Last week, many landscape companies were informed by the Department of Labor that they would not receive the H-2B seasonal guest workers they applied for, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

“Many landscape companies will be facing a devastating employee shortage this year because they didn’t get their H-2B workers,” said Paul Mendelsohn, vice president of government relations at NALP. “Many landscape professionals spend hundreds and even thousands of hours each year attempting to recruit and retain quality landscape workers, but in this economy, they just can’t find enough men and women willing to do physical labor, and they lose work or have to close down because of that.”

NALP urges everyone in the landscape industry to take action. There is still time to make a difference before the 2018 budget resolution is passed. Companies that are affected by labor shortages are urged to use the association’s Advocacy Center to send congressional representatives a prewritten email, tweet or Facebook post. The site also includes talking points for social media posts or conversations with staffers or representatives.