OSHA Tree Care Standard: TCIA has advocated for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a safety standard specifically tailored to the tree care industry. A dedicated standard would help address the unique hazards associated with day-to-day tree care operations, reduce confusion stemming from OSHA’s current reliance on a patchwork of unrelated regulations, and provide greater clarity on best safety practices. In addition to improving worker safety, such a standard could also help lower insurance costs for employers by establishing consistent, industry-appropriate compliance expectations.

Immigration Reform: Many TCIA member rely on seasonal workers through the H-2B visa program to meet peak labor demands when qualified U.S. workers are unavailable. However, the program’s annual cap of 66,000 visas is consistently exceeded, often within days of release, leaving employers without the workforce they need. TCIA routinely advocates for the expansion of the H-2B visa program to ensure the industry can meet its seasonal workforce needs.

Wildfire Mitigation: TCIA members play a critical role in wildfire mitigation and management, helping to prevent fires by identifying and addressing hazardous trees near critical infrastructure. However, in the absence of a national standard for hazard tree inspections, contractors face growing liability risks and inconsistent requirements across jurisdictions. TCIA advocates for a federal standard to establish uniform guidelines for utility vegetation management to improve wildfire prevention, standardizing risk assessment across states, and making insurance more accessible and affordable for contractors.

Pesticide Preemption: Tree care companies use pesticides as part of responsible vegetation management and to maintain the health of trees across urban, suburban, and rural environments. However, the growing patchwork of local pesticide regulations creates confusion, increases compliance burdens, and threatens effective tree care practices. As such, TCIA advocates for Congress to pass legislation that would maintain state and federal preemption over pesticide regulation to ensure consistency, science-based decision-making, and continued access to the tools necessary for professional tree care.