November/December 2022 - 6

INDUSTRY NEWS
EXPRESS SEED CO. GETS EXCLUSIVE POINSETTIA LICENSE FROM
SYNGENTA FLOWERS
Express Seed Co. has
obtained an exclusive license
to Syngenta Flowers' poinsettia
portfolio. The two companies
are working closely together
to ensure reliable supply and a
smooth transfer of all activities.
Scott Valentine, Express
Seed Co. CEO, is looking
forward to taking the lead on
licensing, production and future
development of this product line. " Since Syngenta's announcement in July, we knew
we wanted to step up and help our growers to secure reliable, quality cuttings for
these well-known and respected varieties, " says Valentine. " Our technical support,
product development, logistics capabilities and strong relationships with global
production partners are well-matched to ensure uninterrupted supply for our
growers in 2023 and beyond. "
For the North American market, production will remain at Vivero Internacional S.A.
de C.V. Vivero's strict protocols will continue to ensure a high-quality, reliable cutting
supply. Express will license the varieties for sale in all other global markets.
The existing team of sales, product and technical experts at Express will launch
the pipeline of varieties already developed by Syngenta. They will work with industry
consultant Steve Rinehart for additional expertise on growing and meeting growers'
expectations on new varieties.
Valentine said, " We are thrilled to have access to Steve Rinehart as a consultant;
his 40 years of experience in the poinsettia market will help our team be successful. "
Syngenta's orders for unrooted cuttings in 2023 are expected to be transferred
to Express Seed Co. Express will maintain existing agreements for sales of unrooted
cuttings in the U.S. In Canada, Express Seed Co. will exclusively sell unrooted
cuttings. Liners in both markets will be available from existing producers.
This portfolio includes varieties like 'Mirage Red', 'Orion Early Red', 'Whitestar', 'Lyra
Red', 'Mars Early Red', 'Red Elf', 'Titan Red' and 'Cortez Burgundy', among others.
MORE H-2B WORK VISAS AVAILABLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor
(DOL) will be issuing a regulation to make available to employers an additional
64,716 H-2B temporary non-agricultural work visas for the fiscal year 2023. This
amount nearly doubles the 66,000 H-2B visas normally available, providing what
AmericanHort says is much needed labor relief and the opportunity for better
business planning in the coming year.
" We are pleased with this announcement due to the much needed relief it
provides to our landscaping industry to find additional workers they desperately
need to operate. We look forward to continuing to work hard with the H-2B
Workforce Coalition to urge Congress to address the outdated H-2B visa cap and
pursue long-term relief, " said Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort executive vice
president of advocacy, research and industry relations.
In addition to 20,000 visas reserved for nationals of Haiti and the Northern
Central American countries, the remaining 44,716 supplemental visas will be
available to returning workers who received an H-2B visa, or were otherwise
granted H-2B status, during one of the last three fiscal years. The regulation will
help meet demand during peak season by allocating the remaining supplemental
visas for returning workers between the first half and second half of the fiscal year,
which began Oct. 1.
The departments also announced the creation of the H-2B Worker Protection
Taskforce, which will consider a variety of policy options to address threats to the
integrity of the program and will provide an opportunity for relevant stakeholders
to offer input.
6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 GPNMAG.COM
HUMIDITY MANAGEMENT
AND VPD TOPICS
FEATURED AT THE MICHIGAN
GREENHOUSE GROWERS
EXPO SESSIONS
BY MADI SCHAFER
As growers continue their best practices for their farms
and greenhouses, they must consider how air temperature,
humidity, and fertility could affect plant rooting. During the
2022 Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo, co-located with
Great Lakes EXPO, growers have the opportunity to learn
about these issues through four different sessions.
With over 30 years of experience in farm advising for
the commercial greenhouse and controlled environment
industry, Paul Fisher, professor and floriculture Extension
specialist, will present " To VPD or not to VPD " during the
Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo.
Fisher's session will help growers understand how relative
humidity, air temperature and other factors affect plant
rooting. Fisher will also discuss how certain technologies,
such as LED lighting, mist and fog, can be balanced for
young plant success.
Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is a method growers use
to measure humidity in a growing environment. Relative
humidity, used to measure the humidity levels in a
greenhouse, is closely related to VPD. As Fisher will discuss,
crop management is vital for all growers.
" Humidity management is an advanced crop management
concept, so I will help growers understand VPD versus
relative humidity during my session, " Fisher says. " VPD is a
helpful measurement when using climate sensors to control
misting. It is also a key concept for indoor vertical farms
where growers can control all aspects of the crop climate.
It's helpful for growers to understand how plants use and
lose water in order to avoid drought stress or overwatering. "
Water is the number one factor to root success, according to
Fisher. He recommends growers pay attention to crop stages,
climate and soil moisture levels when watering key crops.
Other sessions featured at the 2022 Michigan Greenhouse
Growers Expo include " Getting started with greenhouse
lighting, " by Erik Runkle; and " Managing pH, fertility,
temperature, light and PGRs " and " The ins and outs of shade
crop production, " both presented by Garrett Owen.
Learn more about these sessions and others at www.
glexpo.com. The 2022 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm
Market Expo and the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo will
be held Dec. 6-8 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

http://www.glexpo.com http://www.GPNMAG.COM

November/December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2022