This Episode
Congress, in the 1980's significantly increased penalties for drunk driving. The result? An increase in the number of hit and run accidents (they later increased penalties for leaving the scene of an accident.) The Kudzu "plague" in the south? It was first introduced by the government for erosion control. Sometimes the best of intentions go horribly wrong. Worker safety protections make it impossible to actually do any work, environmental efforts promote parking lots over plantings. Sometimes your business needs protections from even the best intended laws. How are "good" laws in Washington Impacting your business?
Meet The Team
Bob Dolibois
Robert J. Dolibois, CAE, is executive vice president of the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA). Bob's association management career has spanned 36 years with organizations including Association Management Group (AMG)and the National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU). He is immediate Past Chairman of the Board of the Small Business Legislative Council and is a member of the Committee of 100 of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Dolibois received the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 1979. Following college, he served as a naval officer for five years. He and his wife, Susan, reside in Arlington, VA.
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Craig Regelbrugge
Craig Regelbrugge serves as the American Nursery & Landscape Association's Vice President for Government Relations and Research. He serves in several leadership positions regarding the green industry and labor and immigration reform. He is national co-chair of the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform (ACIR), working to secure an affordable and legal workforce for nursery and greenhouse growers. In 2008 he was elected vice chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Forum, and represents agriculture and the green industry on the management team of the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign.
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Marc Teffeau
Marc Teffeau is ANLA's Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs. He directs the activities of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) related to the scientific community for research and statistics, as well as managing the details and relationships associated with the USDA - ARS Floricultural and Nursery Research Initiative. In the regulatory area he represents the industry's interests with key federal agencies such as EPA, OSHA and USDA. Prior to joining ANLA's staff in October, 2004 Marc completed a 30 year faculty career as an Extension educator with the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension and Maryland's Eastern Shore. And he is just waiting for you to ask him about the "chicken feather pot" project. Seriously.
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Hadley Sosnoff
Hadley Sosnoff is the American Nursery & Landscape Association's Director of Government Relations. He comes to ANLA from serving as Legislative Director for former Congressman, and nurseryman, Walt Minnick. During that time Hadley worked with Walt on many issues of critical concern to the nursery and landscape industry including immigration, the BCAP threat to our industry's bark supply, and governemnt support for community-based tree planting efforts.
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Washington Impact Sponsor
 From its beginnings as a wholesale cut flower operation started by George J. Ball in 1905, Ball Horticultural Company has grown into a leader in all facets of floriculture, with distribution capabilities in all of the major world markets. Since its founding, Ball has introduced many innovative, award-winning varieties to the world of horticulture, including the Wave® Petunia series, and Super Elfin® Impatiens. The company has also expanded to include nursery product offerings, perennials, and dedicated support for retail and landscape businesses. Ball is also on a continuous, many-faceted journey to find the healthiest, most sustainable solutions for the horticulture industry, and is committed to helping its customers grow a better world. Ball’s global family of breeders, seed and vegetative producers, distribution companies, and research and development teams, have a strong presence in over 20 countries on six continents. Phone: 630-231-3500
Directory
Who Will Do the Work?
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Bob Dolibois, ANLA Executive Vice President, looks at the statistics behind our government's long term stability and arrives at a surprising conclusion. READ ON: Is campaign spending stealing power from the voters? Read more here. |
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Craig Regelbrugge, ANLA Vice-President of Government Relations and Research examines the industry's reliance on manual labor and the increasing difficulties we face in filling those jobs. READ ON:For CRaig's outlook on immigration reform, click here. |
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Garden Center, Landscape, Grower and Distribution owners and managers bring home the real impact the current labor shortage, and Congress' failure to achieve meaningful immigration reform, is having on them and their customers. READ ON:What do you do when Homeland Security or DOL show up at your business? Learn more here. |
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SPECIAL EDITION - Mid-Term Election Results Analysis
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The Republicans have re-taken the House and significantly eroded the Democrats' hold on the Senate. Craig Regelbrugge, shares his perspective on what this means for Congress and for your business.
