TCIA’s mission as a trade association is to advance tree care businesses.

The June 2023 issue of TCI Magazine is here! Visit tcimag.tcia.org to read and listen to all of the... articles in the latest issue as well as anything you may have missed from previous issues. Sign up to receive your free print issue every month! Subscribe at tcimag.tcia.org

With a focus on mechanization, articles include:

Economics of Mechanization: Rise of the Machines
BY DAVID RATTIGAN

Purchasing Tree-Service Equipment - Maximizing Margin
BY JEFF HEYBRUCK

Grapple Booms and Mechanization: Revisiting the Industrial Revolution
BY JOSEPH B. PIPITONE

Additional features include:
Incidental Line Clearance: What Arborists Need to Know About Working Around Utilities
BY GEOFF KEMPTER AND STEPHEN HILBERT

Tree-Related Electrical Incidents: Us Vs. Them
BY JOHN BALL, PH.D., BCMA, CTSP

ON THE COVER: Rancho Tree Service employs a Sennebogen material handler to reach across a waterway to access a tree. Photo courtesy of Rancho Tree Service. For more on Rancho Tree’s mechanization, see the article starting on page 12.

Read the full issue at tcimag.tcia.org or through the link in our bio.

Subscribe to the print edition. It is always free and delivered to your doorstep – subscribe at tcimag.tcia.org.

Courtney and Audra Kelly began ArborTech in 2008. A few years into the business they reached six ...full-time employees. They now have 16 employees comprising three to four crews, a sales team and an office staff. “The key to success is providing the best service, having a work ethic that beats the competition and forming relationships,” says Courtney. “What sets us apart is listening to people and establishing connections.”

In 2014, they became members of TCIA. “TCIA was and still is the resource we tap into to move forward,” the couple says. “They definitely have been the biggest contributor to our success on the administrative side.”

ArborTech is one of an elite group of tree care companies that hold dual Accreditation, both Residential and Utility Contractor (UC). They earned the Residential credential in August 2022 and UC in February of this year.

To learn more about ArborTech and their accreditation experience, read the full article in the May 2023 issue of TCI Magazine at tcimag.tcia.org or link in our bio.

All photos courtesy of @ArborTechTreeRemovalExperts
Subscribe to the print edition of TCI Magazine. It is free and delivered directly to you – subscribe at tcimag.tcia.org.

Attention all TCIA members! Voting is ongoing on proposed changes to the TCIA bylaws. So far, about... a third of the members have weighed in, so there is still a need and some time for your help to review and vote. Changes can be seen at https://member.tcia.org/tcia-bylaws-update/. Check your inbox for your company's electronic ballot (only one was sent to the primary contact for each firm). Any questions, email us at elections.tcia.org.

We are also looking for volunteers to serve on the Nominations Committee. Please email us at elections@tcia.org if you are interested.

How will the Farm Bill impact your tree care business?

The Farm Bill is a multi-year ...legislation that is evaluated every five years. It authorizes funding for various programs related to agriculture, food, forestry, energy, and research in the United States. The last Farm Bill was enacted in 2018, and many of its programs are set to expire on September 30, 2023, unless policymakers extend their authorization or reauthorize them as part of a new Farm Bill. The Farm Bill's forestry title supports efforts to resolve nature-related challenges, such as wildfires, and is carried out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its agency, the Forest Service (USFS).

The 118th Congress is working on reauthorizing the Farm Bill, and negotiations are led by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture. The severity and occurrence of wildfires are increasing, and the Forest Service must increase its timber production to support the industry and prevent wildfires. Additionally, invasive pests are a concern, and members of Congress are looking for ways to address them, such as through pesticide preemption.

As Congress moves closer to advancing the next Farm Bill, TCIA will follow impactful provisions and provide an overview of the agreed-upon Farm Bill. TCIA will continue to promote the responsible use of pesticides and will consider solutions to the nation’s wildfire challenge.

To learn more about the current Farm Bill negotiations, read or listen the full article in the May 2023 issue of TCI Magazine at tcimag.tcia.org or link in our bio.

Keep up with the national news that impacts your business! The Washington column is in TCI Magazine every month!

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