Paul Mendelsohn, Author at The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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Author: Paul Mendelsohn

DHS Authorizes Additional 15,000 H-2B Visas

Last week, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Nielsen finally announced plans to authorize additional H-2B visas. The announcement confirms what NALP and our members have been telling our nation’s lawmakers –  there are not sufficient, qualified, U.S. workers available to fill the workforce needs of America’s professional landscaping companies and other seasonal businesses. 

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Farm Bill Defeated in House

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (the “Farm Bill”) by a vote of ( 198 – 213).  An odd coalition of all House Democrats and 30 members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus led to the defeat. Democrats opposed revisions to the federal […]

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H-2B Relief Still an Unknown

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security transmitted a proposed H-2B related rule to the Office of Management and Budget for review. This is an important first step in our quest for H-2B cap-relief. However, the nature of the rule has still not been made public. We are working with our Champions of Capitol Hill […]

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Congress to Take Up Farm Bill

This week, the House will begin debating H.R. 2, more commonly known as the Farm Bill. The measure is an important opportunity for landscape professionals to gain greater certainty in regulatory decisions related to pesticide use. The House Bill contains language that:

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States Move to Protect Consumer Interests

The attorneys general in several states are stepping up their efforts to fill “the void left by the Trump Administration’s pullback of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).” They expressed initial concerns in December when the President announced the appointment of Mick Mulvaney as CFPB interim director.

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Another Blow to the Workforce

Seasonal employers suffered yet another blow to the already scarce labor pool last week when President Trump announced that he is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Hondurans. TPS had been in place for the Honduras since Hurricane Mitch devastated the country in 1998. There are an estimated 57,000 Hondurans with temporary protected status in […]

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Will DHS Provide Limited H-2B Relief Later this Month?

So far, we have not heard anything official from DHS about the release of additional visas.  However, in the last couple of days we have heard rumors and seen press reports that indicate that DHS plans to release 15,000 additional visas around the middle of this month. 

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H-2B Workforce Coalition Seeking Your Stories

NALP and our partners in the H-2B Workforce Coalition are working to educate Congress and the administration on the importance of H-2B cap-relief. This effort is particularly important right now as we advocate for the Department of Homeland (DHS) Security to issue much needed additional work visas. Right now, we are looking for your help […]

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Trump Supports H-2B During Weekend Rally

At a weekend rally in Washington Michigan, President Trump made comments in support of the H-2B guest worker program. The occasion marked the first time that he has made public comments about H-2B since becoming President. It is unknown how this will impact the timeline for 2018 cap-relief. In March, Congress granted Department of Homeland […]

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Help Needed with the Farm Bill

The farm bill working it’s way through Congress provides us with a rare opportunity for regulatory reform that would address several challenges many landscape professionals face when providing services. It contains many beneficial provisions such as language that would ensure that pesticides are regulated at the Federal and State level ONLY, eliminate the duplicative NPDES […]

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