Working to solve labor issues

Brian Decker, Decker's Nursery

Decker’s Nusery in Groveport, Ohio uses a combination of its skilled workforce and automation to help the business achieve its greatest efficiency. “I’ve got a staff that is fascinating,” says Decker’s Nursery President Brian Decker. “They get together — without me — and say, ‘What if we develop this tying system that picks up trays? And this would go on the front of a forklift that could pick up 18 flats of liners at a time?’”

Decker says he’s also excited about the future of automation, and that he’s on board with its latest innovations. “Show me a new machine and I’m the first guy who will raise my hand and buy it and try it. It’s one of the things that have helped propel ourselves … I’m excited about where it could go.”

Chris Hetz, Fairview Evergreen Nurseries

Finding labor is not a concern for Chris Hetz of Fairview Evergreen Nurseries in Fairview, Penn. He began recruiting his employees from Puerto Rico four years ago. Fairview now employs 2nd generation family members. “We stopped going to the island and bringing people back,” Hetz says. This also eliminates the need for H2A and H2B programs, as Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. “We turned away people in the spring,” he says. “That’s a great source for labor.”

Tabitha West, Cedar Valley Nurseries

Incentivizing labor also has advantages for attracting quality employees. It’s worked well for Tabitha and Mark West of Cedar Valley Nurseries in Ada, Okla. For every pot placed in the field, an employee will earn 3 cents in addition to his or her hourly rate, Tabitha says. It helped Cedar Valley go from 3,000 pots per day to 11,000 pots per day. “Money is a great motivator. We use it for planting, moving, pruning,” she says. Mixing and spraying also receive a bonus, as they’ve found that these are less desirable jobs. This works well for employees who can put in 60 to 70 hours per week. To entice those who would like to stick to 40 hours per week, Cedar Valley offers a slightly higher hourly rate, but without a bonus.