Headlines

Immigration Bill Revived, Passage Not Guaranteed

The Senate voted yesterday to revive the comprehensive immigration reform bill that includes language from AgJOBS. "Revival of the Senate bill is good news for moving the process forward," says SAF's Jeanne Ramsay, senior director of government relations. "There is still a chance the Senate can complete work before the Fourth of July recess and send the bill over to the House." 

 "I view this as an historic opportunity for Congress to act, for Congress to replace a system that is not working with one that we believe will work a lot better," said President Bush on Tuesday to the varied coalitions working for the bill's passage.

Today, the Senate will begin debating the 26 amendments to the bill. "SAF has sent a letter to Capitol Hill opposing three of the amendments because they would undercut the key elements of the AgJOBS bill and threaten to derail the entire bill," says Ramsay.

If senators agree to end debate on the amendments on Thursday, a vote for final passage is expected late on Friday. If they cannot agree, the bill will be taken off the floor.

The bill also contains mandatory spending for border security and enforcement, creates a new temporary guest-worker program and includes all the changes made during the previous two weeks of debate.

 Yesterday, however, a group of House Republicans passed a one-line resolution, which reads: "resolved the House GOP Conference disapproves of the Senate immigration bill."

"The House action points out just how tough the battle ahead will be even if the Senate succeeds in passing the bill," Ramsay says.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Florists Consider La. Licensing Exam

It has been almost a year since a federal lawsuit challenging Louisiana's state licensing exam was dismissed, but the state's florists still are weighing the effect it has on their industry.

Louisiana requires every location selling flowers to have one designer who has passed the exam, which consists of a written test and practical test judged by other state florists. It is the only state in America with a requirement of this kind.

"This licensing law has been in effect since the '30s," says Mark LeBlanc, assistant director of horticulture and quarantine programs for Louisiana. "From our standpoint, it's enacted by statute. We are kind of charged with enforcing that statute."

The exam came under fire in December 2003, when the Institute for Justice filed a lawsuit challenging the practice on behalf of three Louisiana florists who, despite years of experience, failed several times to pass the test. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, two of the three florists left the state, and the case was dismissed.

Clark Neily, senior attorney for the Institute of Justice, says that they plan on filing a suit again in the near future. "[The exam] is unconstitutional, and it has got to go."

A key point of the debate always has been the difficulty of the exam, Neily says. While more florists are passing the exam -- 63 percent in 2006 compared to 49 percent in 2003 -- that point still is contentious.

"When I took it [about five years ago], it was very, very hard," says Buff Harvey of A Dream Come True in West Monroe.

Kathleen Dowdy of America's Finest Flowers and More in De Ridder, who passed the exam on her first try, agrees: "It was harder than I expected."

Still, not all florists, including Dowdy, think the high degree of difficulty is a bad thing.

 "I think that it's good that it is hard," she says. "This way you have to know what you are doing."

 "I like the higher standard it raises us to," adds Angela Adams of Blooming Orchid Florist in Houma.

Other critics have spoken out against the exam scoring process, which puts established florists in positions to judge their peers -- and, potentially, their competition.

"I don't think it should be judged by other florists," says Caroline Gaar of Billie's Flower Shop in Winnfield.

LeBlanc, however, points out that "the practical part of our exam is anonymous."

"The florists judging it have no idea who they are judging," he says. "I have never felt like someone was trying to keep someone else from entering the business."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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1-800-Flowers.com Franchisee Closes Stores

Furthering a successful online business operation was reportedly the major motivation behind Colorado-based Veldkamp's Flowers' decision to close five of its seven stores in early June. This recent action comes on the heels of the florist's decision to become a 1-800-Flowers.com franchise two years ago.

Preferred Florist Network Reportedly Shuts Down

Former members of the Preferred Florist Network (PFN) are now out thousands of dollars after a rumored shutdown of the company, with no warning or explanation by owner Thomas Meola.

PFN was the network of florists that filled orders for Meola's order-gathering company, which placed ads in telephone directories across the U.S. under local phone numbers while operating out of Randolph, N.J. Once customers called one of the phone numbers listed locally they were connected with the office in New Jersey, many times under the impression they were still dealing with somebody local, according to sources. PFN florists would bill the network for 75 percent of the retail value of the order. (Meola was mentioned in Floral Management magazine's September 2005 issue.)

