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AFE Surpasses 2022 Campaign Goal – Funding the Future of Floriculture

The Endowment celebrates and thanks the many industry supporters, sponsors, and friends who contributed to this year’s annual fundraiser, Funding the Future of Floriculture. Over $146,000 was raised in support of the floral industry through the Endowment.From May 16th through June 30th, 2022, AFE’s Board of Trustees and Staff connected with the floral industry through a virtual fundraising campaign to increase annual support for our critical research, education, and other floriculture programs setting a goal of $100,000. Over the month and a half, $146,850 was raised from over 80 donors and sponsors. Take a look at full the sponsor list here. This tremendous effort would not have been possible without the involvement of the floral industry. We are incredibly grateful for…

Twenty Students Awarded AFE Scholarships

We have awarded 20 students with scholarships totaling $54,400. In this 2022 scholarship cycle, which introduced a brand-new online application platform, 65 applications were received from 40 colleges and universities. We would like to give a special thank you to the 47 industry members who reviewed and scored the applications.We are aware the floral industry faces significant and ongoing challenges to our labor force. Now more than ever, these programs are imperative in helping support new professionals as they prepare to enter the industry workforce and launch a successful career. With these scholarship opportunities, we are keeping floriculture and horticulture competitive with other career paths by granting avenues for financial support ensuring that the industry can continue to attract and retain…

Partner with AFE to Share Industry Resources

DWF Delivers Care & Handling Posters to Retail FloristsThe American Floral Endowment (AFE) aims support the industry through resources that help floriculture businesses grow like the best practices based on funded research, the AFE Career Center, scholarships, internships, grants, and more. This year, at the Great Lakes Floral & Event Expo, AFE connected with John Smith, Manager of DWF’s Toledo branch to form a partnership to share AFE’s impactful resources directly with his local floral community.DWF is a longtime supporter of AFE, including their 2022 Fundraising Campaign. John recalls, “I’ve worked in the industry for 42 years and know that the Endowment has always been around supporting and empowering floral industry businesses like ours.” He was interested in sharing AFE’s…

A Thank You to AFE’s 2022 Scholarship Review Team

The American Floral Endowment’s Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarship programs are the cornerstone of uplifting the next generation of industry leaders.This past year, we launched a new platform for scholarship applications, making our over 30 undergraduate and graduate scholarship opportunities more accessible than ever. With responsive features, upload options, automatic save, reference tracking, and an equally intuitive portal for reviewers, the new platform saw 65 applications in 2022.It is with the help of 47 industry members turned volunteer reviewers that AFE has awarded 20 emerging young professionals a scholarship. We are incredibly appreciative of the time, effort, and thorough consideration each of our reviewers gave to processing applications and testing this new platform. We could not do what we do without…

Floriculture Sustainability – Resources and Education

Floriculture Sustainability – Resources and Education The American Floral Endowment Launches New Collaborative Project The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has announced a new special Floriculture Sustainability Project to provide education and resources to the floral industry. Partnering with like-minded organizations, the Endowment’s new project aims to create usable assets, identify new research needed, and close the gap in making sustainability an accessible initiative for all segments of the industry. The Floriculture Sustainability Project: By identifying and understanding the big picture of what’s already out there, what’s working, and what’s not, the Endowment aims to compile new resources, share success stories, bring together experts in both academia and industry, and provide action plans for businesses large and small. Industry certifications have already provided an incredible amount…

Funding the Future of Floriculture & AFE Reception

We have announced our upcoming Funding the Future of Floriculture Event and AFE Reception in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, September 6th, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm in conjunction with the SAF 2022 Annual Convention.  This two-hour event is scheduled just before the SAF Welcoming Reception and will include the announcement of our new Sustainability Initiative, special recognition of our incredible sponsors and supporters, and an industry networking reception. The event and reception are open to all SAF Convention attendees and local industry members at no cost. AFE Trustees have worked diligently over the past two years to develop new resources for the industry. Our annual funding covers new and innovative research, support for scholarships and internships, young professional development and…

Continued Education Empowered by Our Retail Florists’ Grant

No matter where you are in your career, the pursuit of knowledge is an essential pillar of progress. The industry is constantly evolving, and it’s more important than ever to expand your ability to stay relevant, build skills, and facilitate preparedness. The American Floral Endowment (AFE)’s Retail Florist’s Continued Education Grant encourages these endeavors with reimbursement to support steady success and improvement across the retail sector. Michael Richardson of Smith’s Florist and Gift Shoppe. LOVE VA is a program of Retail Alliance that offers workshops and networking for businesses in Gloucester, Virginia, and beyond. This year, AFE was happy to award $500 to Michael Richardson of Smith’s Florist and Gift Shoppe in Gloucester, Virginia, through the Bob and Carol Sharpe…

Funding The Future of Floriculture Campaign Update & AFE Reception

Join Us in Funding the Future of Floriculture and In-Person at Our Upcoming Reception! There are only two weeks left to join us in Funding the Future of Floriculture Campaign!What do you see in the future of floral? We envision a growing industry that supports new advances through innovative research, shares and promotes continued education, and fosters the next generation through scholarships and internships. The campaign runs between Monday, May 16th and Thursday, June 30th. Make a donation today and join us this September for our AFE Reception at SAF 2022!After this year’s campaign, we will be celebrating our donors, sponsors, and supporters with an event at SAF’s 2022 Convention. We are so excited to to re-engage with our floral community in person after the last…

Biocontrol of Whiteflies in Poinsettia: What Works and Why Do It

Unfortunately, poinsettia and sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) go together like cats and fleas; if you have one, you’ll have the other. By this time (June) you should already be considering your whitefly management strategy. Here, we make a case for biocontrol as both a viable and economical way to control whitefly based on leading research supported by the American Floral Endowment (AFE) and many years of grower experience in Canada. The Problem with Pesticides Management of Bemisia whiteflies with pesticides can be difficult, if not impossible, in some years. This is because whiteflies that originate on cuttings (and those that fly in from field crops, as in the Southern US) have likely been exposed to multiple applications of several…

Phillip Floral Design Grant Funds Passions & Inspires Growth

The American Floral Endowment’s James and Helen Phillip Floral Design Grant is a testament to family values and deep-rooted passion for the floral industry. The Phillips left a profound impact on floral design, and today, their legacy is carried forward through the work of inspired young professionals and recipients of the Grant!In the 2021-2022 academic year, five institutions were awarded funding through the Grant to provide scholarships to floral design students, including Bergen University, Kishwaukee College, Texas A&M University, The Ohio State University, and Mississippi State University. Lauren Baskin of Mississippi State University shared with us how her floral design passion came to fruition and what the James and Helen Phillip Floral Design Grant means to her.“I am so excited to…

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