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February Government Relations update
The 2007 Oregon Legislative Session is underway and the pace has been brisk. Land use (particularly Measure 37), water and bio-fuels have taken the early stage. OAN staff has been active and has been asked to testify at numerous committees (please see the Government Relations part of the website under 2007 Legislature for the text of public comments made by Jeff Stone). To date, over 1400 bills have been introduced of which 143 have been identified as relevant to the nursery industry. It is anticipated that over the next couple of weeks an additional 2000 bills will be written.
In February, the Government Relations Committee will meet with Democratic House Speaker Jeff Merkley and Majority Leader Dave Hunt as part of our guest speaker program. March is scheduled to have Senate Republican Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli address our committee. This demonstrates the OAN’s continued commitment to meet with both sides of the political aisle. As your GR Director, I have personally delivered our state legislative agenda to members of the legislature and have met with leadership, committee chairs and key members.
In this and subsequent updates, it is my intent to keep you apprised of bills or legislative concepts that impact the nursery industry. I hope you will take time to review these updates and provide your comments directly to me or a member of the GR Committee. Politics is a participatory process and it is essential that our actions reflect the values and interest of the whole industry.
View Jeff Stone’s full report in the February edition of the Issues Update at www.oan.org (requires login).
FEBRUARY 20, 2007
In this Issue:
Government Issues
Coming in May
DMV to issue cards centrally for new anti-fraud technology
Events
Le Tour des Plants sign up reminder
Marketing
Trucks to Trade Shows
Don’t miss the big one
Digger: Farwest Edition ad deadline is May 1
Member benefits/opportunities
Annual credit card fees got you down?
OAN’s credit card processing program
Advantage Oregon
Guaranteed, Expedited Rail Service to the Northeast
Learn all about it at Feb. 21 informational meeting
This month's fliers/downloads:
Le Tour des Plants
Participation form
(PDF format)
Digger: Farwest Edition Advertising
Ad insertion order form
(PDF format)
Coming in May
DMV to issue cards centrally for new anti-fraud technology
Oregon will shift to centralized issuance of driver licenses and identification cards in May 2007 as part of a new fraud-prevention effort using “facial recognition” software.
Under centralized issuance, DMV field offices will issue an interim card to customers who qualify for driving privileges or an ID card. Customers no longer will get the final card over the counter at DMV.
Instead, the final card will be produced and mailed to customers from a centralized site. Customers should receive their cards five to 10 business days after their DMV visit. This centralized issuance procedure is already in use by California, Washington and 11 other states.
Oregon employers who also provide housing for their workers may need to review how securely their residents receive mail. Many housing providers may already have a secure way to receive mail, such as locking mailboxes, because the postal service routinely delivers credit cards, blank checks and other sensitive financial information. Those who do not already have a secure way to receive mail may wish to set one up.
Starting in May 2007, businesses and government agencies that require customers or employees to show photo identification occasionally may see Oregon residents present an interim driver license, instruction permit or ID card.
The interim card is intended as proof that the person has qualified at DMV to obtain, replace or renew a driver license, instruction permit or ID card. Valid for up to 60 days, the interim card will look like a black-and-white copy of the final card, except that it will be printed on paper. The interim card’s only security feature is that attempts to photocopy it will cause the word “VOID” to appear in copies.
The plastic centrally-issued final card will have the same appearance and security features as the card that DMV has been issuing over the counter.
Businesses and government agencies that require customers to show identification need to decide whether to accept the interim card as identification from customers or whether to require additional forms of ID. They need to inform their staff members that they may start to see these interim cards as early as May 2007.
After DMV has completed the transition to issuing cards centrally, the agency will begin to use facial recognition software to compare each day’s customer photos with all other photos on file at DMV. This new anti-fraud technology will help prevent someone from obtaining a license or ID card under a false name. Under Senate Bill 640 from the 2005 Oregon Legislature, DMV must have facial recognition in place by July 2008, and DMV expects to meet this deadline. Centralized issuance is the first step toward implementing this new technology.
For details about centralized issuance and facial recognition, visit http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV.
Le Tour des Plants sign up reminder
The more the merrier
Mark your calendars. The second annual Le Tour des Plants will take place Sept. 15-23, 2007. Produced by the OAN, recruitment starts now for participating garden centers. Deadline for completion of the participation form is March 15.
Modeled after the popular wine-tasting tour weekends, the ultimate goal of Le Tour des Plants is to make fall as big a sales season as spring for Oregon’s garden centers.
In 2006, 29 garden center locations participated in the first Le Tour de Plants, and many reported a 40 percent increase in sales over the same period in 2005. Join the best of OAN member garden centers and specialty nurseries in the 2007 Le Tour des Plants. Fax or e-mail the participation form to Ann Murphy, (503) 682-5099 or amurphy@oan.org.