Around Valentine's Day this year, florists who filled PFN orders started to see a lag in payments from PFN. Eventually, payments stopped completely.

Michael Pugh, owner of Pugh's Florist in Memphis, Tenn., said when he purchased his store in 2000 he continued the relationship PFN had with the previous owners, a relationship he said was basically "issue-free" until February.

"The payments were getting later and later, then around Mother's Day we realized we hadn't seen a payment from PFN since April," Pugh says. "We called them and said we weren't going to fulfill any more of their orders until we saw some payment."

That was the last time Pugh was able to get in touch with the company. He says he has yet to receive payment.

"They owe us a little over $6,000," Pugh says. "We're now in the process of going to a collection agency and talking to an attorney."

Pugh isn't the only florist who's been stiffed on payments. Another florist, who wished to remain anonymous, said he hasn't seen a payment since Feb. 1 and is owed more than $13,000.

He, too, spoke to an attorney, but says he doesn't think he'll ever get his money back.

SAF representatives tried calling the listed number on PFN's Web site, only to hear a recorded message asking the caller to call back between business hours, the same message many florists have been hearing for weeks.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 
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Sales Tax Project Grants Two-Year Extension

The Governing Board of the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP) voted for a two-year extension of floral rules on the taxation of wire orders at its Detroit meeting last week. This extension, which lasts until Dec. 31, 2009, was granted to allow the project time to establish long-term rules concerning the taxation of wire orders. In addition, once the long-term rules are decided it will give time for the states and the industry to prepare to implement those rules. This extension means that sales taxes will continue to be collected by the sending florist and remitted to the local taxing authority -- just as it has been for many decades.

The SSTP was started eight years ago as an attempt by the states to streamline the sales tax process by agreeing to uniform definitions and rules concerning the collection of sales taxes. This is done to facilitate the eventual passage of Federal legislation that will require retailers to collect sales taxes based on the destination of the product. The change will allow the states to collect billions of dollars in sales taxes that currently are not collected on Internet and catalogue sales. This change will level the competitive field between traditional "brick and mortar" retailers and Internet sellers, as well as bring significant additional revenue to the states. In the interim, by agreeing on uniform definitions and rules, many businesses are voluntarily agreeing to collect those taxes now.

Currently 15 states are full members of the SSTP that have enacted legislation in their individual states to bring their law in compliance with the SSTP agreement. Those states are Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia. Seven other states are associate members and are working on becoming full members. Those states are Arkansas, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and Washington.

SAF and Teleflora have been involved in the project since June 2002, working on behalf of the floral industry by attending the meetings and participating in the various committees. FTD has also participated in the effort.

For information, contact SAF's Drew Gruenburg at dgruenburg@safnow.org.

-- Paul Goodman, SAF's representative to the SSTP issue,
and president of Floral Finance Business Services Inc. 

 
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Little Pest Causes Big Problems

Canada has recently imposed new requirements on cut flowers imported from California, in response to the discovery of light brown apple moths in the state earlier this year.

Effective June 25, Canada began requiring inspection and a phytosanitary certificate on most cut flower and plant shipments from the state.

"As a caterpillar, the moth feeds on flowers, fruits and firs," according to a story in The New York Times. "So omnivorous is the moth that some entomologists call it the 'light brown everything moth.'"

The pest, first found in California this spring, caused the USDA to issue a federal quarantine order in May governing the movement of cut flowers, cut foliage, plants and certain fruits and vegetables originating in the counties where the moth had been found. The Canadian requirements, however, go much further in restricting shipments.

Mexico also has banned shipments of a variety of crops from the quarantine area and requires special inspections for shipments from the entire state, according to an article in The Sacramento Bee.

Janice Wills, program coordinator for the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) says that while the Mexican quarantine has not caused many problems, the Canadian one has. "A lot of our flowers don't go South ... [but] in terms of shipping, it has been horrendous, and especially into Canada there have been some serious problems."

"It just takes more time," says Tracey Comin of Dos Osos Multifloro, a Watsonville, Calif., flower shipper, of the new requirements. "There is more paperwork involved ... it's just one more step in doing business."

