April 16, 2008
Specialty Crop Grant Funds Partnership Between Florida Agriculture Department And Nursery Association
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced the establishment of a partnership program with the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA). The program was made possible by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) specialty crop block grant and will be conducted over a two-year period.
The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorizes USDA to make grants to states to be used by state departments of agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, which are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture).
A grant in the amount of $253,750 will be used for the horticulture partnership to conduct the following programs:
-- FNGLA will showcase an interactive educational exhibit at the 2008 Disney Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. The exhibit will feature displays to encourage children and their families to garden and promote Florida-friendly landscaping, environmental responsibility and water conservation.
-- FNGLA's existing online Plant Locator will be transformed into a real-time, online plant locator service. This will enable growers to update information and offer real-time plant inventory online in a searchable database for landscape and retail customers.
-- A series of public service announcements will be aired statewide. The "GrowSmart!" messages will promote watering wisely, use of Florida-friendly plants in landscaping, direct consumers to plant and landscape resource information, and promote buying local.
-- There will be featured homes in five target areas of the state to exhibit innovative, water-conserving landscapes and irrigation design standards. The models will embrace the latest scientific and environmental technology to show and teach environmentally friendly landscaping design to Floridians.
-- FNGLA will also work with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Department of Education to transform the existing horticultural curriculum in Florida high schools to provide a pathway to the Certified Horticulture Professional (FCHP) program. This will enable teachers to provide relevant training and prepare students for nursery and landscape professional certification.
FNGLA works closely with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to assist Florida's nursery growers and landscape professionals. Florida's environmental horticulture industry produces an estimated $15.2 billion in annual sales. In 2005, farm-gate nursery grower sales topped $3 billion, landscape sales were $5.25 billion, and retail garden center sales exceeded $7 billion. Florida is the second-largest nursery crop-producing state in the nation and the nation's leading foliage-producing state growing nearly 70 percent of all foliage plants (plants used for indoors) in the United States. FNGLA is the largest state nursery/landscape association in the country with 2,500 member firms.
For more information:
Terence McElroy
(850) 488-3022
mcelrot@doacs.state.fl.us
