Greenhouse, Nursery, and Sod Division Goals and Issues
Goals of the division are long-term and short-term. Issues and challenges facing producers are evaluated each year. Priority is determined by producers at the annual Commodity Organizational Meeting to determine a focus for the division's efforts.
A state committee, which is elected by other producers throughout the state, serves to oversee the execution of these goals.
Goals include:
- Promote education and conservation of water usage with our customer base and communicate the need for a reasonable water policy compatible to the green industry.
- Seek research in the area of alternatives to pine bark as a substrate for plant production and alternatives to MSMA as a herbicide for weed control in sod production.
- Monitor activities that affect the cost of energy, and assist producers in ways to minimize the effects of increasing energy costs.
- Acquire baseline data to understand horticulture's role in Greenhouse Gas Emissions to develop best management practices as to positively impact our industry in the event cap-and-trade legislation passes.
- Monitor and provide input on labor and immigration legislation.
- Evaluate opportunities to assist farmers with incorporating irrigation through cost-sharing, etc.