Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:

Chair and secretary elections: Dr. Ben Campbell (chair), Dr. Ariana Torres (secretary)

2019 Green Industry Survey Discussion: Members discussed the possibility of adding questions on labor, technology adoption, pesticide use or reduction, how producers are getting information, changing regulations, and fertilizer use changes. The group decided to add ‘provide beneficial insect habitat’ to Q10. The group decided to change Q33 from “labor” to “labor costs”, and labor availability for both management and general labor. We decided to replace Q20 with the following: “From where do you get your information on technical, business, and marketing information?” (a) sales reps, other professionals, peer groups; (b) meetings, educational seminars, (c) print media (e.g. catalogs, newsletters), (d) online/electronic print (e.g. blogs, websites), (e) other online/electronic media (YouTube, podcasts, webinars, etc.), (f) other: please list. The group decided to add the following question in the Employment section: “What are you doing to address labor cost increases?” (a) adopting labor-saving technology, (b) nothing, (c) paying higher wages, (d) employee training, (e) adding benefits (f) other: please list. In Q27, change producer to grower. We added the definition of smart irrigation systems from an earlier version of the survey to include examples.

We discussed removing Q17 in the print survey and add wording in the online survey with “automated online/website only,” “e-mail only,” and “other.” We need to add “newspaper” back to Q24 and delete “yellow pages”. In Q24, we want to change the word “internet” to “website”. For the advertising media question (Q24), if a respondent checks website, follow up “How do you use websites?” Providing general information to customers, online sales, product availability, and other. “Who is the primary manager for your website?” Manager in company, employee in company, outsourced, and other. Q29 (in the retailer version of the survey): Use POS information? Delete the first part of the question (with Yes/No) and add “Which of the following methods do you use to create your POS items.” Add QR or other image recognition codes to the POS methods. Then follow up with the sources (internal v. external). Add a platform list to the types of social media used (Q30 in the retailer version): Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Yelp, LinkedIn, Reddit, Houzz, and text-based marketing.

Alan Hodges and the survey committee will make the adjustments and circulate revisions for approval and want revisions by 3/21/19.

New Project Committee: Ben Campbell will submit the new project. The project administrator can and should act as an advocate to help shepherd the proposal. The old proposal will expire 9/30/2020. Craig Nessler agreed to help Ben Campbell facilitate the new proposal. Add several paragraphs to the related and prior literature. There is now a database of impacts to be sure that multi-state and individual impacts are reported. Ariana Torres and Hayk Khachatryan circulated a Qualtrics survey link about old objectives and proposing two new objectives (influencing or shifting consumer preferences and effectiveness of new media technology).

Continuation of roundtable discussion, including comments about the Summer 2019 meeting (proposed location – Delaware). Susan Barton will circulate a poll to find a time for the meeting.

Selection of site for Winter 2020 meeting: San Diego was suggested last year but we were ousted by a medical convention. Tim and Charlie and will investigate a 2020 meeting.

New Sub Committees: A sub-committee will be formed to investigate the NALP survey gaps and see if the group could address those gaps in the 2024 survey (Landscape Services Subcommittee). The three publications NALP conducts is (Employment Compensation Report, Operating Cost Study, and Pricing for the Green Industry). Range in cost from $70 to $150 for non-members. We don’t have the survey built, but if it were, potentially HRI may fund it. A pilot survey would assess the method. We could do a convenience sample of several states. Some in the group are interested to understand trends in practices, particularly for sustainability. Tim will be the academic advisor to NALP and is soliciting potential collaborators and input. The comprehensive list we now use is anyone who grows or handles plants, but excludes strictly maintenance firms. Kueheny and Schauwecker are co-chairs, members are Barton, Hall, Boyer, Khachatryan are members.

We should also form a Labor Subcommittee (HRI would potentially be a funder of a proposal). Potential to add another sub-committee on technology adoption. Campbell (chair), Hall, Boyer, and Khachatryan. Technology adoption may be a topic for this committee.

Discussion of ongoing research projects:

We discussed submitting state reports prior to the meeting. We could go around the room and discuss the paragraph. Those not submitting a report would not have a place on the agenda but the group sees value in discussing the work orally.

Behe discussed the Marketing Munchies podcast and would invite anyone to be a guest on the show.

Hall discussed the Index of Prices Paid by Growers by Hall will be circulated and analogous to Index of Farm Prices Paid. He is updating the Plant Benefits publication with a four-part series in J. Environmental Horticulture.

Ingram discussed working with Josh Knight to do some Geographic Industry Locating accessible through the Center for Crop Diversification. They have plans to expand it to include production. Is interactive and a direct link is www.uky.edu/ccd/maps and they published ecosystems services benefits for consumers.

Brumfield discussed Annie’s Project and the expanding importance of urban ag. Food Security issues are increasing in importance.

Kuehney sent a link to a symposium they will hold next month to get public gardens and academic institutions to educate more about agriculture in general: https://www.publicgardens.org/professional-development/2019-symposia/celebrating-crop-diversity-program and he is working in the Consumer Horticulture Working (a federal multi-state working group) which is assembling information.

The committee finalized the green industry survey which is one of the major objectives of this committee.  The survey of green industry firms is undertaken every 5 years and allows this multistate committee to collect primary data to help fulfill the objectives of the committee.  Notably, responses will contribute to information on the industry’s economic impact, use of sustainable production practices as well as use of labor.  The survey will be sent to almost 44,000 industry firms.

During the next year, we will finalize data collection and begin analysis of the data.  The results are reported to industry stakeholders via a number of outlets, including peer-reviewed publications, extension publications, trade press, and presentations to producers, stakeholders, and policy makers.  The material is used by industry associations at both the state and federal level. 

Knuth, Melinda, Bridget K. Behe, Charles R. Hall, Patricia T. Huddleston, and R. Thomas Fernandez. 2018. Consumer perceptions of landscape plant water sources and uses in the landscape during real and perceived drought. HortTechnology 28(1):85-93.

Guo, Yanjun, Terri Starman, and Charles Hall. 2018. Reducing substrate moisture content (SMC) during greenhouse production and postproduction of Angelonia and Heliotrope improves crop quality and economic value. HortScience 53(1):49–54.

Khachatryan, H., A. Rihn, B. Behe, C. Hall, B. Campbell, J. Dennis, and C. Yue. 2018. Visual behavior, buying impulsiveness, and consumer behavior. Marketing Letters. February 2018. 29(1):23-35. <https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-018-9446-9>.

Knuth, Melinda, Bridget K. Behe, Charles R. Hall, Patricia T. Huddleston, and R. Thomas Fernandez. 2018. Consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchase behavior with landscape plants during real and perceived drought periods. HortScience 53(1):49-54.

Palma, Marco, Michelle S. Segovia, Bachir Kassas, Luis A. Ribera, and Charles R. Hall. 2018. Self-Control: Knowledge, or perishable resource? Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. 145(1):80-94.

Khachatryan, H., A. Rihn, B. Campbell, B. Behe, and C. Hall. “How do Consumer Perceptions of “Local” Production Benefits Influence Their Visual Attention to State Marketing Programs?” Agribusiness: An International Journal 34(2):390-406.