CNGA Looseleaf Oct/Nov 2018

22 colorad o nga.org LooseLeaf October/November 2018 FUNDING RESEARCH & EDUCATION I have four sons, who are 8 to 14 years old, which is an adventure in itself. Some of my favorite times are when I am coaching them into mindsets of believing they can accomplish seemingly impossible goals. In many instances, based on the resources and experiences available to them, it’s understandable why some challenges seem insurmountable. One of the riddles I asked each of them to solve is: “How do you eat a dinosaur?” Of course, they all gave me confused looks, thinking there was no solution. But, the answer is simpler than they realize: “One bite at a time.” That can be the key to unlocking the challenges we face with labor in today’s green industry, too: taking small bites or steps to get to a solution. First, we can look at what resources and experiences we have at our disposal. CHREF’s mission is to support the industry by using its resources and raising additional resources for research and educational investment in the form of scholarships. Our board has agreed to explore a fundraising campaign to support capital improvements at Colorado State University to support the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. It is vital to continue to invest in this program and do whatever we can as an industry to help drive enrollment to the department. These students will build our future labor pool. Dr. James Klett has started the process of retiring from CSU, and there will be restructuring of his role. It’s vital that industry representatives come to the table to maximize our influence on this restructuring, as well as find ways to leverage university resources that have not been utilized in the past in terms of recruiting, development, corporate sponsorship, and marketing. CHREF is also driving for cross-functional research or program development to help solve some of the industry’s challenges in progressing with technological innovation. We need to develop partnerships with the engineering and business schools to collaborate on mechanization, robotics, process flow, and market research. This is an exciting opportunity to put CSU back on the national map in terms of leadership in horticultural research and innovation. CNGA has a role to play in solving workforce and labor issues as well. Our association is known my members as the Trusted Resource. The CNGA board is already beginning to evaluate the kinds of resources available in the community that members may not be aware of and help make connections that fit your needs in your areas. This includes career fairs, technical schools, high school vocational programs, workforce development programs, guest worker programs, temp agencies, and veteran placement services. We are also putting together best practices guidelines to support you in terms of employment of minors, internships, staff retention strategies, and hiring. We also believe that giving people an experience and touch point with our industry is vital. We will provide opportunities for local schools, nonprofits and other groups through educational and operational tours of member’s businesses, as a way of increasing awareness and connections within communities. We are also broadening our reach through GreenCO. The entire green industry is impacted similarly by regulatory/legislative, water and labor issues, and we are stronger addressing them together than apart. Every industry segment has been going its own way to solve the labor issue. We need to use our collective size and influence to cooperate in leveraging existing and future resources. So, what can you do? Get involved! I have laid out the plan for how we can begin, together, to tackle this issue. Give us your input at the Owners & Managers Leadership Retreat this November. Come with an open mind and ideas on how we can learn from the past and adapt to the present. The thought leaders in this industry will be there finding the solutions for labor and other timely issues. Be a part of your association and connect to the existing resources available. Start thinking of your company as a really cool place to work in an amazing industry and tell everyone! I can tell you from experiences at our company, we have begun to make significant strides by taking advantage of our CNGA membership and CHREF resources by accessing and acquiring the talent to keep our company strong and growing, one bite at a time. Leveraging Resources to Build our Industry’s Future ByMatt Edmundson CHREF Board President Women in Horticulture Luncheon Thursday, October 11, Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, Colo. Fall Workshop Thursday, October 25, Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, Wheat Ridge, Colo. O&M Leadership Retreat Friday & Saturday, November 2 & 3, The Antlers Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado Certified Nursery Professional Seminars November 6, 13, 27 & December 4, Denver, Colo. CNGA calendar To get more information about CNGA programs and events, visit the Events page at coloradonga.org , or contact the office by phone: 303.758.6672, fax: 303.758.6805, or email: info@coloradonga.org .