Fines increase for immigration violations
Effective March 27, employers who violate federal immigration laws face maximum fines up to $16,000 — an increase of $5,000. The civil penalties were adjusted about 25% for inflation. The min. penalty for knowing employment of an unauthorized alien increases by $100, from $275 to $375. Some of the higher civil penalties are increased by $1,000; for example, maximum penalty for a first violation increases from $2,200 to $3,200. The biggest increase under the rounding mechanism raises the maximum civil penalty for multiple violations from the current $11,000 to $16,000. Penalties are assessed on a per-alien basis. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, employers may be fined for knowingly employing unauthorized aliens. Other violations include failure to comply with the requirements relating to employment eligibility verification forms; wrongful discrimination against job applicants or employees on the basis of nationality or citizenship; and immigration-related document fraud.
Univ. of Ga. gardens to go 100% sustainable
Univ. of Ga. hort. professor Allan Armitage e-mailed to say that he and the staff who manage the university's ornamental trial gardens have made a commitment to be completely sustainable by 2009. Practices implemented to reach this goal include: reduction of water waste; application of organic fertilizer and beneficial soil microorganisms; use of beneficial insects, organic pesticides and banker plants; manual removal or organic herbicides for weed control; and reduction of nonrenewable resources such as plastic pots. Erica Mehan will act as the gardens' sustainability coordinator. Armitage invited commercial floriculture companies to assist in the gardens' sustainability efforts. This year's sponsors: Ball Hort., Daniels Plant Food, Ellegaard, Organica Biotech, Mobley Plant Farm and Blackmore Co.
Elzinga & Hoeksema Greenhouses supplies organic market
This spring, Elzinga & Hoeksema (E&H) Greenhouses in Kalamazoo, Mich., will ship organic vegetable and herb potted plants from a new 4-acre USDA-certified organic facility. E&H will ship the plants to Meijer retail stores throughout the Midwest. E&H expects to grow more than 1.3 million plants in the new greenhouse this year. The greenhouse was designed with sustainable elements such as a closed-loop ground heat exchanger, a closed-loop pressurized water heating system, high-efficiency condensing boilers, solar panels and in-floor heat. Outside the greenhouse is a large heat pump and 200 4-feet-by-10-feet AES solar energy collectors.
Budget plan would eliminate N.J. Dept. of Ag.
Green-industry groups are pleading with N.J. lawmakers to keep the state's Dept. of Ag. intact. N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine's state budget plan includes eliminating the dept. and assigning some functions to other state agencies. N.J. Farm Bureau and N.J. Nursery & Landscape Assoc. estimate the elimination would save only $300,000 to $400,000. Some of the major divisions in the dept. include: Div. of Plant Industry; Div. of Marketing and Development; Div. of Ag and Natural Resources; and the State Ag. Development Committee.
Lecture to focus on genetic resources
Peter Bretting, USDA-ARS program leader for plant germplasm and genomes, will discuss the current status and future prospects of hort. genetic resources as part of the Int'l. Floriculture Distinguished Lecture Series on April 9 at Texas A&M Univ. Bretting is involved with coordinating and directing a nat'l. crop genetic research program conducted at more than 50 locations with an annual budget of $120 million. The lecture series is coordinated by the university's Ellison Chair in Int'l. Floriculture. Previous speakers have included Anna Ball, pres. and CEO of Ball Horticultural Co.; Jim Prewitt, CEO and founder of Landmark Nurseries; and Ernesto Velez Koppel, chairman of the board of ASOCOLFLORES.
Potted herbs may be exempt from Conn. sales tax
The Conn. Legislature's Environment Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 450, which would exempt edible plants, including potted herbs, from sales tax. Sal Gilbertie, owner of Gilbertie's Herb Gardens in Easton, testified in front of the committee. Gilbertie's is the state's largest herb grower. The state already exempts most foods from the sales tax, "so exempting herbs which are grown to be eaten or to be used as medicinal supplements makes sense," said Bob Heffernan, exec. sec. of Conn. Nursery and Landscape Assoc.
Discovering the world of sustainability
Staff writer Kelli Rodda says it's time to end the madness of political leaders who execute sweeping and rigid water restrictions including outright bans on landscape irrigation. Project: Green Industry
Worth a visit
Read about how Eastern Shore Nursery has carved a niche with its containerized fruit trees. The nursery grows old-fashioned varieties, new selections and exotics. These products will now be marketed under the Hollybrook Orchards brand. Only on GreenBeamPro.com.
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