| Participate in Wisconsin’s Green Industry Day on the Hill |
2 / 14 / 2007 |
| Wisconsin’s Green industry hit an out of the park homerun in February 2005, with over 200 Green industry professionals and business owners visiting the State Capitol for the first-ever Green Industry Day on the Hill event! On February 14th we’ll return to our State Capitol to renew and expand our efforts in communicating with our lawmakers with an even larger number of participants. Please join us February 14th in Madison, for our 2nd Wisconsin Green Industry Day on the Hill. | |
| · Agreement Reached on Immigration Reform |
6 / 1 / 2007 |
| Key senators in both parties and the White House announced agreement Thursday May 17, on an immigration overhaul that would grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border. The plan would create a temporary worker program to bring new arrivals to the U.S. A separate program would cover agricultural workers. New high-tech enforcement measures also would be instituted to verify that workers are here legally. The compromise came after weeks of painstaking closed-door negotiations that brought the most liberal Democrats and the most conservative Republicans together with President Bush's Cabinet officers to produce a highly complex measure that carries heavy political consequences. The proposed agreement would allow illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a "Z visa" and — after paying fees and a $5,000 fine — ultimately get on track for permanent residency, which could take between eight and 13 years. Heads of household would have to return to their home countries first. They could come forward right away to claim a probationary card that would let them live and work legally in the U.S., but could not begin the path to permanent residency or citizenship until border security improvements and the high-tech worker identification program were completed. A new temporary guest worker program would also have to wait until those so-called "triggers" had been activated. Those workers would have to return home after work stints of two years, with little opportunity to gain permanent legal status or ever become U.S. citizens. They could renew their guest worker visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year in between each time. Democrats had pressed instead for guest workers to be permitted to stay and work indefinitely in the U.S. In perhaps the most hotly debated change, the proposed plan would shift from an immigration system primarily weighted toward family ties toward one with preferences for people with advanced degrees and sophisticated skills. Republicans have long sought such revisions, which they say are needed to end "chain migration" that harms the economy, while some Democrats and liberal groups say it's an unfair system that rips families apart. Family connections alone would no longer be enough to qualify for a green card — except for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens. New limits would apply to U.S. citizens seeking to bring foreign-born parents into the country. | |
| · LA Practice Law |
7 / 1 / 2007 |
| Members of our WGIF Landscape Practice Law Workgroup met with representatives of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and staff from the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Thomas Lothian (R-Williams Bay) in late May. After considerable discussion and remaining concerns related to language in the bill, WGIF offered to continue a good faith effort working in further face-to-face meetings with the architect’s group in an attempt to reach an agreement on language, although I made it clear that it was possible that we may not reach that agreement. | |
| · Phosphorus Restrictions in Lawn Fertilizer |
7 / 1 / 2007 |
| I realize you have heard a lot on this subject these past few years, but (Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona) and (Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay have introduced companion bills to eliminate phosphorus in lawn fertilizer with exemptions where soil test results indicate additional phosphorus needs to be added and if you are establishing a lawn from seed or sod. WGIF is working with a large number of other state agricultural associations in lobbying for statewide consistency and standardization through amending the bill to preempt local units of government from regulating fertilizer and providing additional regulatory oversight at the WDATCP. This would prevent a patchwork of ordinances throughout the state, and any possible attempt to regulate fertilizer “locally.” This is our coalition’s main objective. If we can achieve this goal, we will not attempt to kill the bill or seek a 3% phosphorus maximum in lawn fertilizer. At this point we are encouraged. | |
| · Invasive species |
7 / 1 / 2007 |
| The Governor’s Council on Invasive species and the DNR are finalizing the Species Assessment Groups (SAG) that will assess plants for their characteristics and invasiveness. They will be ranked accordingly and will be placed into one of 4 categories: Prohibited, Restricted, Watch, Non-restricted. Our industry needs to identify "volunteers" within the business-sector of our industry possessing the experience and plant knowledge to participate on the Woody and Herbaceous plant SAG. If you wish to volunteer or recommend someone that we should contact, please let me know. The people on these SAGs may change moving forward, but right now the nursery/landscape industry does not have representation from directly from our business sector. | |
| Senate Fails to Advance Comprehensive Immigration Reform |
7 / 01 / 2007 |
| ANLA expressed deep disappointment at the Senate’s failure earlier today to advance S.1639, the comprehensive immigration bill. The bill stalled after a critical procedural vote failed 53-46. The Senate’s failure cast a deep shadow of doubt on whether or how a truly comprehensive bill might be able to regain traction in Congress. “This is a loss for the Green industry, but most importantly, the American people” said Craig Regelbrugge, vice president of government relations for ANLA. Regelbrugge added, “the bill had provisions dealing with virtually everyone’s concerns – tough border security with up-front mandatory funding; benchmarks that would need to be met before certain other programs would be initiated; a new system to bring credibility to employment eligibility verification; expanded legal channels for temporary workers to enter, work and leave; and a realistic approach to addressing the status of an estimated 5% of the American workforce, laboring here without proper work authorization.” Yet, the bill was long, detailed, and complicated, leading opponents to mischaracterize and mislead the American public about what the bill would actually do. Indeed, ANLA received numerous calls from Green industry members with concerns about the bill. However, Regelbrugge noted that when the true content was discussed and explained, concern shifted to active support. “That’s not what they are saying on the radio…” was a common reaction. “One thing is certain: this pressing issue will not go away, and Congress must be held accountable to working across party lines to get it done,” emphasized Shirley Peckosh, a garden center operator who serves as chair of ANLA’s legislative policy committee. ANLA extends its deepest appreciation to the bipartisan group of courageous Senate leaders and Administration officials who did everything humanly possible to move the bill, including Senators Kyl, Kennedy, Graham, Specter, Salazar, McCain, Craig and Feinstein, and Secretaries Chertoff and Gutierrez. WGIF was a member of the Agricultural Coalition working to push for comprehensive immigration reform. | |