Pollinator Work Continues

The Society of American Florists

Pollinator Work Continues
In late December, the Society of American Florists (SAF) and AmericanHort participated in two important meetings focused on the continuing debate about pollinator health.

IR-4, the USDA-funded organization that provides the EPA with data supporting registration of chemicals for horticulture and other specialty crops, worked with the chemical industry to host a conference on research needs. Attended by several leading horticultural scientists, along with SAF and AmericanHort, the meeting generated important discussion on the type of research needed to answer critical questions about our industry’s impact on pollinators and how we can be part of the solution.

A second, day-long meeting was held in Washington with the industry task force guiding the Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, launched by AmericanHort, SAF, the Horticultural Research Initiative (HRI) and the American Floral Endowment (AFE). The task force meets nearly every week by conference call, but in December met face-to-face to continue its discussion of research priorities, stewardship practices and partnerships with other groups, along with the associated public relations effort.

The Initiative has identified an initial research agenda focused on managing pests associated with commonly sold plants from which bees and other pollinators are likely to gather pollen and nectar. Visit www.hriresearch.org to access the request for proposals to fund the first round of research.

Finally, growers were asked last summer to participate in a survey designed to assess the importance of pesticides in plant production. That survey report, along with another important report designed to show the importance of neonicotinoids in controlling the silverleaf whitefly and other invasive pests in international trade, can be accessed at http://growingmatters.org/studies.

For more information, contact SAF’s Lin Schmale at LSchmale@safnow.org.

OSHA Releases Regulatory Plans for 2015
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released its semiannual regulatory agenda listing projected actions on 26 regulations and announced its top priorities for 2015.
Some priorities affecting floriculture growers include:

• Publication of a final rule requiring employers to electronically track and file work-related injuries and illnesses is scheduled for August 2015. The agency also plans to amend its recordkeeping regulations to clarify that the duty of an employer to make and maintain accurate records of occupational injuries and illnesses is an ongoing
obligation.

• In June of 2015, OSHA plans to issue a final rule addressing slip, trip and fall hazards in the workplace and establishing requirements for personal fall protection systems.
n April 8, 2015 is the end of the comment period on OSHA’s proposed rules regulating occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals.

• OSHA has pushed its next steps on a combustible dust rulemaking out to February 2016. Action on this standard has been stalled since 2010.

• A proposal aimed at preventing workers from being struck by vehicles that are backing up has also been pushed back to 2016. OSHA is interested in emerging technologies, such as cameras and proximity detection systems to prevent accidents.

ACA Legislative Update
SAF continues to encourage Congress to pass healthcare reform legislation that may make it easier for members to understand and comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Working with allies in the Employers for Flexibility in Health Care Coalition (E-FLEX), SAF has been participating in briefings for Congressional staff on employer obligations under the ACA. Coalition representatives provided Congressional staff with background on basic employer coverage rules, the large employer determination, the definition of a full-time employee, tax penalties and other issues. The coalition also expressed continuing support for the following three key pieces of legislation:

• The Save American Workers Act, which would redefine a full-time employee as an individual who’s employed on average at least 40 hours per week.

• The Streamlining Verification for Americans Act, which would allow large employers to prospectively report information regarding healthcare coverage available to employees eligible for premium subsidies on a healthcare exchange.

• The Auto Enroll Repeal Act, which would repeal the ACA requirement that employers with more than 200 full-time employees automatically enroll all new full-time employees in their health insurance plans.

In addition, SAF continues to work with lawmakers who support the Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality (STARS) Act to plan for re-introduction of this important legislation in this new Congress.

The STARS Act would define “seasonal employee” as a worker who’s employed on a seasonal basis for six months or less during the calendar year. The bill would remove seasonal employees from the formula used to determine if a business is a large employer for the purposes of ACA compliance.

Under the bill, large employers would not need to offer health insurance to seasonal employees who work less than six months during the year, which is consistent with current Treasury Department Regulations. GT

“SAF in the Lobby” is produced by the Society of American Florists, 1601 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; Tel: (703) 836-8700 or (800) 336-4743; Fax: (703) 836-8705; or visit the SAF Web site: www.safnow.org. For more information on legislative issues, contact the Government Relations Department.