Bobcat Company wants to hear from customers who think they have the toughest and dirtiest tracks on their Bobcat compact track loader, mini track loader or compact excavator. Whoever has the most compelling story and photo will win a new set of genuine Bobcat rubber tracks.
The Green Industry & Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO) will be held Oct. 22-24, 2014 in Louisville, Ky. The Hardscape North America (HNA) conference and show will once again co-locate with GIE+EXPO. In addition, PLANET's Green Industry Conference and the Professional Grounds Management Society's (PGMS) School of Grounds Management will also take place in Louisville during GIE+EXPO. GIE+EXPO will also once again feature a 19-acre outdoor demonstration area, allowing users a chance to get their hands on some of the latest industry equipment. Education, equipment, networking and even entertainment are all part of GIE+EXPO 2014. The following is our preview of some of the key offerings for landscape and irrigation industry professionals.
Beginning in October 2014, landscape professionals can earn double the incentive dollars available through the Propane Mower Incentive Program offered by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).
Billy Goat Industries, Inc., a Lee's Summit, Mo.-based manufacturer of specialty turf equipment, announced Oct. 1 that it has completed the acquisition of...
In 2014, STIHL Inc. is celebrating 40 years of manufacturing in the United States. Founded in 1974 by Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG, Waiblingen, Germany, STIHL Inc. began with less than 50 people assembling one model of chain saw. It has grown to 1,900 employees in Virginia Beach (with 200 more employees in branch locations) building more than 70 different models and more than 275 model variations in the U.S.
Cornell University Assistant Professor of Horticulture Dr. Jenny Kao-Kniffin is “working on a bunch of integrated research projects about how to manage weeds in landscapes and turf without the need for pesticides.” Her ability to handily boil down sophisticated research into plain language is something she uses daily in her outreach and extension work as a weed ecologist of urban landscapes.
Urban Landscape Weed Ecologist Dr. Jenny Kao-Kniffin (right) with Weed Scientist Dr. Andy Senesac at the Cornell Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center Weed Garden, which is overseen by Senesac. Photo by Kevin Kniffin
On March 13, 2014, the Obama administration released a Presidential Memorandum in which the president stated “… regulations regarding exemptions from the Act’s overtime requirement, particularly for executive, administrative, and professional employees (often referred to as “white collar” exemptions) have not kept up with our modern economy. Because these regulations are outdated, millions of Americans lack the protections of overtime and even the right to the minimum wage.” He directed the Department of Labor (DOL) to propose revisions to modernize and streamline the existing overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The specific regulations are those that define the exemptions from both minimum wage and overtime for executives, administrative, professional, and outside sales employees. Those regulations were last revised in 2004 and had not been revised previously since 1975.
Some people love water features. Others are downright passionate about them. Whether a client longs for the tranquility of a container-size pond that can be enjoyed on the back patio, or they are looking for a soothing escape from the frenzied pace of daily life, there is a pond solution for any size landscape.
An employee at any company might tell his supervisor, “Hey, I’m feeling too hot. I want to sit down and take a rest.” Hopefully, few supervisors would dismiss or deny such a request in outdoor industries such as landscaping, agriculture and groundskeeping. A competent supervisor shouldn’t wait to be asked a direct question. He or she should be aware of the signs of physical discomfort commonly associated with heat exhaustion, heat stroke or other heat illnesses. Factors that contribute to overheating include high temperatures, humidity, direct sunlight and natural body heat from physical activity. Dizziness, weakness, clammy skin, irritability and nausea are signs of heat exhaustion that need immediate medical attention. Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, faintness and seizures. Common sense, compassion, and workers’ compensation costs should make the decision to authorize time for an employee to “cool down” automatic.