2007 participating garden centers (list so far)
- Al’s Garden Center (Gresham, Sherwood, Woodburn)
- Bauman Farms (Gervais)
- Blooms-N-More Nursery (Oregon City)
- Boring Square Gardens (Boring)
- Cornell Farms (Portland)
- Egan Farms (Salem)
- Fresh To You Produce & Garden Center (Stayton)
- Garden World (Hubbard)
- Garland Nursery (Corvallis)
- Jefferson Nursery (Jefferson)
- Monnier’s Country Gardens (Woodburn)
- Red Ridge Farms (Dundee)
- River Rock Nursery (Damascus)
- Secret Garden Growers (Canby)
- Shonnard’s Nursery, Florist & Landscape (Corvallis)
- Tom’s Garden Center (Albany)
Trucks to Trade Shows
Thanks to our hosts
Heartfelt thanks to our member nurseries who hosted pick up points for this winter’s Trucks to Trade Shows program. Host nurseries include Bizon Nursery, Fairdale Nursery, Evergreen Nursery, Alpha Nursery, and Advanced Ornamentals. Truck Transportation Services and Advantage Oregon also deserve a big round of applause for their work in brokering the loads. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Trucks to Trade Shows will start recruiting in April for loads going to PANTS in Atlantic City July 24-26.
Don’t miss the big one
Digger: Farwest Edition
ad deadline is May 1
Don’t miss out on getting your display ad in Digger: Farwest Magazine, the official magazine of the Farwest Show in August. Your ad will reach show attendees as well as Digger’s regular subscribers. Reserve your ad space today. The deadline is not far away, and after May 1, you’ll have to wait another year to get in this triple-size issue of Digger magazine.
To reserve your ad space, fill out an ad insertion order form online or download the form, fill it out and mail or fax it to Chris Sweet, OAN advertising coordinator. The publications department fax number is on the form. Call Chris at the OAN office if you have questions.
Annual credit card fees got you down?
OAN’s credit card processing program
Take advantage of OAN’s credit card processing program. All contract terms and processing requirements are waived for OAN members. Even better, there is no annual fee!
Opening a merchant account has never been easier using our preferred provider Affiniscape Merchant Solutions for credit card processing. Accept credit and debit cards in your store, online or on the go and watch your business grow.
By accepting credit cards you can “get paid faster” by guaranteeing payment upfront. Best of all, you avoid the risk of non-payment and the costs associated with invoicing and collections. Win more business and increase your sales volume by accepting credit cards!
Grow Your Business. Our merchant account program enables you to accept payments in real time online, at farmers markets, fairs and tradeshows - opening up your business to new customers and new sales. Plus, keeping track of your accounts is simple with online VIP-member reporting that lets you quickly see your deposit and payment information.
Grow OAN. Your current processing can easily be switched to the OAN program. You profit from the switch and a small portion of the Visa and MasterCard fees you already pay, go to support OAN advocacy efforts to promote our industry. Your participation makes a difference - grow your business and OAN! We are very excited by the potential savings and convenience that this partnership brings to you.
Learn how simple, affordable and easy it is to begin accepting credit cards. Contact our preferred provider AMS at 1.800.644.9060 ext. 6974 for more information, or visit www.oan.org/creditcards.
Guaranteed, Expedited Rail Service to the Northeast
Learn all about it at Feb. 21 informational meeting
There’s a whole new option for getting your products to market now – by unit train! If you’ve discounted rail as a viable way to get your nursery products to market in the past, it’s time to reconsider. A brand-new, refrigerated 55-car unit train, privately owned and operated by Railex, now runs once a week between Walulla, Wash., and Albany, N.Y., with guaranteed fifth morning arrival. This closed-loop circuit allows brand-new transportation possibilities for product deliveries anywhere between North Carolina and Canada, and rates are quoted from point of origin to point of delivery.
As part of its mission to promote competitive and viable transportation options for agricultural shippers, Advantage Oregon is arranging a round table discussion for those who are interested in learning more about this innovative rail service. Railex representatives will be on hand to explain the program and answer any questions from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in the OAN conference room. RSVP to Suelynn Callahan at scallahan@advantageoregon.com or (503) 682-8938.
Upcoming chapter events:
Central Oregon Chapter
Christmas Tree Chapter
Clackamas Chapter
Emerald Empire Chapter
Greenhouse Chapter
Mt. Hood Chapter
Retail Chapter
Sunset Chapter
Willamette Chapter
Member Update Archives
Looking for a flier or topic from a past e-newsletter? Log in to our Web site and click on Members Only > Member Update, and you'll find an archive of our e-newsletters.
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Copyright © 2007 Oregon Association of Nurseries