PLANT CNY

PLANT CNY NEWS

  • Home
  • NEWS
  • The Scoop
  • About Us
    • Committees
    • Contact Us
  • Members
  • Events
  • Scholarship Program
  • Resources

3/22/2020

Is Landscaping and Nurseries Classified as Essential Businesses in New York State-COVID-19

11 Comments

Read Now
 
Picture
Dear PLANT CNY Members-3/20/2020-SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST UPDATES
PLANT CNY and NYSNLA will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and we will update you as more information becomes available to us. Attached you will find a letter that was sent to Governor Cuomo yesterday to try and get us in the ‘essential service’ classification. The guidelines are not very clear at this time and everyone has a lot of questions. We are working hard to get clarification. Here is a link to the GUIDANCE ON EXECUTIVE ORDER 202.6 https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026
We will continue to monitor all the information and pass it on as it becomes available. 
Here is a list of some industry actions and some items that might help clarify the latest executive order in NYS.
  • NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) has written a letter of support for the green industry in all states.
  • NYSNLA President Anthony Caggiano was able to get NYSNLA listed as a supporting association to NALP’s letter.
  • NYAFEC (NY Alliance For Environmental Concerns) is working to get spray techs, turf & landscape exempt from the workforce shutdown.
  • The NY State Turfgrass Association is working to get the green industry listed as an ‘essential business’.
  • Region 1 (Long Island) has written letters pushing for the ‘essential business’ classification as well.
  • The DEC is also in our corner and working with the Vandervort Group (Lobbyists w/ NYAFEC).
  • New York Farm Bureau 3/20/2020 at 6pm     Horticulture update: If the nursery grows food crops alongside perennials and shrubs, they are exempt from the Governor’s workplace reduction rule. If they only grow non-edible plants, they will need to keep workers home --unless they conduct food production.
  • New York Farm Bureau has also petitioned the Governor to include in the agricultural exemption, exemptions for horticulturally-based farm operations, given the time sensitive nature of their business. The letter to the Governor can be viewed here.
  • ISA (International Society of Aboriculture) and TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association) put together a letter to officials and members, that letter is attached to this email. The letter contains information on what they are considering essential and non-essential.
*The Empire State Development Corporation (The body determining the protocol for ‘essential businesses’) is supposed to be coming up with a more clearly defined list of ‘essential services’ in the very near future. We will let you know as we find out more information. 
We are all in this together and we will get through this together!

Your PLANT CNY Board
Dana, James, Christin, Dale and Beth

UPDATE 3/21/2020

We have been working hard to keep you updated as information is available. Please also remember that most of us working on this are volunteers trying our best to work through a difficult situation with limited information. There are lots of people behind the scenes trying to get more clarification for all of you and we will report new information as it becomes available.  We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this. 
We would like to pass on another idea that was brought to our attention. We have had a few members tell us that have requested designation as an essential business for themselves. You can submit a request for your business by following this link https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/Request%20for%20Designation%20Form_2.pdf

isa-tcia-joint-statement-essential-services.pdf
File Size: 1827 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

nysnla_essential_business_-_cuomo.pdf
File Size: 315 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


UPDATE 3/24/2020:

We are passing along the latest news we have received from Department of Agriculture and Markets.  We will continue working on clarification of essential services and we will update you as more information becomes available. 

Visit the Dept of Ag site here:
https://agriculture.ny.gov/coronavirus

As of this morning, SOME of our industry was given "essential" status. Please read carefully and see the attached download below. We will share other updates as they become available. 
​
IF you decide to work it is advised you comply with the current NYS suggested best management practices for safe and sanitary workplace environments. 

Resource:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home

This opportunity is a blessing, but be wise. Be safe out there, and take care of yourselves and your staff. 
Picture
guidanceforthehorticultureindustry.pdf
File Size: 169 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


UPDATE: DECEMBER 19, 2020
For advocacy information and New York State related COVID-19 updates, click to the NYSNLA webpage:
https://www.nysnla.com/protecting-you- 

Share

11 Comments
Carol Isles link
3/22/2020 09:57:25 am

Great job guys, thanks for keeping the members up there informed!
We will do the same down here.
Your friends on LI

Reply
Gregory VanOstrand link
3/22/2020 10:16:25 am

Thank you,
For all your hard work, and keeping everyone informed about everything that is going on during these difficult times!

Sincerely
Gregory Van Ostrand
Land Tech Nursery, Tree, and Landscaping Inc.

Reply
Joan Mariea
3/22/2020 02:42:49 pm

Thank you for all of your efforts and for keeping us informed. It's very much appreciated.

Reply
Andy
3/22/2020 05:46:58 pm

We do interior landscaping and maintain tropical plants in over 400 accounts. Are we essential to keep them alive?

Reply
Beth
3/25/2020 02:21:18 pm

HI Andy- I am not sure the answer to this question. Interior plants aren't really part of our organization. We are Landscape and Nursery professionals, exterior. I would suggest requesting essential designation for your business by following this link: https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/Request%20for%20Designation%20Form_2.pdf

You may fall under the building maintenance category that has already been designated essential, but I am not sure. We did get approved from NYS Agriculture and Markets that landscape maintenance and Nursery and Green House Operations are essential but that hasn't shown up on the Empire State Development Guidance website yet. Your plants will need to be taken care of so I am guessing maintenance for interior plants would be approved but that is just a guess based on what has happened in our industry. As I mentioned it is best to apply for your business with the link we provided above. Is there an interior plant organization that you can check with?

Reply
Patricia Lamb
4/8/2020 05:40:25 am

Do single one man landscape business owners have to follow the April 3, 2020 ruling wherein horticulture was deemed non-essential business except for maintenance? What about new plantings by these same ownes??

Reply
Landscaping Christchurch link
2/2/2021 08:45:56 pm

This is a great addition tips blog is landscaping and nurseries classified as essential businesses in new york state, thank you for sharing this article. I love it how you have written the insightful, all these landscaping ideas with gabion walls and solid granite paving is great.They offer same information here Yardscape.co.nz one must check them also.

Reply
Filomena Cimino link
2/22/2021 01:59:46 pm

Hello Plant CNY. i am a Certified Landscape Designer working out of Skaneateles. I've worked principally w Native Plants for the last 20 years. I'm a recent transplant to CNY from Madison, Wisc.
I am partnering w a young Landscape Contractor in Syracuse who goes mainly to ESF for new hires. Can you recommend or refer us to.a school or org. where we can advertise for summer help? Even technical experience would be beneficial. Thanks, Mena

Reply
David Campos link
4/20/2023 11:21:47 am

The New York Farm Bureau has also petitioned the Governor to include in the agricultural exemption, exemptions for horticulturally-based farm operations, given the time sensitive nature of their business. Thank you for making this such an awesome post!

Reply
robin edwin link
5/14/2023 08:27:38 am

Your writing has a way of capturing my attention from the very first sentence. This post is incredibly engaging and well-written.

Reply
Mary Brown link
5/27/2023 06:17:07 am

"Thank you for sharing your personal experiences. It adds a relatable touch to the post and makes it even more inspiring."

Reply



Leave a Reply.

Details

    Archives

    April 2023
    January 2022
    December 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All
    COVID-19
    Education
    Events
    Newsletters
    Questions

    RSS Feed

    <-- Click to subscribe to receive CNY Plant News updates via email

Association

About
Members
Events

Support

Contact
Membership
​Certification
© COPYRIGHT 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • The Scoop
  • About Us
    • Committees
    • Contact Us
  • Members
  • Events
  • Scholarship Program
  • Resources