SAN ANTONIO, TX – Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association (TNLA) on Monday toured Lone Star Growers, a nursery in San Antonio, and following the tour, held a workforce roundtable with local growers and landscape contractors. Over the last year, Texas’ green industry has encountered problems due to the national labor shortage and damages from Winter Storm Uri. Congressman Gonzales, TNLA and participants discussed possible solutions to these issues such as an increase in H-2B visas and disaster relief for the industry.

View photos from the event here.

 

“Over the last year, Texas’ growers have faced a unique set of challenges from the pandemic and winter storms, and now due to the labor and supply chain shortages,” said Congressman Gonzales. “In order to find tangible, realistic solutions for the green industry, I need to hear firsthand from industry partners, which is what we were able to do yesterday. I thank the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association and local businesses for participating in this discussion and look forward to continuing to work for Texas’ green industry in Congress.”

 

"We thank Congressman Gonzales for taking the time to see firsthand the unique challenges facing the Texas green industry and applaud his desire to hear the concerns directly from growers, contractors, and suppliers in his district," said Amy Graham, President and CEO of the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association. "With over a billion dollars in green industry sales inside the counties represented in CD-23, our industry is facing constraints like labor shortages, disaster relief, and supply chain concerns and it takes attentive leaders like Congressman Gonzales to help these businesses grow."