GIPAC
The Illinois Green Industry
Political Action Committee (GIPAC)
By participating in GIPAC, you are part of an industry grassroots network
where a more informed and engaged membership has the collective ability to
influence legislation, regulation and policy issues that will determine the future
of our industry and your business.
Illinois State Capitol
IGIA - GIPAC:
There are many good reasons for having a trade organization. In this day and age, the most important
reason must be to protect the trade from the increasing government over-reach of regulations. From IRS
and Immigration to OSHA and EPA (and acronyms we don’t even know)!
These agencies are issuing directives that have the Power of Law. Many of these directives would not have a
chance to become law if they had to go through a Statehouse or Congress. We must be alert to what is going
on in our State Capital (and in Washington, D.C.) and work on rules and regulations and bills before they
come out and are finalized.
Most agencies barely know we exist and they don’t understand or care much about us. We must fight for our
livelihoods and futures - nobody else will!
We must come up with the funds to hire the
right people to work for us in Springfield and
Washington and make alliances with like-minded
organizations. It is up to us to save ourselves.
Peter Orum
Chairman
Midwest Groundcovers, LLC
U.S. Capitol
IGIA
GIPAC is BACK!
We are excited to announce:
The Illinois Green Industry Political Action Committee (GIPAC)
has been reactivated after a five-year hiatus!
By participating in GIPAC, you are part of an industry grassroots network where a more informed and engaged
membership has the collective ability to influence legislation, regulation and policy issues that will determine the
future of our industry and your business.
We have been busy here at the IGIA, striving to protect the interests of our members and our Illinois green
industry as a whole. We were thrilled to be able to engage Molly Rockford of Illinois Strategies as our full-time
lobbyist again this spring for the first time in several years. In addition to having Molly back on board, other
highlights include:
• This spring we led efforts to build, motivate and mobilize a broad-based team of diverse industry and
business interests to oppose legislation proposed to ban the use and sale of neonicotinoids. Ultimately,
we successfully spearheaded the campaign in opposition to the proposed ban and beat back their efforts.
However, we know those pushing for the ban – despite its adverse economic impact on small businesses
across Illinois – will try again and again and we must remain vigilant on this and similar issues.
• We continue to be fully represented on and engaged in the Illinois Invasive Plant Species Council so that
efforts to stop the sale of plants and trees popular on the market does not happen on our watch. Despite
aggressive efforts to ban the callery pear in Illinois, we were able to educate the voting members of the
council and officials at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources so they appreciated and understood the
significant financial impact such a ban would have on small businesses throughout the state.
• We sponsored the NFIB & State Chamber’s Lobby Day in April and had our incoming IGIA president,
several members of our Public Policy Committee and our executive director join the NFIB in hearing from
the Governor, Speaker, Senate President, Senate Minority Leader and state agency officials. We look forward
to expanding our presence at this collaborative effort in future years.
• We work hard to cultivate our already excellent relationships with the state agencies that regulate our
industry – the Illinois Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Public Health and the EPA – and our
commitment to advocacy on behalf of our members gives us unparalleled access and influence.
• As you may have heard, our IGIA growers committed to replace 200 dying trees on the Illinois State
Fairgrounds over the next four years. When we donated the first 50 last fall, the Governor and Director of
Agriculture joined us for a ceremonial tree planting to shine the spotlight on our industry’s commitment;
and every single one of those 50 trees were planted with help from the Department of Ag’s nursery
inspectors. Then this spring we also landed our first-ever Specialty Crop Grant from the IDOA/USDA to
launch a statewide marketing campaign to encourage the public and potential customers to plant more trees
and plants.
• We’re happy to contribute to AmericanHort’s Lighthouse Fund, which helps our national organization
protect our industry’s interests in Washington, D.C.
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Green Industry Political Action Committee
Your financial support of and direct involvement in these continuing public policy and advocacy efforts will help
shape the environment in which our member businesses can survive, even thrive, so that our nursery and landscape industry remains viable for years and years.
Why is this important or why do you need to be involved? Because government affects everything that we do.
Whether you realize it or not, government – whether at the state or federal level – impacts every single nursery,
garden center and landscape business every single day. From what you can grow and sell, to how you can grow
and sell it, to how that product is transported, to what certifications are required or licenses and fees have to be
paid so that you can install it, the list of regulations, laws and ordinances only grows.
Those regulations, laws and ordinances are going to be developed and enacted with or without our industry’s
input and involvement. So it is imperative that we have a seat at the table, that we have both influence and
opportunity to impact the legislative or rulemaking process. We have more strength and influence in numbers.
