NMPRO Weekly E-Mail

To view this e-mail as a Web page, go here.

DECEMBER 4, 2007

National standard proposed for sustainable ag
Efforts have begun to create a national standard for producers and handlers that claim they engage in sustainable ag. The effort would apply to all nursery and greenhouse crops, at both the wholesale and retail levels. Leonardo Academy and Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) co-hosted a meeting to solicit stakeholder input on SCS-drafted language to create a national standard for sustainable ag. practices. SCS intends to get these draft standards adopted by American Nat'l. Standards Institute (ANSI) by April 2010. To be added to the SCS/Leonardo Academy contact list for updates, contact Johna Roth.

ANLA joins OFA for 2008 Short Course
Next summer, ANLA will join OFA — an Association of Floriculture Professionals for the annual Short Course, held in Columbus, Ohio. ANLA will hold its annual meeting before the start of the Short Course. ANLA will also partner with OFA on several educational sessions. "Both of our memberships are selling products through the same supply chain to the same consumers," said Bobby Barnitz, OFA president. "That makes this a natural partnership." The OFA Short Course, July 12-15, will attract 10,000 visitors from around the world.

Anne Frank-linked chestnut put up for auction
A Holland resident posted for sale on eBay a chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) that he claims came from the tree that Anne Frank gazed upon while hiding from the Nazis. "I had this idea for a few years, then I saw that the tree was in the news and I decided to put the chestnut up for auction," Charles Kuijpers, who lives next door to the garden where the tree stands, told a Dutch newspaper. City officials recently determined that there was a great risk of the trunk breaking from the diseased tree and decided that it should be removed. The winning bid for the chestnut was more than $10,000. Subsequent eBay auctions were posted for additional chestnuts claimed to be from the Amsterdam tree.

'Tis the season for Christmas tree news
• Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Assoc. says trees sold for this holiday season were not damaged by the drought. But future Christmases are another story. Trees planted earlier this year and in 2006 will bear the brunt of the drought. Growers might try to make up for the losses by planting more trees this fall and next year.
• Sales growth in California has slowed, rising only 1% in the past 2 years, according to Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Growers Assoc. Consumers seem to be buying more artificial trees. So Oregon Dept. of Ag. and growers are urging California residents to "Get Real This Christmas."
• Lowe's issued an apology after a photo featuring Christmas trees in its 2007 holiday catalog was titled "Family trees." The advertisement sparked an outcry from American Family Assoc. A spokesperson for Lowe's said the advertisement was an error and inconsistent with the company's practice of referring to Christmas trees.

Web site asks companies to pledge they hire legally
Dallas lawyer David Marlett has started a Web site where companies can sign a pledge that they will not "knowingly hire illegal or undocumented workers" and will report anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. The ProAmerica Web site was launched in June and has about 920 businesses on board in 44 states. ProAmerica is a nonprofit organization, and companies do not have to pay to be posted on the site.

Worth a visit
Learn to grow Picea abies 'Acrocona,' an unusual Norway spruce that fits into today's landscapes. Only on GreenBeam.com.

Syngenta remains committed to investing in every aspect of our ornamental business to bring value to growers for producing beautifully strong plants.

Hortica is the horticultural industry advocate that is a trusted partner for your business insurance, employee benefits and personal insurance. Contact Hortica to discuss your needs.

The ANLA 2008 Management Clinic is coming! February 8-11, 2008 in Louisville, Ken.

Register now! Visit www.midam.org for details. Mid-Am, the Midwest's premier trade show, features hundreds of exhibits, 130+ hours of education, plus much more!

Info Now! Use our Directory of Suppliers to easily research supplies or contact suppliers directly.
Advanced AFG Risk Services For more Agri-Carts For more Agrium Advanced Technologies For more ANLA For more Athena Trees For more Atlas Greenhouse Systems, Inc. For more Bailey Nurseries For more Bennett & Associates, Inc. For more Berkey’s Nursery For more Biosafe Systems For more Bluebird Nursery, Inc. For more Bubco, Inc. For more Casa Flora For more Central Landscape Supply For more Chesapeake Nurseries For more Combustion Service Co. For more Concord Nurseries, Inc. For more Delmmar Communications For more Deluxe Trees and Shrubs For more Dow Agro Science For more DPM, Inc. For more Dutchman Industries For more Emerald Coast Growers For more Engel’s Nursery Inc. For more Euro American Propagators For more Fairview Evergreen Nursery For more FarmSaver.com For more Forrest Keeling Nursery For more Geotek, Inc. For more GK Machines For more Great Western Bag Company For more Greenelf Works For more Gulf States Horticultural Expo, Inc., The For more Hawksridge Farms, Inc. For more HBD/Thermoid For more Heritage Seedling, Inc. For more Irrometer Company For more Itsaul Plants For more J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. For more Jackson & Perkins Wholesale For more Jiffy Products For more JLPN For more		Jon’s Nursery For more King’s Industries For more Liner Source, Inc. For more Macore Co. For more Maxijet For more Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) For more Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show For more Musser Forests For more New England Grows For more Nursery Supplies For more Nursery Supplies For more Phyton Corporation For more Pikes Peak Nurseries For more Prichard’s Nursery Equipment LLC For more RootMaker Products Company, LLC For more Scotts Company, The For more Sherman Nursery Company For more Siebring Manufacturing For more Southeastern Wood Products For more Southern Nursery Association (SNA 2007) For more Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. For more Strathmeyer Forests For more Stuppy Greenhouse Mfg., Inc. For more Summit Plastics For more Sweet Manufacturing For more Syngenta Crop Protection For more Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers For more Tree Equipment Design, Inc. For more Willamette Nurseries For more

To SUBSCRIBE: http://www.greenbeam.com/email/email_form.html
To UNSUBSCRIBE: Reply to this e-mail here.

TO CONTACT THE EDITOR: kneal@branchsmith.com

Reach the desktop of over 7,000 nursery professionals every week. To sponsor the NMPRO Weekly E-mail, contact Rhonda Newton, rnewton@branchsmith.com or Randy Mapston, rmapston@branchsmith.com.