The PEN

High tunnel legislation broadens in Pennsylvania

Legislation designed to clarify that high tunnels are temporary structures not subject to real estate taxes in Pennsylvania is being broadened to include exemption of the structures from the Uniform Construction Code and sales and use taxes.

High tunnels (also called hoop houses or poly houses) have been considered temporary structures not subject to real estate taxes by most counties in Pennsylvania. Recently Blair and Erie counties have assessed high tunnels as permanent structures subject to real estate taxes.

The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA) has alerted other agriculture groups, the Department of Agriculture and the General Assembly about this emerging trend and Senators Elder Vogel and Dominic Pileggi are introducing legislation to clarify that high tunnels are indeed temporary structures not subject to real estate taxes.

A second problem identified by PLNA is that local governments are beginning to treat high tunnels as permanent structures subject to the Uniform Construction Code. There was a recent ACRE case in Shrewsbury Township where a nursery had high tunnels for plant propagation and finishing. The township was requiring fire suppression sprinklers and other UCC requirements in the high tunnels and attempted to shut the nursery down.

The nursery and PLNA were successful with an ACRE claim with the Attorney General and the township backed off. But it took years of effort. The draft legislation is being expanded to clarify in law that high tunnels are not subject to the UCC.

The third problem is the sales tax treatment of components used to build high tunnels. Fairview Evergreen Nursery had this problem with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue ruled initially that sales tax was owed on the components of the Fairview high tunnels but Fairview appealed the decision administratively and the Department of Revenue reversed their initial ruling and sales tax was not owed. The legislation is also being expanded to clarify this ruling in law so it cannot be reversed by another administration.

Source: PLNA

Photo: Radu Sebastian, Getty Images: Thinkstockphotos.com

For more: www.plna.com

 

Mangum scholarship encourages studies in ornamental horticulture

The Robert and Shirley Mangum Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications from Montgomery County, Md., residents interested in pursuing studies and careers in the fields of ornamental horticulture, floriculture, greenhouse growing, interior landscaping and related studies. The deadline for application is April 26, and the winner will be notified in May.

The scholarship was established in 2004 to honor Montgomery County residents Bob and Shirley Mangum. Mangum was a pioneer in the business of interior landscaping and ornamental horticulture beginning in the 1950s when the couple purchased Bell Flowers, a family business in Silver Spring, Md.

The Mangums expanded their floral operations and, in the late 1970s, became one of the first in the country to successfully develop an interior landscape business, with several hundred employees serving clients including shopping malls, office buildings and fine hotels in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

In the mid-1980s, the Mangums started Bell Nursery, a greenhouse and ornamental crop growing operation based in Burtonsville, Md. The Mangum’s businesses, Bell Flowers, Bell Nursery and Premier Plantscapes, which today continue under the stewardship of the Mangum family, are well-known for dedication to quality, innovative plant products and pioneering business practices that serve as a model for ornamental crop growers and other industry professionals around the country. The Mangums were involved with the Montgomery County Farm Bureau for many years, and Bob Mangum served on the board of directors.

Administered by the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, the $2,000 Mangum Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a county resident who has demonstrated character, scholarship and talent, and who is interested in pursuing an education and eventual career in the Maryland horticultural industry. Previous coursework and experience should demonstrate an interest in the horticulture industry as a whole. The applicant must have excellent references from employers, instructors, and/or industry contacts.

Other requirements include an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher in current studies. The scholarship can be used to attend any accredited two- or four-year educational institution within the United States.

For more: site.mangumscholarship.com

 

Scholarships available from Horticultural Research Institute

Students nowhave an opportunity to apply for more than $20,000 in scholarships from the Horticultural Research Institute.

The HRI Endowment Fund is a collection of many scholarships for students pursuing a career in horticulture. Follow the link below for more information about the scholarships available for 2013:

• Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship
• Timothy Bigelow & Palmer W. Bigelow Jr. Scholarship
• The Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship  
• The Muggets Scholarship
• Spring Meadow Nursery Scholarship
• The Usrey Family Scholarship
• Susie & Bruce Usrey Education Scholarship

Applications, which must be completed using the HRI online application form, are due May 31, 2013.

