Watch the Vic and Margaret Ball Intern Video!

AFE recently traveled to Denver, Colo., to visit current and past Vic & Margaret Ball Interns at Tagawa Greenhouses and Welby Gardens Wholesale. We have compiled a short video from the trip, which features testimonials from the interns describing their experiences with the AFE program. AFE was delighted to hear about their positive experiences, as evidenced in this intern video.Watch the Ball intern video today:Additional AFE videos are also available.

Seventeen Students Receive 2012 AFE Scholarships

Sarah LeachNorth Carolina State UniversityHarold Bettinger Memorial Scholarship& Fran Johnson ScholarshipSeventeen horticulture students have been awarded 2012 AFE scholarships, totaling more than $26,000.“It is always rewarding to see how many amazing young people there are who love the floriculture industry, and we are very pleased to be able to help them continue along this career path,” said AFE’s Scholarship Chairperson PJ Ellison, of Ellison’s Greenhouses in Brenham, Texas.AFE scholarships are administered annually, and applications are due by May 1st each year.Ball Horticultural Company ScholarshipRecipient: Heidi Wollaeger, Michigan State UniversityWollaeger, a second-year Master’s student at Michigan State University, hopes to work in the floriculture industry as a grower or manager at a large greenhouse operation where she can test new products,…

KSU Wins Poster Competition for AFE-Funded Research

Congratulations to the Kansas State University (KSU)  team whose poster featuring AFE-funded research took first place in the student poster competition at the North Central Branch Entomology – Entomological Society of America meeting!Download KSU’s full size winning poster (PDF) online today.

2012 Issue 2 AFE Bulletin Newsletter

The 2012 Issue 2 AFE Bulletin is available now.2012 Issue 2 highlights include:AFE Responds to Downy Mildew on Impatiens wallerianaFunding Deadline June 1st!AFE Trustees Took Texas By Storm!AFE Remembers Margaret BallEnsuring Floriculture’s Sustainability

Controlling Downy Mildew on Impatiens walleriana

Researchers, extension educators and representatives from the impatiens production industry are working together with AFE to control impatiens downy mildew.AFE has compiled downy mildew resources for growers, landscapers and retailers:Illustrations of symptoms in production and landscapeFact sheetPreventive and responsive chemical control programsImpatiens Downy Mildew in the LandscapeImpatiens Downy Mildew in the Home GardenAssessing riskTips for Protecting ImpatiensA Practical Approach for Landscaper GardenersDisease prevention scheduleImpatiens Downy Mildew landscape substitutionsImpatiens Downy Mildew presentationManaging Downy Mildew of Impatiens PowerPoint (Large File)Video from Doug Caldwell, Ph.D., University of FloridaFLORIcast podcast (May 2012)Video: What to do in 2013Replacing “Typhoid Mary” – Jennifer Polanz, Green Profit magazine, January 20142013 and Beyond – Sara Tombascio, Greenhouse Grower magazine, Aug. 16, 2013Incidence Down Significantly In 2013 – Richard…

AFE Promotes Debi Aker to Executive Director

The Board of Trustees for the American Floral Endowment (AFE) are pleased to announce the promotion of Debi Aker to Executive Director. A long time Society of American Florists (SAF) staff member, she was named manager of AFE in 2008 and has been in the industry for more than 13 years.“Since taking on the management of the Endowment four years ago, Debi Aker has put critical organizational systems into place and has developed lasting relationships with industry members, faculty members and donors,” said Peter Moran, SAF CEO. “This promotion and new title more accurately reflects the breadth of work that Debi is responsible for.”Debi will continue working closely with the AFE Board of Trustees and industry members to focus on…

AFE Trustees Take Texas By Storm!

From left to right: Charlie Hall, Ph.D., Ellison Chair, Texas A&M; AFE Board member and owner of Ellison’s Greenhouses PJ Ellison; Jim and Ellen Ellison; Mark Hussey, Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M; and AFE Chairman Tom Butler of Teleflora.After a yearlong drought, the AFE Board of Trustees brought some much-needed rain to Texas during its recent visit to College Station. Even with tornado warnings and delayed flights, weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the Trustees.The AFE Board convened at Texas A&M University from Jan. 25-27, 2012, at a meeting hosted by Charlie Hall, Ph.D., Ellison Chair in International Floriculture. Activities included tours of the campus buildings, faculty presentations and a reception at the Agrilife…

FMRF Social Media Guide for Retailers and Wholesalers

The Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF) has partnered with the Flower Promotion Organization (FPO) on a one-year project, A Social Media Guide for Floral Retailers and Wholesalers.This guide will analyze social media literature, best practices and case studies to develop a social media guide for the floriculture industry. The project will be conducted by Charles Hall, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, Bridget Behe, Ph.D., Michigan State University, and Chengyan Yue, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.“The FPO is pleased to partner with FMRF to fund this project that can help better position our industry to engage new and potential consumers of our products to increase consumption,” said Stan Pohmer, Executive Director of the Flower Promotion Organization.Many industries are successfully using social media as…

Elisabeth George Hired as Communications Specialist

Left to right: AFE Manager Debi Aker, AFE Communications Specialist Elisabeth George and AFE Chairman Tom Butler of Teleflora.AFE is pleased to announce Elisabeth George as the new communications specialist, a newly created position.Elisabeth brings over six years of nonprofit and agency experience to the position and holds a Master’s Degree in public relations from the George Washington University. Most recently Elisabeth was employed at Ogilvy Public Relations where she worked on website, social media and communications projects for government, corporate and trade association clients.“I am thrilled to be a part of the team,” she said, “and I am looking forward to the opportunity to help increase public awareness of all the valuable work AFE does for the floriculture industry.”Elisabeth…

AFE Releases Research Study on Longevity Guarantees for Flowers

Actual flowers used in the longevity study.AFE just released a comprehensive public benefits study on Longevity Guarantees for Flowers. This multi-part study examines several aspects of consumer preferences for longevity guarantees on flowers including: consumer willingness to pay for longevity guarantees, consumer preferences for longevity labels on cut flowers and consumer preferences for redeeming longevity guarantees.The study was conducted by Chengyan Yue, Ph.D., at the University of Minnesota, with support from Alicia Rihn, University of Minnesota, Bridget Behe, Ph.D., Michigan State University, and Charles Hall, Ph.D., Texas A&M University.“People are very positive about longevity guarantees,” Yue said. “I think we can develop a longevity guarantee labeling system so that people would be reassured of their purchases and go outside of…

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