Landscape Management, April 2018

profit centers I ts the first time in 35 years that lawn care industry veteran Bob Mann hasnt kicked off spring by pushing a fertilizer spreader In his relatively new role as director of state and local government relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals NALP hes been spending his time at local and state legislature meetings to advocate for the industry instead We caught up with Mann to understand spots for lawn care professionals He details those below and explains why the government relations team at NALP keeps an eye on pesticide policy LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET April 2018 16 illustrations istock com titova ElEna turf ornamental care Hot spots Which states are ones to watch in terms of lawn care regulations By marisa Palmieri Maine which states are regulatory hot in the agriculture industry domestically and internationally as well That which affects agriculture threatens to spill over and affect horticulture Mann says Bob mann In this Northeastern state 30 municipalities have local ordinances restricting pesticide use including Portland which earlier this year passed one of the strongest municipal pesticide restrictions in the country banning the use of synthetic pesticides NALP in concert with Trugreen unsuccessfully lobbied the state to exempt professional applicators from these prohibitions Its a tough environment up there its a unique place as far as governance is concerned and its not friendly to our businesses Mann says We look at Maine as being a bellwether and we look at it with concern Pennsylvania The Keystone State senate passed legislation regulating nutrient applications in a manner similar to pesticides The bill would require certification for companies applying fertilizer and it would require companies to follow best management practices Professionals in Pennsylvania are having a lukewarm reaction to the measure calling it workable Mann says He has concerns about fertilizer bills like this when legislators specify product quantities and content Id rather the law look at what the cooperative extension has already published as best management practices he says Its information is certainly much better than typing out a couple of lines in a law and saying thats the way everybody has to act forevermore illinois In Illinois a bill was introduced that would prohibit the use of neonicotinoids on public lands and on landscapes and it allows for communities to further regulate neonicotinoid insecticides Mann says its early the bill has only been introduced and doesnt have much support from cosponsors but its a developing situation Washington Legislators in this Pacific Northwest state were considering an onerous pesticide prenotification bill but it was reduced instead to creating a study committee to see if its necessary to reignite the states former reporting and tracking panel which was disbanded several years ago So it was a win in that regard the formation of a group to look deeply at the issue to see if its necessary Mann says