News

Slight uptick in 2012 floriculture sales
The 2012 wholesale value of floriculture crops is up 1 percent from the 2011 valuation, according to the USDA 2012 Floriculture Crops Summary. The total crop value at wholesale for the 15-state program for all growers with $10,000 or more in sales is estimated at $4.13 billion for 2012, compared with $4.08 billion for 2011.

Some nursery crops were highlighted in the report. For example, the total wholesale value of potted herbaceous perennials totaled $594 million in 2012, up 6 percent from 2011. These crops account for 30 percent of the total bedding and garden category. The number of growers producing herbaceous potted perennial plants totaled 1,241, down 2 percent from 2011.

The value of 2012 foliage plant sales, at $642 million, is up 5 percent from the previous year. Florida continues to dominate this category with 72 percent of the total value. Potted Foliage Plants represent 88 percent of the total foliage value. The remainder of the value is from hanging baskets. The number of foliage plant producers totaled 790 in 2012, up 2 percent from 2011.

See the entire report at http://1.usa.gov/19Fanva.

APHIS to lift restrictions on three plant varieties
On May 13, USDA-APHIS proposed lifting the restrictions on the interstate movement of Berberis thunbergii ‘Della’ and ‘O’ Byrne’ and Mahonia × media ‘Lionel Fortescue,’ reported Joe Bischoff, ANLA’s director of government relations. These three varieties were thoroughly evaluated by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at the Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul, Minn., and found to be resistant to black stem rust (Puccinia graminis).

APHIS plans to make the rule lifting restrictions on these plants effective July 12, 2013, but will be accepting comments through June 12, 2013.

To see the final rule, go to http://1.usa.gov/12gOP5e.

British horticulture needs ‘urgent action’
On May 14, the Royal Horticultural Society presented a report to the House of Commons calling for government action to address the skills gap in the horticultural industry.

A survey of 200 British horticultural businesses conducted by the Society has demonstrated that more than 70 percent of horticultural businesses cannot fill skilled vacancies, nearly 20 percent are forced to recruit overseas and almost 70 percent claim that career entrants are inadequately prepared for work. This gloomy picture is outlined in the report, Horticulture Matters. The report, commissioned by Britain’s leading horticultural organizations, concludes that a commitment to bridging the green skills gap is not only necessary but urgent. Dwindling numbers of people with horticultural skills simply means that the industry cannot meet the growing demands placed on it. Horticulture contributes £9 billion to the British economy each year as an industry.

Read more of the report at www.rhs.org.uk/News/ Horticulture-Matters.