Lin Schmale, SAF's senior director of government relations remains concerned. "SAF and CCFC worked successfully with APHIS and the states to avoid interstate quarantines here in the U.S., which were threatened earlier this spring," she says. "The Canadian actions are very, very unfortunate and we think they are completely unwarranted, because the pest is only found in a very few California counties. USDA is pleading to get Canada to back off."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Newsmakers

Florist Brings Together Cell Phones, Soldiers

A florist in Portland, Maine, has joined with a national charity to help keep deployed soldiers in touch with their loved ones with thousands of calling cards.

Just recently, Erlene LeBorgne, AAF, owner of Rosemont Floral, saw a TV special highlighting Cell Phones for Soldiers, a family-run charity started in April 2004 by 13-year-old Brittany Bergquist and her 12-year-old brother Robbie of Norwell, Mass. The group turns in donated phones to recycling centers and exchanges the money it receives for prepaid calling cards for soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Cell Phones for Soldiers has collected more than $1 million in donations and 400,000 prepaid calling cards.

Where does Rosemont Floral come in? LeBorgne explains that Cell Phones for Soldiers is constantly looking for more drop-off centers for the used cell phones and that Rosemont Floral was more than willing to lend a helping hand.

"Becoming involved really serves two purposes," LeBorgne says. "You're able to support the program by serving as a place to drop off used cell phones and at the same time you're encouraging people to come to your store."

And they will come, LeBorgne says. She explains that she even had people come from as far a distance as about 90 minutes away to drop off five cell phones after hearing about the program.

"It supports the troops and it's a community project," LeBorgne says, adding she thinks more florists should take the opportunity to get involved. "Florists are in the business of expressing feelings and this is a way to do that."

Looking for other ways to help soldiers? According to the "Why Not?" section of June's issue of Real Simple magazine, volunteers can connect with soldiers and donate some needed items.
 

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

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Florida Florist Gets 'Place in the Sun'

"I have been so blessed by the industry," says De La Flor, pictured above.

Floral Management "cover girl" and SAF Palm Springs 2007 presenter Deborah De La Flor, AIFD, PFCI, of De La Flor Gardens in Cooper City, Fla., recently added another title to her repertoire: winner of a Florida State Florist's Association lifetime achievement award.

De La Flor received the association's National Place in the Sun Award on June 9 at its annual convention in Jacksonville. "I was like 'wow -- nice!''' she says.

Established in 1978, the award "recognizes leaders who encourage high standards, service and professional responsibility," says past president Russ Barley, AAF, AIFD, of Emerald Coast Flowers & Gifts in Santa Rosa Beach. Past presidents, past recipients and present officers of the board of directors can each nominate up to three people. 

While FSFA gives out a state Place in the Sun Award annually, it only gives the national award when "we have received enough ballots leaning one way in order to do it," Barley says. Anyone floral industry member, no matter what state they are in, can be nominated for the national award.

De La Flor, who is the first Florida native to win the award, has been working in the floral industry for 27 years. Her interest in flowers, however, began at a young age. "I was inspired by flowers and vegetables in my grandparents' garden," she says.

Since her introduction into the floral industry, she has won numerous competitions and awards, including Greater Miami Designer of the Year, Florida State Designer of the Year and the FTD Great Masters Design Competition.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Trends

Retailers Split on Customers' 'Green' Commitment

Small-business owners are acknowledging the "going green" trend; but are they, and their customers, willing to pay more for the environmentally friendly products?

Of the 600 small-business owners who recently participated in a nationwide Wells Fargo/Gallup Business Index poll, two-thirds said that they would pay more for environmentally friendly goods. On the other hand, about 49 percent of respondents said they do not believe customers would pay more for green items; 43 percent said their customers would.

Seattle-based environmental and business consultant Alicia Silva of Synergy Design Studio, told Floral Management editors recently that it's a good idea for businesses to demonstrate green ideas in their stores.

"So many consumers are now happy to support businesses that have environmentally-friendly practices," says Silva in the July issue of Floral Management magazine. "Advertise and market your environmentally friendly practices. You won't be disappointed."

So, are florists embracing these practices? Last month E-brief editors posted an e-poll asking readers whether they had employed environmentally sound practices such as recycling vases and composting into their businesses. The results found 62 percent of readers answered "no" while 38 percent answered "yes."

Some green ideas that small-business owners currently are using in their stores include: 
 •High-efficiency light bulbs and other lighting forms
 •Biodegradable pots 
 •Eco-friendly cleaning agents

Read more about businesses going green in the July issue of Floral Management.