Collectively our industry is or can be a powerful force to effect change and influence lawmakers and regulators.
“The importance of being engaged both personally and financially in the political process cannot be expressed enough. As
my dad always reminded me, the government can cripple our
businesses very quickly with adverse regulations and laws so
it is essential we support our industry organizations and be
proactive in public policy efforts that affect our industry and our
businesses.” - Ann Tosovsky, Home Nursery
IGIA
Strength in Numbers
Together we are more informed, more engaged, more effective.
Pledge your support & Donate to GIPAC today!
Our goal this year is to raise a minimum of $50,000 in donations alone, not counting the annual Tribute Dinner
or other fundraisers. Now that we officially have our Green Industry Political Action Committee (GIPAC) back,
it’s as easy as ever. Plus, the money is kept separate from the association’s daily operational resources, so you
should be fully confident knowing the donations you make to GIPAC are used only for public policy or political
initiatives and advocacy efforts.
Donor Levels
Gingko•••••$10,000
Beech•••••$5,000
Oak•••••••$2,500
Maple•••••$1,000
Elm••••••$500
Linden•••$250
Aspen••••$100
Exclusive benefits or rewards will be available – on a graduated scale – either as strictly private opportunities
for those that contribute at the highest levels (Gingko-$10,000, Beech-$5000, Oak-$2500 and in some cases,
Maple-$1000) or by providing our most generous donors with complimentary tickets that other guests may be
able to buy at a premium to participate.
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Green Industry Political Action Committee
Among the activities already being planned or considered for the future, are:
• Tickets (or an entire table) to the annual Chuck Tosovsky Memorial Tribute Dinner
• Tickets to a casual, fun, social event held in conjunction with the IGC Show in August
• Architectural River Cruise & Dinner in Chicago held either in conjunction with the IGC Show in August or
as a stand-alone event in summer
• A Washington, DC social event or dinner at a nice restaurant that is tied to an IGIA or industry lobbying trip
to the nation’s capital
• A Springfield social or fundraising event that is connected to a legislative day - whether our own or one we
do in cooperation with another sponsoring organization
Won’t you consider making a donation now and lending your voice to our growing GIPAC strength? The
dollars obviously matter, but so does the actual number of individual donors/supporters we have because the
more companies we represent, the more influence we will have with legislators, policy makers and regulators.
Complete the attached form and get it back to us at your earliest convenience. Or visit us at www.ilgipac.com.
“Why I believe it is important to support GIPAC. In this crazy
world we live in, there is only one guarantee when you are a
business owner. Somehow, there will be new regulations that
will be imposed on your business. By supporting GIPAC, we
are able to try to diffuse situations before they become law or
a passed bill. It is easier to head something off, than to fight to
get something back. The real reason is “What we do together
is what matters.” We need to stand together, as one industry to
address these obstacles.”
- Scott McAdam, McAdam Landscaping, Inc.
IGIA
GIPAC Donation Form
I WANT TO DO MY PART TO ENSURE ILLINOIS’ NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY
REMAINS VIABLE FOR YEARS TO COME! HERE’S MY CONTRIBUTION TO GIPAC:
$10,000
$5,000
$2,500
$1,000
$500
$250
$100
Other
- Gingko Level
- Beech Level
- Oak Level
- Maple Level
- Elm Level
- Linden Level
- Aspen Level
Amount $
Type of Contribution:
Personal
Business
Name:
Company:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Email Address:
Business Phone:
Cell Phone:
Payment:
Check Enclosed
Charge my Visa/MasterCard/Discover
Card No.:
Expiration Date:
Name on Card:
CCV:
Signature of Cardholder:
Please print out this page and then fax, scan/email or mail it to:
• Fax: 217.546.4703 • Email: [email protected] • Mail: GIPAC
• c/o Illinois Green Industry Association •2900 Greenbriar Drive • Springfield, IL 62704
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GIPAC
c/o Illinois Green Industry Association
2900 Greenbriar Drive
Springfield, IL 62704
Thank you for your generous support, which will help us to continue to have a voice in Springfield and
Washington on behalf of the entire nursery and landscape industry of Illinois!
For more information, contact IGIA Executive Director & GIPAC Treasurer Joe Khayyat at [email protected]
or (217) 546-4733.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website
(www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
217-546-GREEN (4733)
Fax 217-546-4703
GIPAC: www.ilgipac.com
members: www.illinoisgreen.net
public: www.gardenillinois.com