How AmericanHort Is Fighting for Floriculture on Capitol Hill

AmericanHort’s Monday morning State of the Industry Keynote presentation during Cultivate’25 was a two-for-one deal. In addition to AmericanHort Chief Economist Dr. Charlie Hall offering his economic update (click here if you missed our recap), Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs Matt Mika also provided a regulatory and political update. With the current tumultuous environment on Capitol Hill, it was a can’t miss presentation. Here are a few highlights.

• “Rollercoaster” is perhaps the best word to describe the first six months of the Trump administration, with 140+ executive orders issues and policies and protocols seemingly changing by the day. “This is why we all need to be engaged and advocate for the issues that are important to us,” Mika said. “If you don’t talk to lawmakers in their offices or in your greenhouses, they won’t know what’s important to us.”
• Another reason to have these conversations: more than half of the current members of Congress have less than six years of experience in higher office. “They need to learn, and if you’re not telling your story to them, someone else is,” Mika said.
• In terms of the critical issues facing horticulture, labor remains at the top of the list. It’s been 40 years since an ag labor bill has been passed, but that is not due to the efforts of AmericanHort and other organizations who meet regularly with all federal departments that have a say in labor and immigration policies.
• When it comes to tariffs, Mika sums it in three words this time: Announce, Pause, Repeat. “We know tariff policies, rollouts, and enforcement are constantly changing, so we’re working to make industries and products that affect horticulture are exempted when possible.” This includes peat moss as well as any products produced through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
• President Trump’s budget reconciliation bill did include some wins for agriculture, including permanently extending the Qualified Business Income Deduction to 20%, and a new 100% first-year deduction for agricultural/manufacturing infrastructure.
• Mika closed by noting that telling your story isn’t limited to just talking about your business. “Research funding is critical to the long-term success of this industry, so we also need to be talking about how we work with the research community,” Mika said.

So how can you get involved? Here are two suggestions: 1) become a member of AmericanHort and get access to a wide range of resources that can support your business. 2) Keep up with AmericanHort’s advocacy efforts. For example, check out this recent episode of the Greenhouse Grower to Grower, where we talk to Mika about AmericanHort’s upcoming Impact Washington event.