--Cassandra Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

 
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If You're Happy and You Know It ... Shop Here?

Trying to come up with a new ad strategy for the fall? Effectively reaching customers may depend as much on their general disposition as the message and medium you choose.

A new study in the June issue of the Journal of Consumer Research finds that optimists and pessimists are influenced by different ad messages. Optimists, or "promotion-focused," customers respond best to ads that promote achievement and tangible gains. "Prevention-focused" customers, or pessimists, react to messages emphasizing safety and loss avoidance.

In other words, marketing tools such as SAF's "instant delight" posters and statement stuffers would likely appeal to optimists looking for tangible gains, while quality guarantees or care-and-handling handouts would help pessimists feel more secure in their purchases.

The study also points out that, when ads compare products, optimists and pessimists focus on different components of the ad. Pessimists, who have a "stronger preference for consistency," tend to favor the brand being advertised (Coca-Cola in a Coca-Cola ad) over the brand to which it is compared (Pepsi in a Coca-Cola ad), while optimists generally are more open to the comparison brand.

"This research shows that the effectiveness of positively and negatively framed direct comparative ads depends on differences among consumers (i.e., whether they are prevention or promotion focused)," according to the study's research team. "Thus, it underscores some consumer and message considerations that managers need to take into account in executing comparative advertising strategies."

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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In Line for an iPhone?

With the much ballyhooed debut of the iPhone just two days away (June 29 at 6 p.m.), E-Brief editors spoke to some floral industry technophiles about whether they'll be among the hoards of people camping out to pay $500 or more for Apple's newest handheld gizmo (Have you missed the hype? Check out Apples' 20-minute video on it).

Bob Aykens, a member of the SAF Technology Committee, put off getting an iPod for two years before his PC-using sensibilities were lured by Apple. "I opened my mind and was amazed with the iPod," says Aykens, of Memorial Florists & Greenhouses in Appleton, Wis., and a speaker at the upcoming SAF Convention in Palm Springs, Calif. But that's where he draws the line: (iPhone) "looks amazing, but I don't know if it's a business solution," he says. "Imagine sitting in a meeting full of people that have iPhones. I think little would get done."

Other members of the Technology Committee tend to agree. "It's a fun e-gadget," says Maris Angolia, of Karin's Florist, Inc., in Vienna, Va. "But I don't see a real business application for it right now."

Tina Stoecker, AIFD, PFCI of Designs of the Times Florist in Melbourne, Fla., confesses to "drooling" at iPhone promotions, but her desire to cut back on some of her constant-contact capabilities outweighs her excitement. "I don't know if it is my age, schedule or a trend I hear reflected through my client's voices," she says, "but I find I want to be unplugged these days, and a text message is all I care to get.  With my BlackBerry, I feel constantly connected and constantly on the clock and the urgency to reply."

Fellow committee member Chad Kremp, AAF, of Kremp Florist in Philadelphia, isn't quite as quick to dismiss it. "The iPhone is definitely tempting, even at the higher price, you get so many different devices all in one," he says. The deal-breaker for him, however, is his phone service. The iPhone uses AT&T, and Kremp uses Nextel at the shop.

Therein lies what may emerge as the biggest hurdle for most would-be iPhone buyers, says SAF's chief information officer, Renato Sogueco. "I'd love to have [an iPhone], but am I willing to pay the $175 fee to cancel my contract with Sprint -- on top of the $600 I'll spend for the actual device, and the $80 to $100 a month in fees?" His answer: "No."

"It's great for the technorati with lots of money," he says, but if you want to make a smart business decision, financially, wait for your current phone contract to expire. "By then, they'll probably have another version with even more memory, too."

Read Sogueco's monthly advice in the Plugged In column of Floral Management.

--Kate F. Penn
kpenn@safnow.org

 
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Life at Work

Cupid, Put Down Your Bow

Love is often in the air at flower shops, but if a new workplace survey is any indication, it's thicker than you think.

About 40 percent of employees report being involved in a workplace romance at some point in their careers, according to the 2006 Workplace Romance Survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and The Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal.com Web site.
 
The study found that, although it's long been a general rule for supervisors not to date subordinates, with 80 percent of employers and 60 percent of employees against such a relationship, now more organizations are beginning to feel the need for employees to tell their supervisors of other ongoing relationships. Some of this stems from concerns about retaliation (conflicts between co-workers after a relationship ends) which grew from 12 percent in 2001 to 67 percent in 2005.

