Plant Materials Center update: January 13, 2022
Here are 5 things that you should know about the PMC for January 13, 2022.
Sales
Jacquie continues to receive and process new orders at a rapid pace. So rapid that there has not been time to generate a sales report for this week. The cold weather resulted in a little slow down in sales but many are now making up for lost time.
December Financial Reports
Lori has completed the December Financial Reports. Most everything is in order for this time of year. The net income is still running negative which is typical since there is a lot of money going out to run harvest but revenue coming in is still lagging until more plants are shipped, invoiced, and paid.
On the bright side, revenue for December is up from last December. The PMC received $163,492 in revenue this December compared to $72,961 last December. Revenue for the fiscal year to date is also up from this time last year. It was $236,286 this year and was $146,497 last year.
This is good news since expenses are also up. $119,545 was spent this December compared to $114,838 last December. Expenses fiscal year to date are also up. Last year expenses-to-date were $447,754 and this year they are $458,193. One of the biggest impacts comes from the increased wages for seasonal workers. That is due to a combination of an increase in minimum wages last January, more weeding this year, and harvesting more live stakes this fall. Speaking of increasing seasonal wages: the minimum wage increased two weeks ago to $0.80 per hour.
Weather
The PMC made it through the great deep freeze and is back to the more typical mild rain. Something is definitely amiss when rain is a welcome sight this time of year.
Harvest
Now that the weather has moderated harvest is back in full swing. All of the crew returned to work just as soon as conditions allowed. Assistant Manager John Knox has been busy keeping the processing line in the packing shed going which can be a handful. There is often a change in plants being processed every hour or two. That requires determining the grading and communicating that with those on the line.
Bundle labels and bag labels also have to be changed and after the lot is complete, they need to be inventoried and stored in the cooler. Along the way, the quality needs to be checked and adjustments made as needed. The crew is doing a great job and harvest continues on schedule.
COVID 19 Update
Skagit County is experiencing a surge in COVID cases just like other counties. The PMC has reminded its employees of the protocols issued by the Washington State Department of Labor and they are being followed. There is currently one seasonal employee under quarantine but that person feels okay and will return.
There are initial indications that the surge may be spiking and starting to drop. Hopefully, they are right. Businesses in the county have been forced to temporarily close due to COVID in the workplace. It is hoped that does not happen here.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Jim Brown, WACD PMC Nursery Manager
https://wacdpmc.org/about-us