Corey J. Connors on the 2008 legislative outlook

Tuesday, 04 December 2007

This nursery industry suffered a hit in 2007 when comprehensive immigration reform was scuttled. So what does 2008 hold? We chatted with the newest member of ANLA’s government relations staff to find out.

Q. Immigration reform and a reliable pool of ag labor will obviously be key topics in 2008. What can the horticulture industry expect?

A. We are hopeful that Congress will finally act – before year’s end – to enact the critically important reforms of AgJOBS. It will be much harder to move significant reform legislation in 2008. Beyond AgJOBS, thanks to our friends in organized labor, the vertically integrated horticulture industry can expect to have our war on our nation’s broken immigration policy to continue on some new fronts. Our attention is on an effort by labor unions to cause significant harm to the H-2B non-agricultural temporary visa program. Several influential members of leadership in both chambers have indicated that they would like to see significant and permanent labor protections added to a temporary extension of the return guest-worker provision. The union proposals would have the effect of making the H-2B program as unusable as the current H-2A program. This would hurt landscapers and growers alike, who in many instances rely on H-2B workers for handling and distribution, as well as planting and maintenance.

Q. Besides immigration, what other hot-button issues should our industry be prepared for?

A. Congress will be reluctant to address major hot-button issues in a presidential election year. At this moment, even the most conservative political projections see gains for the Democratic Party in both the House and the Senate, and the likelihood of a Democratic president. The question is whether the majority party in Congress will hold off on some of the “big issues” until their ranks have been further bolstered in November 2008.

Along with overseeing the implementation of several measures we hope to have passed before the end of the year (Farm Bill, AgJOBS), we will be quite busy.

We will continue to look for increased appropriations for the successful Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative, which is funding critical industry research on water, invasive species, pests and other issues.

Congress is also poised to consider patent reform legislation that could provide our industry with an opportunity to ensure that innovation in plant production is not further stymied. We are working on a bill that will ensure that American breeders have the same intellectual property rights as breeders in other systems throughout the developed world.

Q. Is there anything in the new Farm Bill that is especially favorable or unfavorable to our industry?

A. For the first time in history, specialty crop agriculture has begun to be appropriately recognized in our nation’s expression of agricultural policy through the inclusion of several programs and initiatives in the Farm Bill. Of particular interest to our industry is the expansion of the definition of eligible crops to include nursery and Christmas trees in the Tree Assistance Program, which is a safety net when disaster strikes.

Programs to prevent or respond to new pest introductions will be strengthened.

We were also successful in establishing the National Clean Plant Network, creating a number of national “clean plant centers” that will conduct diagnostic and pathogen-elimination services so that nurseries can continue to provide safe, pathogen-free plant materials to orchards, vineyards and other growers.

Finally, we were able to have additional research funding authorized for specialty crops to focus on plant breeding, invasive species, mechanization and food safety. All things considered, the inclusion of these and many other provisions in the Farm Bill should be considered very favorable for the nursery industry.

Q. With the wave of environmentalism that’s sweeping the country, can we expect to see more legislative and regulatory activity that addresses so-called “green issues”?

A. Absolutely. One of the most attractive components that led to my coming aboard was the ANLA board’s directive to focus on sustainability and our industry’s role in the green movement. We are currently evaluating several legislative and regulatory initiatives as part of our strategy, as well as looking into strategic alliances with other organizations. We also recognize that there may be both opportunity and peril for the industry with environmental initiatives in the future. ANLA will be very active on sustainability moving forward, as we are the “green” in green industry.

Q. Finally, from your time working with grass-roots groups, how does the nursery industry compare in its political activity vs. some of the other industries you may be familiar with?

A. I have had the opportunity to work for several organizations with grass-roots capabilities, and can honestly say that ANLA’s Lighthouse Program is by far the most innovative and effective grass-roots program that I have ever experienced. The commitment to the program by staff and volunteer leadership, as well as our program partners throughout the country, is extremely impressive. Those in the nursery industry who have utilized Lighthouse can tell you how very simple and efficient it is to use, and the results of their efforts are made very clear to us when we lobby congressional offices. Members of Congress and staff are always quick to share with us the names and stories of their constituents who have been sent through the program. Lighthouse is undoubtedly the voice of the green industry.

In addition, I believe that the nursery industry is more motivated than others that I have worked with because of their acute understanding of how federal policies can ultimately affect their business. The value of this dedication and political participation is beyond measurement and unlike anything I have ever seen before. I hope folks can keep up the good work!