News Articles

June 2004

Creating an Employee Handbook is featured in Greenhouse Product News (June ’04). “Most small companies . . . are unable to invest in a full-time human resources (HR) expert as part of their staff.” However, formalizing “policies and procedures and setting the tone for interaction between employees and management . . . is, unfortunately, becoming increasingly necessary for even the smallest company, as litigation continues to rise in the United States. The author recommends, “Having an employee handbook . . .will act as a preventive for both litigation and time-consuming employee disputes. Every organization involving people has to have terms of employment and rules to govern employee as well as employer conduct if it is going to survive.” Recommended sections include: Introduction; conditions of employment; job particulars; employee evaluation. . . . “Before constructing your employee handbook, consult with your attorney and/or a human resources expert.” Read the complete article here.

Take the Myth Out of Your Company’s Pricing, a Winter Seminar 2004 presentation of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, is highlighted in The Landscape Contractor (ILCA, June ’04). “To develop an accurate pricing process for a company, (the presenter) recommends five important items in the financial toolbox: a good understanding of financial management; an accounting system built around the methods used to estimate the costs of what you are selling; a budget for the coming year; an estimating system; and a logical method to recover your overhead as a function of what you are selling.”

PCTGA, the association representing Christmas tree growers in the Commonwealth, advocated an exemption after the Department of Labor & Industry issued regulations in April to include compliance with the International Fire Code, one of whose provisions restricts use of cut trees in buildings.

“To us it is a freedom of choice issue,” said the group’s lobbyist Vince Phillips. “Businesses, schools, and apartment houses should have the freedom to choose what type of holiday decorations they want, assuming that safety rules and precautions are met.”

Specifically, an amendment was added to SB 1139 during the legislative process to free Pennsylvania’s Act 45 (Universal Construction Code) from rules contained within the International Fire Code that discriminate against those who would choose to use cut trees in buildings. When the Department of Labor promulgated the regulations, it included the international standard without recognizing its unanticipated consequence on the use of cut trees or on Pennsylvania’s Christmas tree industry. Without passage of SB 1139, the new rule would have been effective in early July.

The PA Uniform Construction Code was enacted in 1999 by Act 45 to standardize construction practices. It implements a stepped-up compliance capacity for both state and local building inspectors and code compliance officers.

Phillips noted that the corrective legislation does not exempt building owners from complying with other ordinances. “What it does do is to permit safe use of cut trees.” he said.

1-800 Hotline Kicks Off Eleventh Season reports PennAg Journal (June ’04). “This growing season Christmas tree growers, agricultural crop producers, turfgrass managers, fruit growers and homeowners” across Pennsylvania “will be dialing up the PA IPM Program’s 1-800 PENN IPM toll-free hotline to find out the latest pest and pest management information. Callers to the hotline can receive information such as recent pheromone trap capture counts for their region, up-to-date disease development information, as well as tips on pest management tactics from the Pennsylvania IPM program. Information and fax-backs when available on such crops as Christmas trees . . . are included on the hotline. Information on scheduled pesticide applicator training sessions is also included. Read more about it the PA IPM Program at http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/NewsReleases/18002004.html

On Working Toward Weed-free Christmas Tree Plantations in 2004 is featured in MCTA News (Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, Spring/Summer ’04). “It is impractical, if not impossible, to have a Christmas tree plantation without some weeds, given that hundreds of wild plants are potential weeds and that surface soils can contain hundreds of weed seeds in every square foot. Weeds growing in aisles between rows may actually be beneficial—for soil conservation, support of insect predators and reducing compaction by equipment, but weeds growing close to our trees (within 12 to 18 inches) are detrimental to tree growth, quality and profitability. Using weed management tools in effective ways is a continuing challenge for Christmas tree growers. Keeping abreast of the new tools and research findings is essential if we want to improve our weed management skills.” The article summarizes weed management tools such as as flumioxazin, oryzalin, pendimethalin, s-metolachlor, and glyphosate.

Why is Working Capital Important? is featured in the “Business Management” section of the MCTA News (Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, Spring/Summer ’04). “Manage your finances so you maintain a positive working capital margin that is well above the minimums,” recommends the author. “Working capital (W.C) is current assets (C.A.) minus current liabilities (C.L.) A working capital ratio is C.A. divided by C.L. Current assets are cash and near cash items (accounts receivable, etc.), along with savings and liquid investments (not retirement savings) that can be readily converted to cash, along with assets that will be sold for cash in the normal course of business within the next 12 months. Current liabilities are current bills due and accounts payable (including credit card debt), and other liabilities and scheduled payments due within the next 12 months. . . . Creditors want to see their clients maintain a minimum W.C. ratio of 1.2 to 1. In other words, $110 to $120 of current assets . . . for every $100 of current liabilities.”

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