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Last week, TNLA traveled to Washington, D.C. alongside members of Texas’ green industry for the annual H-2B Fly-In. During the trip, TNLA members met directly with Congressional offices to discuss workforce challenges impacting green industry businesses across Texas. The conversations focused heavily on the seasonal H-2B VISA program. For many green industry businesses, these workers help keep projects on schedule during peak seasons while also supporting year-round American jobs within their companies. Why This Matters to Texas’ Green Industry Texas’ green industry continues to face significant workforce shortages, particularly during high-demand periods in the spring and summer. During our meetings in Washington, TNLA members had the opportunity to speak directly with Congressional staff about how these workforce challenges affect their businesses on a day-to-day basis. Members shared personal stories about trying to keep crews staffed during peak project seasons, balancing growing customer demand, and managing the uncertainty that comes with not knowing whether seasonal workers will arrive on time. Some discussed the pressure of meeting timelines for government and commercial contracts, while others explained how workforce shortages impact long-term business planning and growth. Several members also highlighted that dependable seasonal labor helps create opportunities for year-round American employees by allowing businesses to expand operations, invest in training, and move workers into higher-skilled positions over time.  One of the most impactful aspects of the trip was ensuring policymakers heard directly from employers experiencing these challenges firsthand. What Was Discussed in Washington A major focus of this year’s advocacy effort was support for the proposed “Certified Seasonal Employer” language currently being discussed in federal appropriations negotiations. The Certified Seasonal Employer proposal is designed to reward businesses that have consistently followed the rules and responsibly used the H-2B program over multiple years. Under the proposal, employers that have received H-2B labor certifications for the past five years would be allowed to maintain access to the highest number of seasonal workers they were previously certified for without those workers counting against the annual H-2B cap. One way to think about it is this: businesses that have proven year after year they are compliant, dependable, and operating legally would no longer have to “re-enter the lottery” every season just to maintain the same workforce levels they have historically relied upon. Currently, the H-2B program has an annual visa cap of 66,000 per fiscal year that has not been updated in decades despite major economic growth and increased workforce demand. The proposed language would reward long-time, compliant employers (certified for the last five years) instead of forcing them to compete under the same uncertainty each season. These workers would not be included in the cap. Where the Language StandsThe Certified Seasonal Employer language is currently being discussed as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations process in Congress. Rather than moving as a standalone immigration bill, the proposal is being pursued through the federal appropriations process because Congress frequently uses annual funding legislation to address operational H-2B issues and cap relief measures. In this case, industry groups are advocating for the language to be included in the baseline DHS Appropriations bill because DHS oversees key parts of the H-2B program, including visa allocation and administration. The proposal has already gained significant attention in Washington. According to industry briefings shared during the fly-in, the White House previously supported inclusion of the Certified Seasonal Employer language during earlier federal funding negotiations, and advocates are continuing to push for its inclusion in the final FY27 DHS funding package. This means the current focus is on educating Congressional offices, appropriations staff, and committee leadership about why workforce certainty is critical for seasonal employers and why long-time, compliant businesses should receive more predictability within the H-2B process. For TNLA members, the issue is not simply about increasing workforce numbers; it is about creating a more stable and predictable system that allows responsible employers to better plan projects, retain year-round employees, and continue supporting Texas’ growing economy. What Success Looks Like For TNLA members, success would mean:
TNLA appreciates the members who traveled to Washington to ensure the voice of Texas’ green industry was represented on Capitol Hill. Contact TNLA’s Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Team
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The Texas House and Senate have now released their 2026 interim charges, the official study topics committees will work on ahead of the 2027 legislative session. These charges often become the foundation for the next round of legislation, giving us an early look at the issues that may shape the future policy environment for our industry. You can review the full charges here:Senate Interim Charges: https://www.ltgov.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Interim-Charges.pdf House Interim Charges: https://www.house.texas.gov/pdfs/speaker/F-Interim-Charges-3.25.pdf From TNLA’s perspective, the biggest themes are water supply and supporting Texas agriculture, but the interim charges extend well beyond those issues. They also address insurance affordability, property tax relief, local government fees, workforce transportation, housing growth, permitting timelines, and the overall competitiveness of Texas agriculture and small businesses.
Taken together, these charges examine many of the core factors that determine how easy or difficult it is to operate a green industry business in Texas, from access to water and labor to the cost of trucks, insurance, land, and local permits. Two House committees stand out as especially important for our members. House Agriculture & Livestock includes meaningful charges on invasive species, Texas Department of Agriculture authority, agricultural resiliency, and expanding markets for Texas-grown products. These discussions could directly affect plant health response, quarantine processes, specialty crop competitiveness, and the visibility of Texas-grown nursery and landscape products. House Natural Resources may be the most significant committee for the green industry this interim. Charges on groundwater management, new water supply strategies, brackish groundwater, data center water use, and regional water planning all go directly to long-term water availability and allocation. These discussions will influence how Texas balances growth, agriculture, urban water needs, and future supply development. On the Senate side, we are also closely tracking charges related to data center water demand, utility revenue transfers, desalination, insurance affordability, local fee transparency, and CDL standards. Each of these has real implications for project timelines, business costs, labor flexibility, and long-term water affordability. Our advocacy team will be actively monitoring hearings, identifying opportunities for committee feedback and testimony, and ensuring the voice of Texas nurseries, landscape professionals, irrigators, and allied businesses is part of these conversations. The interim is where many of the biggest ideas for the next session begin to take shape, and we believe the 2026 cycle could be especially consequential for water policy, Texas agriculture, and the overall business climate for the green industry. We will continue to keep you updated as these hearings develop. Couldn’t make it to the Innovation Summit this year? Good news — the recordings are now available, and you can still earn CEUs while learning how technology is reshaping the green industry. These sessions were designed to give you real takeaways you can bring back to your business today. Here’s a look at what you’ll find: Innovation in Sales & Promotions – What the Green Industry Needs NextThe message from participants was clear: businesses want better visibility into the technology market.
Customer Service Gets Smarter with Technology Speaker Eldar Causevic of Denali Green/Aspire Software shared how tech is changing customer service.
Services of the Future – Robotics, Lighting & Automation This session highlighted some of the most exciting advancements:
Bottom line: Companies that embrace automation and smart services now will set the standard for tomorrow. Driving Efficiencies – Smarter Tools for a Smarter Future Efficiency is the key to profitability, and participants explored new tools making a difference:
Key takeaway: The businesses that lean into multi-functional tech will see stronger ROI and be better prepared for workforce challenges. Watch On-Demand & Earn CEUs These recordings aren’t just inspiring — they’re practical. Each one offers actionable strategies and counts toward CEUs.
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AuthorKim Cabrera, TNLA Marketing Manager Archives
May 2026
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