October 2023 - 16

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SMART PLANNING
for Innovative Operations
Jeremy Hebert, Director of Operations at Excel Farms, Inc., in Homestead, Florida, shares insights on how he
ensures business success and growth with savings opportunities like the BASF Grow More, Save More Program.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your operation?
JH: Excel Farms is a 100-acre nursery that was founded
in 1998 whose primary focus is tropicals, like hibiscus,
gardenias and eugenias, but our claim to fame has been
creating niche items. We typically find a commodity, such
as a landscape bush, and try to create added value. I
started working here in 2009, learning how the office
operated before transitioning to writing our production
management software. Now, I'm in charge of everything
related to the nursery, including managing chemicals
and production and driving sales direction through
product identification.
How do you approach planning and purchasing for
each growing season?
JH: We start with identifying items that we want to
grow and ones that we see more demand for. For a lot of
our products, propagation cycles take one to two years,
so it's constantly evolving. We take the time to see where
we can improve, and we reach out to a lot of suppliers
to connect with up-and-coming products. We're
fortunate enough to be on the BASF radar where they're
approaching us to trial new stuff. People are looking for
innovation, and we want to be the nursery they think of
for that.
How does the BASF Grow More, Save More Program
help you create a plan for greater cost savings
throughout the season?
JH: It's helped us identify areas where we can save by
analyzing the problems and relating them to the time and
season based on our experience, allowing us to purchase
products that help us reduce costs.
When planning your fall purchases, how do you make
the most of the BASF program offerings?
JH: In the summertime, there tends to be a higher
disease presence, so in the weeks following, we estimate
what our needs are going to be moving forward. I believe
conscious thinking forces you to take the time to analyze
what future needs are going to be so you can plan
accordingly. It's been made easy by the fact that we get a
summary of what we used the previous year, since a lot of
problems tend to repeat themselves.
What's one thing you think other growers should know
about the Grow More, Save More Program from BASF?
JH: If you take a little bit of time to analyze what your
needs are and anticipate that things will stay relatively
similar to previous years, then you can plan with the Grow
More, Save More Program and see significant savings.
Circle 106
The Grow More, Save More Program from BASF offers yearround
savings for your operation with a focus on simplifying
the planning and purchasing process from start to finish.
Learn more at
betterplants.basf.us/growmore

https://betterplants.basf.us/campaigns/growmore.html?at_medium=display&at_campaign=grow_more_save_more&at_creation=grow_more_save_more_1001&at_channel=gpn_big_grower

October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2023