October 2022 - 16

TRADE SHOWS
TACKLING AUTOMATION
AND CONSUMER TRENDS
Greenhouse Growers EXPO sessions to offer tips on best economical practices,
how to combat supply chain shortages, houseplant trends and more.
BY MADI JONES
W
ith the ever-changing market, growers
must keep up with the best economical
practices, learn how to combat supply
chain shortages and more. During the 2022
Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market
EXPO and the concurrent Michigan Greenhouse
Growers EXPO, growers have the opportunity
to learn about these issues through four
different sessions.
Paul Fisher,
professor and
floriculture Extension
specialist, has
over 30 years
of experience in
applied research
and farm advising
for the commercial greenhouse and controlled
environment industry.
Fisher's session at the EXPO is titled " By
Hand or Machine? Deciding on Automation. "
" I will specifically focus on transplanting of
Paul Fisher
cuttings, one of the most labor-intensive tasks
in young plant products, " Fisher says. " I will
also discuss how to track manual labor, figure
out costs as a baseline, benchmark internally
and with other growers, and compare that with
automated transplanter options. "
As growers are looking at integrating more
automation to their operations, labor, supply
chain issues and inflation are critical factors
that affect profitability, according to Fisher.
A few " truths " he notes about automation in
horticulture and agriculture include:
* Automation is just one option to improve
labor efficiency; look first at optimizing your
workforce with lean practices.
* It takes time for robotics to start to really
be efficient.
16 OCTOBER 2022 GPNMAG.COM
* The economics of return on investment are
not just about payback time. Consider other
factors such as increasing your capacity at
the peak and making the work environment
safer and more professional for staff.
There isn't one right or wrong plan for
growers. According to Fisher, every grower
needs a customized analysis to fit their
needs and production efforts. Fisher advises
growers to research best practices that will
fit their production plan when looking to add
automation.
" Do your homework. Visit other growers
and let others work out the kinks. Avoid being
too far out on the bleeding edge, " he says.
" Concentrate on efficiency and quality, not just
low-cost production. "
CONSUMERS AND THEIR LOVE AFFAIR
WITH HOUSEPLANTS
Melinda Knuth,
assistant professor
of horticultural
marketing at North
Carolina State
University, will
also speak at the
Greenhouse Growers
EXPO this year. Knuth
has experience in researching the interface
between people and plants and helping the
horticulture industry understand consumer
preferences, perceptions and motivations.
In her session, " Consumers and Their Love
Affair with Houseplants, " Knuth will speak on
the " houseplant craze " and how growers can
capitalize on it.
Since 2015, Knuth has seen an increase
in houseplant sales; however, COVID-19
Melinda Knuth
accelerated the houseplant industry even more.
" The houseplant popularity is here to stay for
the next five years, at least, " she says. " Because
of the demographic makeup of younger
consumers, they will be continuing to buy
houseplants to beautify and fill their apartments
and spaces. They also are opting to care for
plants and pets instead of having children. "
According to Knuth, millennials are not the
only people buying houseplants: " We're seeing
an expansion in who is buying houseplants.
Not just millennials are buying houseplants
anymore, but we have evidence to show
that the breadth of consumers who are
buying is increasing as well as the depth of
consumption. "
The most popular plants on the market are
flowering houseplants and ferns. Surprisingly,
succulents are reported to be not as popular
as they were in the past. Knuth says plants
that are more niche and unique are often more
desired by consumers.
Knuth will be giving another session about
social media engagement, which will highlight
horticulture consumer social media habits and
ways to engage as retailers and growers.
Other sessions featured during the EXPO
include " Post-Pandemic Retail Strategies " by
Bridget Behe and " Stretching Peat to Combat
Supply Shortages " by Garrett Owen.
Learn more about these sessions and others
at www.glexpo.com. The 2022 Great Lakes
EXPO and Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO
will take place Dec. 6-8, at DeVos Place in Grand
Rapids, Michigan.
Madi Jones is custom marketing specialist at Great
American Media Services. She can be reached at
mjones@greatamericanpublish.com.
http://www.glexpo.com http://www.GPNMAG.COM
October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2022
