California State Floral AssociationApril 6, 2012
 
In This Issue
Bill Indexing the Minimum Wage Introduced
UC Davis Meeting on the National Clean Plant Network - Roses
House Ag Farm Bill Field Hearing Reveals Deep Regional Differences
DHS to Issue "Unlawful Presence Waivers" to Undocumented Workers
Design Workshop
The New Rules of Customer Engagement
Drive Safety - Being Courtesous

 

 

 

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Bill Indexing the Minimum Wage Introduced
 

A bill was amended this week that would require annual adjustment to the hourly minimum wage calculated using the California Consumer Price Index. AB 1439 (Alejo) would require that the Industrial Welfare Commission annual review the COPI and adjust the mandatory minimum wage accordingly. The bill further prohibits the Industrial Welfare Commission from adjusting the minimum wage downward and from adjusting the minimum wage upward if the average percentage of inflation for the previous year was negative. The Association will continue to oppose the legislation.

 

 

UC Davis Meeting on the National Clean Plant Network - Roses
 

 

This meeting may be of interest to UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance clientele:

 

UC Davis Foundation Plant Services Rose Advisory Committee Meeting

Thursday May 3, 2012, 10 AM - 12 PM

Founder's Board Room, UC Davis Alumni & Visitor's Center

 


You are invited to join a discussion concerning the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) and the creation of a NCPN Rose Program at Foundation Plant Services, UC Davis.  Please see the attached agenda and proposed charter.  Your voice is integral in this conversation and we hope that you will join us in an effort to bring funding and awareness to the US rose industry.  A catered lunch will follow the meeting.  Please let us know if you are able to attend by responding HERE.

 

 

House Ag Farm Bill Field Hearing Reveals Deep Regional Differences; Senate Committee Trying to Find Approach to Appease All Commodities, Regions
 

A House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill field hearing in Jonesboro, AR, late last week brought strong evidence that getting a 2012 Farm Bill hammered out between the midwestern and southern farmers is going to be tough. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee staff is using the two-week congressional spring recess to try and hammer out a direct payment program/income safety net replacement that will make all its members happy so Chair Debbie Stabenow (D, MI) can get her bill to the floor after markup beginning the week of April 23.       

 

The House Ag field hearing witnesses told the committee solutions which work for midwestern farmers don't or won't work for southern and midsouth producers. And while one cotton industry executive told a meeting in Texas that midwestern interests were ignoring southern concerns - "They're trying to take the money that's in the baseline for rice, peanuts and cotton in order to enrich their revenue programs," alleged National Cotton Council President Mark Lange at the annual meeting of Plains Cotton Growers, Inc., in Lubbock, TX - farmers from six southern states told the House ag panel a one-size-fits-all approach to replacing direct payment programs is the wrong way to go. The Arkansas Farm Bureau said Congress needs to take into account the needs of each commodity and each region in crafting programs, and told committee Chair Frank Lucas (R, OK) it doesn't agree with the American Farm Bureau Federation's "deep loss" approach to program replacement because "it just really doesn't work for some of our commodities."       

 

One Missouri grower said a single program approach "picks winners and losers," while others said the cotton industry wants to see a new program built off crop insurance. On the Senate side, a letter coordinated by former ag committee chair Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R, GA), senior champion of southern agriculture, and sent to Stabenow and ranking member Sen. Pat Roberts (R, KS) garnered several other committee member signatures in urging any replacement for direct payment programs must be "equitable" and take into account regional and commodity differences.

 

 

DHS to Issue "Unlawful Presence Waivers" to Undocumented Workers

 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week announced a proposed rule that will allow it to issue "unlawful presence waivers" to illegals in the U.S. who are the immediate family of U.S. citizens. Currently, such illegals must return to their home country and apply for a waiver of inadmissibility as part of the immigrant visa application process. The unlawful presence waiver - applied for by the illegal worker - would be issued to the applicant before he or she leaves the U.S. for immigrant visa processing in his or her home country. If granted, the waiver would expedite the processing of the immigrant visa, a move DHS said will significantly reduce the amount of time U.S. citizens are separated from family members. DHS is accepting comments for 60 days. The proposed rule was published in the April 2 Federal Register, but was first announced as DHS "intent" in January.


