Limited water allowed in Georgia. Now what?

The Georgia green industry gave a collective whoop of joy when Georgia Governor Perdue announced on Wednesday (Feb. 6) that he was lifting the very strict watering ban. Hand watering for 25 minutes between midnight and 10 a.m., three days a week will be allowed as soon as the paperwork is officially signed, likely by Monday morning, Feb. 11, said Sherry Loudermilk, executive director of Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA).

This gives homeowners the chance to keep their plants alive, and by extension, the local green industry as well.

This temporary fix is expected to be complemented by a longer term one requiring an Outdoor Water Use Registration, which is due to be put in place by April 1. Until the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) hammers out all the details, which is expected to take place by the end of the weekend, the details of the new rules for watering may change, Loudermilk said.

A lot of challenges remain
Think of Perdue lightening the watering ban as life support for the Georgia green industry. It offers a chance to survive 2008, but it’s not a guarantee.

Retailers. After a fall and winter full of desperate conservation efforts, Georgia homeowners will need to be convinced that keeping plants alive is ethical. There are already several angry blog postings reacting to the governor’s actions, Loudermilk said.

It’s not just the consumer that needs convincing. Each county has the right to impose stricter water policy than what the governor is allowing. In other words, independent retailers may need to join forces even with mass merchants in an effort to campaign for allowing hand watering in the county. There is a sense, however, that most water districts will not impose stricter measures, at least when allowing for minimal watering, Loudermilk said.

Growers. Growers are in just as much a bind as retailers. They’ve had to destroy crops when there were no retailers buying. The healthy pansy crop this year was mostly destroyed due to a lack of a marketplace.

Even though retailers will be able to sell plants this spring after all, there will likely be timing issues with availability. While there is a surplus of product right now, growers have cut back on traditional spring plugs -- and staff.

Another very serious issue that growers are facing is financial. With so many crops dumped and current crops staying in the greenhouse too long, many growers are on the brink of collapse. When most counties were declared disaster areas, hope in the shape of SBA loans and insurance claims glimmered.

Then growers ran into two very big obstacles, Loudermilk said. First, SBA has a $750,000 annual income cap for agricultural businesses like growers. If a grower earns more than that, they do not qualify as a small business. The cap was created in the 1980s, and is a level that is far too low for today’s independently owned growers.

The second problem stems from insurance coverage. Loss of a marketplace does not qualify for insurance coverage. If the drought caused the water supply at the greenhouse to be shut off and the crops consequently died, then growers would qualify for coverage. But the crops are healthy, there’s just no one available to buy them. And no insurance coverage.

Loudermilk would like to organize a national level campaign to petition the SBA to lift its current $750,000 cut off to a more realistic and modern amount.

-- Carol

Comments

[ricardo maxwell]

Once again, the watermelon environmentalists receive favorable PR from the liberal press (who thrives on doom and gloom!). Why doesn't anyone from the Agriculture/Horitculture/Natural Resources community speak out and tell these ignorant "journalists" and politicians that planting green plants actually CONSERVES water not depletes it. Plants and trees create their own microclimates by cooling the environment (reduce heat and evaporation) and trap water both in the soil and in the plant itself. Humidity levels are increased in the proximity of green plants. Etc...etc.... etc...
Why do so many educated and intelligent Americans sit back and let the media and ignorant self-serving politicians control our country, our livelihood, and our destiny?