September 2020 - 8

INDUSTRY NEWS
from americanhort to you
Key Program Highlight: Floriculture &
Nursery Research Initiative
BY JILL CALABRO, PH.D., RESEARCH AND
SCIENCE DIRECTOR, HRI AND AMERICANHORT
What is FNRI and what does it do?
The Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative
(FNRI) is a noncompetitive, national grants
program administered by USDA's Agricultural
Research Service (ARS). The program primarily
seeks to improve resource management practices
and strategies; insect, disease, and weed
management practices; and production system
practices in environmental horticulture.
FNRI uses a three-way model of coordination.
In conjunction with ARS's Office of National
Programs, two commodity groups (AmericanHort
and the American Floral Endowment) and
university researchers work together to set
annual priorities and determine annual project
awards. Funding is distributed mostly to
floriculture and nursery researchers, including a
mix of ARS and university researchers.
USDA ARS leads floriculture and nursery
research projects at 22 locations in the U.S.,
representing more than $37 million in ongoing
research efforts. FNRI funding represents a
substantial portion of the overall ARS efforts to
support environmental horticulture and provides
a unique public-private partnership.
Why is FNRI important?
FNRI plays a critical role in generating
scientific research on high-priority issues that
affect all segments of floriculture and nursery
industries, including postharvest technology,
water quality, and pest management. In fiscal
year 2019, the total sum allocated for FNRI was
over $2.8 million.
The research itself is important for the
success and betterment of the environmental
horticulture industry, but the research is
meaningless unless the new information reaches
stakeholders so outreach to the green industry
from FNRI-funded projects is mission critical.
In FY2019, FNRI-funded researchers have:
* Presented at grower expos, training, and
educational workshops 25 times.
* Published their research in nine popular
press articles, newsletters, blogs and
reference guides, and five books.
* Trained 19 graduate students and postdocs.
* Supported 39 undergraduates and
technicians.
* An additional 10 undergraduate students
and nine graduate students and postdocs
participated in the research without
receiving funding.
NATIONAL GARDEN BUREAU DEBUTS PROMOTION CALENDAR
National Garden Bureau, in conjunction with GardenComm, has created
a calendar of popular " Day of " promotions and industry marketing
campaign opportunities that can be used by the green industry for their
marketing and social media strategy plans.
There are many National " day of, week of and month of " celebrations
that are fantastic occasions to promote gardening almost every
day of the year. You can access the calendar at www.ngb.org/
national-day-of-calendar.
The curated list appears on the NGB website in calendar form so anyone
can find days or weeks of the month that give you something to talk about
without having to spend a lot of time coming up with marketing ideas.
During the coronavirus pandemic, gardening has been deemed essential.
And as such, the industry has gained an array of new gardeners. We now
have the opportunity to help mold their green thumbs to know gardening
isn't just in spring and summer but all year long - #Garden365.
Anyone in the green industry can use these national " Day of " and
marketing promotions to spark more interest in all aspects of gardening.
For instance, you can use a theme, such as National Good Neighbor
Day (Sept. 28) to create social media posts, run specials, host classes or
webinars, etc.
8 SEPTEMBER 2020 GPNMAG.COM
* Developed a network of 66 growers,
researchers and companies as cooperators.
FNRI funding is also being leveraged to secure
over $2.3 million in competitive grants and
unrestricted funding.
How does AmericanHort support FNRI?
AmericanHort was part of the process from
the program's inception. AmericanHort, then the
American Nursery and Landscape Association,
partnered with the Society of American Florists
and first presented this program to Congress
in 1998. Congress subsequently allocated $1
million the following year in 1999 to initiate the
program, which has flourished since.
Congress has awarded FNRI an additional
six funding increases throughout the years.
All funding is congressionally appropriated to
the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and
AmericanHort was supportive of each funding
increase. AmericanHort made FNRI a key issue
of last year's Impact Washington Summit to
inform congressional leaders how important the
program is to our stakeholders and preserve the
program as-is without reducing its funding level.
For more information, contact AmericanHort at
614.487.1117 or www.americanhort.org.
MANTS MOVES TO ONLINE PLATFORM FOR 2021
Due to COVID-19 concerns, ongoing restrictions on large indoor
gatherings, and unforeseen unavailability at the Baltimore Convention
Center, the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) has announced
that the 2021 show, initially scheduled for Jan. 6-8, will not take
place as an in-person event. MANTS organizers are, instead, working
to provide an online platform where exhibitors and attendees can
conduct business.
Organizers recently confirmed that the Baltimore Convention Center
is not available for the scheduled dates due to its ongoing role as a
State of Maryland field hospital.
" The health and safety of our exhibitors and attendees is our
primary focus, " said Vanessa Finney, MANTS executive vice president.
" We've exhausted all other alternative dates for an in-person show,
and while we are disappointed that we can't meet in person, we are
committed to keeping commerce within our industry alive and healthy.
MANTS' continued support of our show sponsors, the State Nursery
and Landscape Associations of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia is
critical despite the pandemic. "
Continued on page 10 ...
http://www.americanhort.org http://www.ngb.org/ http://www.GPNMAG.COM
September 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2020
