negative impacts on production nurseries, landscape professionals, and retail & horticultural supply sales as SFWMD moves to the Phase III (Extreme) watering restrictions in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Phase III restrictions are effective as of May 16, 2007. (more >>)

Continued Drought Conditions Force New Water Restrictions in South Florida. (5/11/2007)
Continued Drought Conditions Force New Water Restrictions in South Florida. (more >>)

FNGLA is urging the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services to reinstate the historic tropical foliage exemption under the Agricultural License and Bond Law. (5/10/2007)
FNGLA is urging the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services to reinstate the historic tropical foliage exemption under the Agricultural License and Bond Law. (more >>)

Governor Charlie Crist has announced June 1 through June 12 a Hurrincane Preparedeness Sales Tax Relief Holiday. (5/1/2007)
Governor Charlie Crist has announced June 1 through June 12 a Hurrincane Preparedeness Sales Tax Relief Holiday. (more >>)

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Releases Memorandum to Citrus Nursery Stock Producers. (4/24/2007)
Implementation dates that will govern how citrus nursery stock may be produced and sold in Florida. (more >>)

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