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Congress estimates a $300bn + gap between taxes that are collected and those that should be. Small business may be a popular target for generating new tax revenue. Are you at risk?
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The Republican party has not been friendly on the immigrant labor issue. On both sides of the aisle they see sidewalks and washing machines as contributing more to the environment than trees and the managed landscape. How will the 112th Congress act on these key issues?
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Just how dramatic is "historic change?" Bob Dolibois offers his view of the power shift in Washington and how you can build important new relationships with legislators to protect your business and our industry.
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Banned - Fertilizer, Pest and Disease Controls, and Watering
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Bob Dolibois examines how laws become regulations and what happens when (mostly) good intentions get implemented as troublesome regulations. Who writes the laws and what can you do about it?
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Regulations represent an alternative channel for activists frustrated by labor and environmental legislative failures. As seasonal labor programs become burdensome to use, will EPA regulation of P. ramorum as a waste water contaminant be next? Craig Regelbrugge examines growing threats.
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More Than Just Pretty - The Perceived Value of Plants
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Bob Dolibois examines the bottom-line impact of convincing government and the private sector that the managed landscape does more than just decorate our homes and communities.
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As Boomers age, new construction remains slow, and the government cuts spending, what will drive our industry's success for the next decade and into the future? Craig Regelbrugge addresses the very real impact of convincing legislators, regulators and the next generation of consumers that plants are truly essential.
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With a new agenda in the 112th Congress, what are the legislative threats and opportunities for the nursery and landscape industry? Hadley Sosnoff looks at how ANLA's strategy will shift to succeed in Washington's changing political environment.
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Unintended Consequences - When Good Laws Go Wrong
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Unintended consequences can be far greater than just a Congressional "oops!" Bob Dolibois offers his perspective on the true risk and how our industry can protect itself.
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Craig Regelbrugge examines how a 1 billion tree planting program hurt your business and the very real, unintended downside of e-verify.
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How does a bill designed to align government spending with corporate interests end up favoring big business and diverting funding from the governments own research programs? Marc Teffeau looks at unintended damage from regulators and NGO's.
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Reducing foreign energy dependence and cutting the federal budget are goals most Americans can get behind. Hadley Sosnoff asks, "So how could they produce such damaging legislation?"
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Breaking News: E-Verify Debate Begins in Congress
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Craig Regelbrugge gives an introduction to E-Verify, the potential threats to our industry and why enforcement alone is not a solution to undocumented workers in America.
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Lockdown - The Future of Interstate and International Movement of Plants
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Is the interstate and international movement of plants A) a critical factor for your success or B) the most boring topic you can possibly imagine discussing. (Hint: A. Find out why.)
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For the past 100 years our industry has lobbied for the efficient transportation of plants across national and state borders. New forces threaten to make this more difficult than ever.
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Having plants declared unsaleable for disease, pest or invasiveness is a very real threat to your business. Who gets to make that decision?
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Most issues ANLA advocates come with a clear position: for or against. Why does the industry need it both ways with Q37 (and does this really affect you?)
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Read My Lips - Closing the Tax Gap
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During the budget debate you'll hear words like debt, deficit, loop hole and tax gap thrown around. Bob Dolibois explains what the politicians really mean when they say "________."
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What is the real impact on America's budget from cutting farm subsidies and international aid? Craig Regelbrugge breaks down the budget into its four major components to look at the real challenge facing Congress.
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Our industry isn't heavily subsidized and Congress has promised no new taxes, so let's sit back and enjoy the show, right? Craig Regelbrugge exposes three big threats our industry faces in the coming budget debate.
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Publishing Team
Project and Editorial Design: Jonathan Bardzik, ANLA
Visual and Video created by Fresh Brew Studios
Steve Kendall, Producer
Josh Miller, Producer
Graphic Design created by The Design Works
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