FROM THE HILL
ADVANCING THE IMAGE, IMPACT, AND INTERESTS OF OUR MEMBERS
P
Paul Mendelsohn NALP Vice President of Government Affairs
roviding you with exceptional value is job one at the National Association of Landscape Professionals. In all areas we strive to advance the image, impact, and interests of our mem- bers. This is particularly true when it comes to advocacy, where we have an opportunity to speak as a unified voice on behalf of our profes- sion. The first half of this year’s member driven advocacy efforts have already achieved some noteworthy results and positioned our organi- zation for future advocacy success. Here are just a few examples of the many ways that we have helped to advance your professional interests.
LEADING THE CHARGE ON H-2B We understand the crucial need that many of our members have for a seasonal workforce. Because of this, NALP co-chairs the H-2B Work- force Coalition and continues to lead on the important fight to preserve and improve the H-2B program. This year we have spent many hours educating members of Congress on the importance of H-2B. In May, we conducted a fly-in to allow for one last grassroots push prior to the introduction of 2017 appropriations bills language. The goal of the effort was to target key House and Senate appropriations subcommittee members to help ensure that language reautho- rizing the returning worker exemption for 2017 and beyond. H-2B is also one of the issues of
Our core message? Pesticides are highly regulated, landscape professionals are trained and educated on the application and use of the materials that they work with, and as stewards of the land they avoid doing anything that negatively impacts the environment..
focus for our 2016 Legislative Day. Moving forward we will continue to meet with Congressional champions, actively engage our members so that their stories and experi- ences are communicated to Congress, and use traditional and social media to promote H-2B program positives.
OPPOSING UNNECESSARY REGULATION
This year we have also worked with our many in- dustry partners to educate members of Congress and the administration on the pesticide regula- tory front. We have joined forces with members of Congress in urging the Environmental Pro- tection Agency not to replace the science based risk-assessment process with the emotionally driven precautionary principle. We have voiced our concerns that NPDES permits are unnec- essary and duplicative because pesticide use is already regulated by FIFRA. And we have spent countless hours educating decision makers on pesticide regulation and how our members use them. Our core message? Pesticides are highly regulated, landscape professionals are trained and educated on the application and use of the materials that they work with, and as stewards of the land they avoid doing anything that negative- ly impacts the environment.
PARTNERING ON STATE AND LOCAL ACTIVITIES
Our advocacy focus is not limited to just federal issues. At one point this year, we were closely monitoring more than 200 pieces of state legis- lation related to pesticide regulation. However, because we do not have an active lobbying pres- ence in every state, we work in partnership with state associations that represent the interests of landscape professionals. We also depend on member involvement to provide our profes- sion’s voice on state and local issues. Through our collaborative efforts, in the first half of 2016 we succeeded in holding off attempts to fur-
“From the Hill” continues on p.37 2
34 THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL > JULY/AUGUST 2016
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