The June issue of the 2018 AFE Bulletin has been released and features #FlowerMarketingMonday updates, an introduction to the new AFE staff members, an announcement of new Daily Light Integral maps and more! Get the latest AFE news and help support future programs advancing floriculture!To receive future editions of the Bulletin via email, please send your email address to afe@endowment.org.
According to Social Media Today, 90 percent of customers say videos help make buying decisions. This is the strategy behind the American Floral Endowment’s (AFE’s) #FlowerMarketingMonday weekly video series, which has reached more than 30,000 consumers in its few weeks.The video series that kicked off in mid-April, and continues through December 2018, features a weekly flower marketing video for the floral industry to use to promote everyday flower buying, holidays, and special life moments. This campaign follows other successful efforts and programs the organization has created to support industry growth, including studies to Marketing to Millennials, Internship programs to bring top talent to the industry, and even a How-To Guide to selling on Pinterest.The first few videos in the series…
Two students were awarded $5,000 scholarships from the 2018 Altman Family Scholarship Fund.Krishna Bhattarai, a Ph.D student at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, and Nathan Nordstedt, of The Ohio State University were both awarded the 2018 scholarship for their exemplary work and outstanding dedication to their floriculture studies.The Altman Family Scholarship was created in 2015 by Ken and Deena Altman (owners of Altman Plants) and assists in funding the education of floriculture graduate students (MS or Ph.D.), who will become leading floricultural scientists and educators.Krishna Bhattarai“I’m inspired when I review these applications,” said Ken Altman. “Every single student was extremely deserving of a scholarship”.Krishna Bhattarai is a doctoral student at the University of Florida with…
Melissa Muñoz, a Master of Science student at Clemson University, was awarded the 2018 Paul Ecke Jr., Scholarship Award — a $10,000 scholarship ($5,000 for two consecutive years). She will be continuing for her Ph.D. upon completion of her Masters degree.“There were a record number of applications for the second year in a row, which shows the growing interest and need for these scholarships. The high quality of students is a testament to their exceptional determination and passion, and I am confident these future leaders will help the industry progress,” said Greg Royer, AFE Chairman and Education Committee Chair.Melissa Munoz, 2018 Paul Ecke, Jr.Scholarship RecipientMelissa graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Medellin in 2016 and is currently enrolled…
She grew up in suburban Phoenix and attended the University of Arizona studying environmental horticulture. After college, she relocated to San Francisco and began working at a local florist in the late 1970s. Smith eventually found her way to the San Francisco Flower Market where she worked for Kitayama Brothers, filling and hauling buckets of carnations and roses. By 1981, she had made a name for herself as the first female manager working among the male-dominated world of growers and wholesalers at the market. She introduced the market to the idea of importing flowers from Holland, Israel and South America, and became an expert on unusual, unique blooms and their post-harvest needs. Smith was hired to open a small export…
A memorial tribute has been established with AFE honoring Gayle (Gay) Smith, 63, who passed away on March 1, 2018.The tribute was established thanks to a generous contribution from Chrysal Americas President Jim Kaplan. Smith served as the technical manager for Chrysal for more than 18 years.“We are honored to establish the Gay Smith Memorial Tribute on behalf of our staff, clients and the entire industry,” said Kaplan.“Gay was part of the Chrysal family and she will be missed tremendously. This memorial tribute with AFE is a fitting salute to her dedication not only to our company, but to the industry she loved.”Smith was an active member of the industry and a great supporter of all things floriculture. Her career…
The Endowment released its annual report, which details the successes accomplished and funding received for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.See how AFE-funded programs and research projects are providing solutions to tough industry issues, thanks to supporters like you, and take advantage of the free resources available!Highlights include:#FlowerLoveVideoContest – initiative that encouraged flower lovers to create fun videos to be eligible to win one of three monetary prizes. More than 50 video entries were received, and provided florists with a FREE video library to help promote the use and giving of fresh flowers to new and existing customers.Botrytis and Thrips Research Campaign – addresses the control and management of Botrytis and thrips by raising money to conduct new and innovative research, which…
The Endowment is now accepting applications for educational grants for 2018.Applications are available online and must be submitted by the deadline of June 1.Educational grants help fund programs that are wide-reaching educational endeavors that solve industry needs and challenges and focus on attracting young people to the industry.Last year, AFE funded nearly $40,000 in educational grants.Examples of programs funded through educational grants:e-GRO Alert and Webinars, an electronic newsletter from floriculture university extension specialists who focus on providing greenhouse production and diagnostic information to growers.The National Floriculture Forum, which unites professors, extension specialists, graduate students, scientists and other industry leaders for a multi-day collaborative meeting that addresses important floriculture issues.National Industry Convention or Event Programs, collaborating with organizations and associations including…
By: JC Chong, Clemson UniversityWe pack our carts with the best crop of bedding plants ever, or our boxes with the best cut roses, only to receive a call from our customers rejecting the shipment because of gray mold. Botrytis meltdown is a huge problem during shipment because high humidity in sealed shipping carts or containers is just what Botrytis needs to cause an outbreak.With funding from AFE, Jim Faust and his graduate student Kathie Bennett (Clemson University) studied the potential of reducing Botrytis meltdown on petunia flowers with pre-shipment sprays of calcium chloride. Kathie sprayed four concentrations of calcium chloride (at 0, 400, 800 and 1,200 ppm) over two weeks before the expected shipping date. She infected the flowers…
By: Rose BuitenhuisThe Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has a six-part series published in Greenhouse Canada magazine with practical information for thrips integrated pest management (IPM) programs.Written by Biocontrol Specialists Rose Buitenhuis, Michael Brownbridge and Graeme Murphy, the articles offer application tips and tricks, information on new technologies, and are supplemented by short videos demonstrating techniques or principles.Part 1, Designing Your Greenhouse IPM Program, introduces the systems approach to IPM and goes through the different elements of thrips IPM from start to finish, setting the stage for the rest of the series. The video explains the importance of choosing the right plant, the right environment and the right control agents for a complete IPM strategy. Part 2, IPM: Prevention and Early…