For more: bit.ly/W45wke

 

New division of McHutchison’s opens for business

Vaughan’s Horticulture, a new division of McHutchison, is open for business.

Focusing on the commercial greenhouse business, the division carries the full McHutchison selection of new and innovative greenhouse products, including geraniums, bulbs, foliage, perennials, plugs, poinsettias, pot crops, spring plants, supplies and more.

Vaughan’s is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.

For more: vaughans.com

 

Jiffy Products of America opens new substrate manufacturing facility

Jiffy Internationals plans to open a substrate manufacturing facility in Norton, Mass., that will produce differentiated soil mixes sourcing peat moss from Canada and Europe and coir from Jiffy Sri-Lanka.

“European growers have been fortunate over the years to have access to a broad range of soil mix options using various sources of peat,” said Rick Friedrich, Jiffy’s director of sales for the Americas. “One of our goals when Jiffy entered the U.S. substrate market in 2011 was to bring that European flavor and performance to North America.”

Exec. Vice President Dagfinn Andersen said the Norton facility will follow Jiffy’s strategy in the Netherlands.

“In Moerdijk, the Netherlands, Jiffy receives different kinds of peat from around the world, which is processed and combined with additional ingredients ... to make various types of mixes specifically suited to a grower’s needs,” Andersen said. “Because of the strategic location of Norton, mixes produced here can quickly and efficiently reach many key horticulture and agriculture markets in both the Canada and U.S.”

For more: Jiffy Products, jiffygroup.com

 

People As part of its expansion, Griffin has added former Commerce Corp. employees Jim Rottenberg, John Johnston and Megan Karantzalis to its staff. The trio brings retail space planning and design, brand development and consumer marketing experience, according to the statement. Rancho Tissue Technologies has expanded its team with the addition of Lee Charles Chaille as Production Manager. Lee has served as lab manager and commercial producer for Hawaii Biotech Tissue Culture Center, where he explored commercial production of Jatropha for biofuels, developing cost-effective protocol. At the University of Hawaii at Manoa, he was a member of the research and greenhouse management team. This included collaborating with tissue culture specialist Dr. Kheng Cheah to establish the New Plant Distribution Center and develop optimized culture media for Bamboo culture.

 

Dümmen and Agribio Group announce plans to merge

Dümmen and Agribio Group announced plans to merge, combining Agribio’s breeding technologies with Dümmen’s supply chain experience to produce a more complete portfolio with a unique international production and sales network, according to company reports.

The new company will have approx. 6,000 employees worldwide and will realize $235 million in sales annually. The Dümmen family and management and H2 Equity Partners will be the new company’s shareholders.

The company will have two divisions. The Agribio division will oversee cut flowers and pot plants, and the Dümmen division will oversee bedding plants and poinsettias. The new company plans to broaden offerings within current brands like Fides, Red Fox, Barberet & Blanc, Lex+ and Ecke.

Harry Kloppenburg, current CEO of Agribio, will lead the Agribio division, and Perry Wismans and Tobias Dümmen, current Dümmen board members, will oversee the Dümmen division. The North American operations of Agribio will become part of the Dümmen division.

For more: redfox.de

 

Report highlights small business owners’ insurance concerns

The cost of health insurance is small businesses owners’ biggest concern, says a recent report from the National Federation of Independent Business. A majority of businesses (52.3 percent) reported that the cost of health insurance was a critical problem, followed by uncertainty over economic conditions at 38.3 percent. According to the organization, healthcare is historically the No. 1 problem for small employers.

The third- and fourth-ranking problems are the cost of fuels like natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel and fuel oil, and uncertainty over government actions.

As a category, taxes took the top position as the most severe problem cluster in the 2012 survey, followed by regulations. Five of the top 10 most severe problems were tax-related, including tax complexity, frequent changes to tax rules and regulations, and federal and state taxes on business income.

