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Seeking to increase the sale of horticultural products, Todd and Barbara Bachman established the Todd and Barbara Bachman Chair in Horticulture Marketing at University of Minnesota. Todd Bachman discusses the chair and the Bachmans' desire to expand the market through the research, study and teaching of the marketing of horticultural products.

Q. Why did you and your wife Barbara establish an endowed chair in horticulture marketing?

A. We feel there is a need in this area that is not being addressed. At present there is only one or two universities nationally that are doing any type of horticulture marketing research on a regular basis.

The Todd and Barbara Bachman Chair in Horticulture Marketing will be the first endowed chair devoted to the research, study and teaching of the marketing of horticultural products. Horticultural products have been significantly improved, but awareness of these improved and desirable products has not kept up with the gains made in breeding and disease and insect management. Floral and nursery crop production in particular has made many advances in the past 10 years. Unfortunately, no real emphasis has been placed on expanding the market for these new and improved products.

Q. Why did you choose horticulture, and not specifically floriculture, since your family has been involved with flowers for nearly 90 years?

A. Here is where history plays a major role. In 1882 my great grandfather immigrated to Minnesota from Germany. In 1885 he started a truck farm growing vegetables. In the early 1920s market pressure forced the family to look at other crops that were more competitive in the Minnesota marketplace. They started growing flowers and then a few years later nursery stock for landscape purposes. By 1930 the family had moved entirely away from vegetables in favor of other horticulture crops.

Currently, our business is in its fifth generation, has 8 acres of greenhouses devoted to floral and bedding plant production and a 500-acre farm for producing container and field-grown nursery stock. All of our production is marketed through one of our 21 retail floral or floral, gift and garden center outlets or our Nursery Wholesale and Landscape Services division.

In addition, Barbara's father, Orrin C. Turnquist, is a professor emeritus of horticulture at University of Minnesota, who specialized in vegetable crops from 1947-1978. Many of the principles of marketing that apply to our industry will have equal merit for all other segments of horticulture to learn from.

Q. Why did you endow a chair in marketing rather than one in crop production, biotechnology or pest management?

A. There are three main reasons:

1. The subject of marketing is not being address adequately in our industry.

2. We have tremendous opportunity to reach more people more often with our products.

3. Sales will always dictate production. We have many good producers in our industry, but not many that are good at marketing what they produce. Hopefully this new university position will provide some necessary insight into marketing our products.

Q. Why did you choose the University of Minnesota?

A. Barbara and I are both graduates of the university. Barb's father is a professor emeritus of the university. My father Lloyd A. Bachman served on the advisory council for the college of agriculture for 22 years and helped secure support and funding for the present horticulture building, Alderman Hall. Barb and I also believe in higher education and the opportunities it can bring to individuals and the industry.

Lastly, the University of Minnesota is a top-ranked educational institution capable of attracting the best and brightest educator and researcher to fill the position.

Q. How will the person be selected for the chair?

A. A national search will take place to fill the chair. This will be done by a selection committee made up of both university and industry personnel. We intend to begin the search this year.

Q. Will the floriculture industry have any input into the type of marketing research that will be conducted?

A. Yes, the University of Minnesota has always been very good about directing research and teaching to specific areas that are important to industry. This is one of the other reasons that we chose to fund the chair at University of Minnesota.

Q. How much money has been raised?

A. The chair has been fully funded by our gift and the University of Minnesota matching contribution. We chose to establish our chair jointly with the university, in conjunction with Campaign Minnesota, a $1.3 billion dollar fund-raising effort that was universitywide.

Q. If someone is interested in making a contribution to the chair, whom should they contact?

A. While the chair is fully funded, gifts are welcome for graduate student support, equipment and materials. For more: Sue A. Shepard, director of development, University of Minnesota, College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, 277 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108-6074; (612)-624-3625; e-mail shepard@mailbox.mail.umn.edu.

Q. Most of the research projects funded by floriculture organizations (associations, foundations, etc.) have been related to some aspect of crop production. Even though growers make up a high percentage of the membership of these organizations, they have designated a minimal amount of funding related to marketing their products. Why do you think this has occurred and do you expect this will continue?

A. Our industry has been under-funded for a long time in all aspects of research. Fortunately, we have had organizations like the American Floral Endowment that has worked diligently to raise funds for research in all fields of floriculture. Their contribution base has to a large extent come from growers and they have funded some very high quality research to support grower needs. They have also funded consumer research and marketing projects, but there just aren't enough dollars to meet all of today's research and educational needs.

Hopefully the research done by the holder of this endowed chair, along with AFE, Gloeckner Foundation and other association and foundation funds will be a catalyst for others in the industry to step forward and make a long-term commitment toward our industry's growth.

Q. Will the endowed chair address problems of a nationwide scope or will this person focus on marketing issues more related to Minnesota?

A. The chair will address marketing issues on a nationwide scope.

Q. What kind of impact do you foresee the endowed chair having, specifically on marketing in floriculture? What type of projects would you personally like to see accomplished.

A. There are three primary areas that I feel will benefit from having this chair.

Research. The goal is to sell more flowers and plants to more people. To achieve that we need to understand consumer preferences and needs. Then develop, produce and market products to meet those needs.

Education. Training and development of promising horticulture students and industry personnel in marketing techniques and principals that will grow our businesses.

Outreach. Share with the industry all information derived from this position through publications, seminars and personal visits.

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© 2001 Branch-Smith Publishing