MNLA Members,
This is an update to matters related to the Governor’s Executive Order 20-20 and our industry:
THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS
MNLA staff, leadership and at-large members have been advocating for reasoned guidance from the Governor leading up to his March 25th Stay-at-Home order and the request to include the Green Industry as providers of essential services during the two-week period (March 27 through April 10).
Most recently, MNLA furnished a written appeal to the Governor requesting that he deem garden centers as “essential services," enabling them to operate provided, they conform to CDC and local health department requirements and non-contact procedures.
Our appeal included citations of sections of the published but, flawed national “Critical Worker” document that many Governors are using as reference material for their Shelter-in-Place Orders. The Commissioner of Agriculture was an active participant in conveying to the Governor, our appeal.
YESTERDAY (March 27, 2020)
Yesterday evening (March 27, 2020), we published to members, the Governor’s response to our appeal regarding garden center operations. The Governor’s guidance enables sales of perishable plant materials via delivery.
“…Clarification added on March 27, 2020: Workers supporting the sale for delivery only of perishable plant stock are exempt; workers delivering perishable plant stock are strongly encouraged to drop off product at the front door of nursing homes and hospitals to avoid contact with vulnerable populations…”
Our interpretation of the terse statement from the Governor does not include a distinction between grower/retailer businesses, buyer/re-seller businesses, small, family-owned businesses or “big-box” enterprises.
OVERNIGHT (March 28, 2020)
Overnight, unbeknownst to MNLA, the Governor’s office published an updated interpretation of the “Critical Worker” definitions.
Page six of the updated official document (see the link above) includes new, surprise information that broadly declared:
“Clarification added March 27, 2020: Lawncare and landscaping workers are not exempted”
THIS MORNING
The Commissioner of Agriculture obtained and relayed to us, an explanation from the Governor’s office and MNLA began to craft a new written appeal to the Governor in response to his surprise decision to omit most of the Green Industry from exemption of his Stay-at-Home Order.
Also today, MNLA staff was in contact with national Green Industry association representatives regarding the need to update/repair the national “Critical Worker” guidance document that the nation’s Governor’s are referencing in their Shelter-In-Place Orders.
1:40PM TODAY
MNLA sent its newest letter of appeal to the Governor and copied the Commissioner of Agriculture and several other resources. Our appeal letter contains reference to new information that we cannot yet publish but which, may support our reasoned appeal.
We are currently waiting for a response from the Governor.
It may take more than the promised 24-hours to receive a reply from the Governor, to our appeal. We know that the Governor’s office is working on other industry matters too.
MEANTIME
Meantime, we continue to exercise calm, reasoned and deliberate actions as events unfold.
The Governor’s desire is for all citizens to stay home as much as possible, to reduce the effect of the virus. The more we cooperate now, the Governor reasons, the better in the long run, for us and our economy. It is up to the owners of each member company to determine whether or, how to operate safely and within guidelines furnished by the government during this two-week Stay-at-Home Executive Order.
More to come…
Timothy Malooly
MNLA President