One florist from Florida she saw the ugly side of workplace romances firsthand after a relationship between a designer and wholesale "bucket truck" salesman soured. The situation caused so many problems that she is planning to issue a written statement regarding matters of the heart, something 70 percent of companies do not have, according to the SHRM study.

"It will stress the fact that, while we cannot forbid it, we will not tolerate any interference with business," the florist says.

Staying on top of the issue is a smart strategy, says attorney John S. Satagaj. Although it's hard to regulate relationships in small businesses, he says owners and managers must keep an eye on romantic liaisons.

"What may seem innocent enough at first can escalate into a real problem," says Satagaj, adding that, as with all HR issues, it's important to implement workplace romance policies consistently and fairly. "Be aware, even if it's not realistic to have a rigid policy, an inner-office relationship could turn into something down the road," including a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Still, not every romance ends with a fiery break-up or uncomfortable workplace tension -- the same Florida florist who saw the negative effects of a discontinued relationship between employees, watched another two employees fall in love three years after losing their respective spouses. 

"[One male employee] had lost his wife about the same time that [another employee's] husband had passed," she says. "They got married and are very happy."

And, in the end, some florists argue that the nature of the job has a kind of moderating influence on the temptation to indulge in a workplace romance.

"We are involved with romances daily through our customer's flower orders," says Manny Gonzales, owner of Tiger Lily Florist in Charleston, S.C. "We're the fly on the wall watching romances blossom or whither over time.  Hopefully, this gives us a little insight to how things can go well/wrong."

Concerned about a romantic liaison in the workplace -- or any other work-related issue? SAF members can take advantage of a complimentary 15-minute legal consultation over the phone with Satagaj. Call (202) 639-8888, or fax to (202) 296-5333.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 
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Tips

Setting the Right Course on Customer Service

Most people who know Art Conforti of Beneva Flowers & Gifts in Sarasota, Fla., already are familiar with his shop's "Yes We Can Commitment," which empowers employees to do anything but say "no" to a customer. What they may not know is just how far the longtime florist is willing to go to make a miffed customer happy again.

Several months ago, a customer placed an order for the shop's "dinner and flowers" package. A Beneva employee processed the order without realizing that there wasn't enough time to arrange for the dinner delivery through the company's third-party vendor. When the shop contacted the customer to see if the delayed delivery was acceptable, she was upset -- her order was intended for her mother, who was in her 80s, and it was important to have it delivered on the exact date.

"Because of 'Yes We Can,' the decision was simple," Conforti says. "We told her 'no problem, ma'am. We'll take care of it.'"

Conforti made a quick call to an Italian restaurant for a to-go order, and the shop delivered the flowers, the dinner and a complimentary balloon, all on time.

"The customer was so happy because we exceeded her expectations," Conforti says. "That's what it's all about."

Read more about how to defuse customer service problems and get tips on working with angry customers in the July issue of Floral Management magazine.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Quote of the Week

'Green' Movement = Bad Juju?

"Most of what you see today in the green movement is voodoo marketing ... If they say their product makes the sky bluer and the grass greener, that's just not good enough."

--Ron Jarvis, senior vice president for Home Depot, was quoted in a June 25 New York Times article debunking claims of certain manufacturers' so-called environmentally friendly products.

To read more about why sustainable branding is a good idea compared to 'voodoo marketing' visit the article "Why Brand Veneer Must Reflect a Real Soul."

--Cassandra Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

 
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Mark Your Calendar

Does your marketing "speak" to Millennials, Baby Boomers and generations in-between?

If your answer is "I don't know" then don't miss nationally-renowned generational marketing expert Ann Fishman at SAF Palm Springs 2007.  Speaking at the educational session "Gen...What? Marketing for Every Age" on Thursday, September 27, Fishman will explain why Gen X, Gen Y, Baby Boomers and the new Millennials reach into their wallets for different reasons -- and how that translates into marketing opportunities for floral businesses. You'll learn how to assess the changing demographics of your market and take home marketing techniques to help you stay competitive.  Register now for SAF Palm Springs 2007, September 26-29 at the La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, Calif. 

For more information contact Laura Weaver, CMP at (703) 836-8700 or visit SAF's Web site for full convention details.