For more: nfib.com

 

Griffin to expand retail division

Griffin Greenhouse Supplies announced Feb. 19 that it will expand the retail division of its lawn and garden business, with emphasis on independent garden centers, according to a company statement. Griffin plans to add new staff, product lines and services to its retail offering, and expects to roll out its broadened retail offer to customers in spring 2013.

For more: griffins.com

 

Rutgers, The Bilingual Group team up to train

The Rutgers University NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE) and The Bilingual Group announced “Train Your Workforce: English and Spanish for the Green Industry in New Jersey.” The program is designed to build language skills of the workforce in the state’s green industry.

The program is available to companies that are doing business in New Jersey and who pay employees using W2s. Participating companies also must not have any outstanding tax liability to the State of New Jersey.

Students will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the 16 hours of language training.

For more: facebook.com/thebilingualgroup

 

GGS Structures expands operations

GGS Structures is in the process of expanding its office headquarters and hiring additional key personnel as a result of increased North American and international business.

A few weeks ago, GGS began a major renovation, which included adding office space to its headquarters in Vineland Station, Ontario.

“We have expanded our drafting and design department in order to satisfy the growing need for specialty institutional greenhouses as well as commercial growers looking for turnkey greenhouse project management solutions” said Leigh Coulter, president of GGS. “We have also hired an experienced Business Development Manager to focus on emerging opportunities.”

The expansion is expected to be completed by April, with the additional team members moving into the new space shortly thereafter.

“With the ability to plan, design and execute full turnkey commercial greenhouse projects, and the increased interest in these projects worldwide, we are confident that this expansion will result in further company growth,” Coulter said.

For more: ggs-greenhouse.com

 

Fire causes damage to Green Circle Growers

A fire broke out at Green Circle Growers, one of the largest greenhouse operations in North America, after 5 p.m. Feb. 19, and multiple fire departments near Oberlin, Ohio, battled the blaze for 10 hours, according to a statement from Green Circle Growers released Feb. 20.

The company’s one-acre production barn and five acres of greenhouse structure suffered significant damage. The fire originated in an outdoor area used to store materials, but the cause is yet to be determined.

“Our primary concern was the safety of our employees and the firefighters. The firefighters did an excellent job in controlling the blaze despite high winds and freezing temperatures that made their job even more difficult,” said Scott Giesbrecht, co-owner and VP of sales, in the statement. “Thankfully, no one was hurt in either the fire or the process of putting out the fire, and the firefighters were able to minimize the damage through their efforts.”

Giesbrecht said the Green Circle has “strategically built our greenhouses and production facilities to minimize the impact of events like this.

“In addition to having alternative production areas in other parts of the facility, we have great relationships with other greenhouses throughout the country if the need arises to have plants grown for us to satisfy our customers’ demands,” he said. “This fire, while a significant event, only impacted 5 percent of the growing space we use, and we are already working on preparations to repair this area.”

Green Circle Growers has more than 100 acres of greenhouses and employs 600 people. Giesbrecht said he was “extremely thankful for the outpouring of support already from individuals and businesses in the surrounding community and across the country.”

For more: greencirclegrowers.com

 

EVENTS April 6-11, California Spring Trials, California, ofa.org/springtrials 14-16, NGMA’s 2013 Spring Meeting, Tucson, Ariz., ngma.com 23-26, European Spring Pack Trials 2013, The Netherlands, fleuroselect.com 24, FarmTek’s Hydroponic Fodder Workshop, Dyersville, Iowa bit.ly/farmtek-workshops May 14-15, Floriculture Field Days, Orlando, Fla. fngla.org 21, Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show, London, rhs.org.uk 22, FarmTek’s Hydroponic Worshop, Dyersville, Iowa bit.ly/farmtek-workshops June 19, Darwin Perennials Day, West Chicago, Ill., ballperennialday.com Do you have an event to list in the calendar? Contact us at astankiewicz@gie.net.