 

Design Workshop
 

CALIFORNIA STATE FLORAL ASSOCIATION TOGETHER WITH ROP CAMARILLO   

Present a Floral Design Workshop

New Date ~ April 28th 

 

Floral Architectonics: the Art of Incorporating Architectural Elements into Dynamic Floral Designs

Instruction by:  

Tony Alvarez AIFD, CCF & Debbie Alvarez AIFD, CCF

Place: ROP Camarillo, 465 Horizon Circle, Camarillo, CA 93010

Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

 

In this class we will explore a number of architectural elements developed since man first began building shelters right up to the modern age of towering steel structures and modern conceptual theories in architecture. We will integrate these architectural elements in our design constructions using assorted building materials, plant materials, flowers and branches as well as decorative wire and glassware.  

 

Come spend a day with friends and learn new ways to add interest, value, drama and innovation to everyday designs!

Class fee: $125.00

 

 

 

 

The New Rules of Customer Engagement
 

Goodbye, customer touch-points. Hello, ongoing, meaningful contact that actually drives revenue. Here's what you need to know to be more engaging right now.

 

The rise of the social Web has led to a fundamental shift in the way businesses of all sizes engage with their customers. Rather than focusing on "touch points" during the marketing and sales process, they're using social technologies to form meaningful, ongoing relationships that involve frequent online interactions, oftentimes through social channels.  

 

It is paying off: Companies that engage with their customers via social media have more loyal customers. Better yet, customers who engage with a brands online report spending 20% to 40% more on that brand, or on that company's products.

 

How can your business see this sort of boost? First off, you need to expand your concept of "customer service." It's no longer an isolated section of your business model but part of a larger, customer engagement strategy.  That's because responsibilities that traditionally fell to the marketing and product teams now fall into the realm of customer service. Now, your bottom line is riding on your ability to deliver excellent service while you are meaningfully engaging customers. In order to build loyal relationships that extend and last, you need to understand the basic principles of  the new definition of customer engagement and put them into action.

 

 

Drive Safety - Being Courtesous
 

"Defensive Driving":   

This is the notion of driving with accident prevention in mind. A defensive driver keeps a watchful eye out for potential hazards and does not rely on other drivers to compensate for their mistakes. This style of driving is critical for maintaining safety on the roadways.

 

"Defensive" driving - There's a big difference!

"Defensive driving" should not be confused with "defensive" driving, which adds unnecessary risk to an already dangerous activity. "Defensive" driving usually occurs when people begin to take the actions of other drivers as personal assaults.

 

You are on the freeway, driving along in normal traffic conditions. Suddenly, a car in an adjacent lane signals that they would like to move over. You notice the blinking light and think to yourself, "So this person thinks they can just cut me off?" You angrily speed up to close the gap between you and the car you are following.  

 

This kind of behavior has many names, but the product is always the same: drivers get distracted by emotions and competition, rules are broken and accidents occur.

 

Best practices for "Defensive Driving":

 

Simple common courtesy is an effective deterrent for "defensive" driving.  Always drive with accident prevention in mind:

 

  • Remember that driving is a dangerous activity.
  • Do not take the actions of other drivers personally.
  • Use your turn signals to keep other drivers informed.
  • Do not cut in line, or steal someone else's turn at stop signs.
  • Allow enough time to get where you are going without having to rush.
  • Slow down in puddle areas to avoid splashing pedestrians and vehicles.
  • Make room for other drivers when roads are crowded.
  • Remember that your horn is for signaling the presence of hazardous conditions, not insulting or intimidating other drivers.
  • Switch to low beams when driving near other vehicles.
  • Refrain from gesturing or screaming at other drivers.
  • Forget about it-the person was not in your life 5 minutes ago; do not put them in your life 5 minutes from now!

  (Source:  InterWest Insurance Services)