--Shelley Estersohn
sestersohn@safnow.org

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PFCI at AIFD

Drop the poster board and magic markers. Get with the times as SAF's Professional Floral Communicators - International (PFCI) shows how to use PowerPoint to your business' advantage during the workshop "Powerful Presentations with PowerPoint," on July 11 in conjunction with the AIFD National Symposium in Palm Desert, Calif.

This workshop will teach how to create and deliver high-impact, dynamic presentations. Leading the program are Tina Stoecker, AIFD, PFCI, of Designs of the Times Florist in Melbourne, Fla., and Gerhard Monheim, director of technical operations of InTech Health Ventures  in Tucson, Ariz.

Space is limited. Register by Friday, June 29 and receive the $50 early-bird rate. On-site registration: $75. Click here for more. Arrive early to hear Sharon McGukin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Designer's Touch in Carrollton, Ga., present “Keys to Communication & Steps to PFCI Membership.”

For more information, visit www.safnow.org/pfci or contact SAF's Jenny Stromann at (800) 336-4743; jstromann@safnow.org.

--Jenny Stromann
jstromann@safnow.org

 
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Regular Features

Reader Feedback: Colombian Peso, Rose Month

E-Brief editors have recently received two reader reactions to past E-Brief stories:

Mike Mellano of Mellano & Company in San Luis Rey, Calif., wrote the following in reponse to last week's article about the Colombian peso:

"I’ve been following this ongoing saga that Asocflores has so efficiently presented over the last several months relative to profitability (see the most recent blurb below in the SAF E-Brief).  I fully understand their plight and feel very badly for the individual operators & workers, many who I know, that are suffering through this (as we in California have had to suffer through the similar issues all these years) but I’m sorry to say that my sympathy for the larger macroeconomic picture and overall situation is minimal.  The solution is very simple and one that WF & FSA’s profit guru, Dr. Al Bates, has presented over and over ....  We all need to raise our prices!!  If we don’t, producers will continue to go out of business.  Costs are going up world wide and we can no longer afford to sell our products at the prices that our grandfathers did.  Nor can we look to our governments to create artificial economies to ensure profitability.
 
"It will not benefit the industry as a whole to continue to allow for the consolidation of production to one region.  There is a great benefit to everybody involved (wholesalers, retailers, domestic & offshore producers) to continue to have production balanced domestically and internationally.  Imagine if all of our eggs were in one basket ... wow!!!  I can’t blame Asocoflores for trying to get all they can but we as an industry should strive for balance!!!
 
"Food for thought……"

--Michael A. Mellano
Mellano & Company
San Luis Rey, Calif.

Christine Martindale of Esprit Miami wasn't the only reader to take issue with our coverage of National Rose Month two weeks ago. David Nelson of NELPO in Ecuador also sent in his perspective:

"Your readers may be interested to know that rose production can be highly cyclical, with peaks occurring about every three months. Since many rose growers concentrate production on Valentine's Day, the next cycle peaks at the end of April, just in time for Mother's Day.  However, one month later, we are back in another trough and production is way down.  Here is another graph for you to see the peaks and troughs in the past seven months, taken from USDA figures for weekly imports through Miami. The variation goes from 90 million stems at the end of May to 16 million for the previous week." 
 

--David Nelson 
General Manager, NELPO

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Talk on the Forums

One florist is completely remodelling her design room and looking for flooring that is easy to clean and as "non-skid" as possible. Any suggestions?

Father's Day Sales Lag This Year

Fourty-three percent of readers responding to last week's e-poll said Father's Day sales decreased, compared to last year's. About 42 percent said sales remained the same, and 15 percent said sales increased.

--Vanessa Machir

vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Product Spotlight: FloraTrac

Want to know how you measure up to the competition? Try FloraTrac, SAF's market share reporting system. This powerful tool will allow you to get month-to-month and year-to-year comparisons of your business against operations with similar revenues or geographic locations, as well as against all program participants. Enrollment is currently free for members.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Ecuadorian Rose Value Grows

The value of fresh cut flowers coming into the U.S. from Ecuador grew to $141.4 million in 2006, up from approximately $129.3 million in 2005. Roses, which were valued at almost $83 million in 2006 accounted for 58 percent of the total cut flower import value from Ecuador.

Value of Ecuadorian Roses vs. Cut Flowers

Source: USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service

--Ira Silvergleit
isilvergleit@safnow.org

 
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