HEADLINES

Emergency Amendment Stripped from Bill

The Senate was racing to complete action before the Memorial Day recess on a bill that includes a critical amendment designed to give growers access to the workforce they need to keep crops in the pipeline.

Late last night, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) went to the floor and used a parliamentary procedure that caused Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) Emergency Agriculture Relief Act (EARA) to be stripped from the 2008 Emergency Supplemental Funding bill. Menendez said the reason he stripped the amendment was because the measure "didn't do enough to help immigrants."

"SAF appreciates members who contacted their senators in support of the EARA, but there is no need to write your senators at the present time," says Jeanne Ramsay, senior director of government relations for SAF.

EARA is a five-year temporary program that aims to stabilize the agricultural workforce. It overhauls the existing H-2A worker program and allows experienced farm workers to earn temporary status if they pay a fine, undergo a background check, and commit to future service performing farm labor. It does not offer a path to citizenship.

"It's an emergency," Feinstein said of the farm worker situation in last week's San Francisco Chronicle. "If you can't get people to prune, to plant, to pick, to pack, you can't run a farm."

Feinstein's amendment was supported by agricultural producers and farm worker advocates. Without the amendment, growers and producers may have to scale back or move production offshore.

While addressing the most urgent needs of growers, the limited timeframe and scope of the EARA would have continued to encourage the development of comprehensive immigration reform.

Stay tuned for further developments.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

  
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Committee Application for Sustainable Agriculture Extended Again

Floral industry members and other parties interested in a spot on the committee that will help develop the first national standard for sustainable agriculture have been given another extension for submitting their applications to the Leonardo Academy.

The Academy announced this week it has decided to extend the deadline for Standards Committee and subcommittee applications to July 7, 2008. This is the second time the Academy has extended the deadline to submit applications. The previous revised deadline had been May 23.

The Draft National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture Production, which would certify a company's products as sustainable, is being considered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to become a national standard by 2010. As part of the process, representatives from all parts of the industries affected by the standard are invited to offer their input to the process.

The purpose of extending the deadline is to ensure that all interested and materially affected parties are aware of the draft standard and have the opportunity to participate in the development process, The Academy explained in a release.

All applicants will be notified of the committee status no later than July 28, 2008, say officials, and the first Standards Committee meeting will be held on Sept. 10.

To learn more about proposed National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture and other facts and news regarding sustainable agriculture, visit SAF's Sustainability Resources Page.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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Florida Fires Complicate Deliveries

As fires continue to burn in South Florida, some florists are finding it difficult to deliver orders due to congested traffic conditions and road closures.

Over the weekend, firefighters battled flames that stretched more than 120 square miles from Brevard County to Miami, according to the Associated Press. Residents in the area are still advised to remain indoors to steer clear from smoky conditions, even though at press time fires were mostly contained to the rural Everglades National Park.

The situation has caused some problems for Beautiful Bouquet Florist in Palm Bay, Fla., where fires have destroyed at least 33 homes and caused millions of dollars in damage.

"We didn't have any damage to our property or business," says Peach Roberts of Beautiful Bouquet Florist, "but deliveries were really hard to do because a lot of the major roads were shut down."

Roberts adds that some employees had difficulty getting to work, and many people in the area were without electricity or water for some time.

About 15 minutes away in Melbourne, Yong Mills of Blossom House Florist says one of her employees lost part of her yard to flames but was able to ward the fire away from the house with a hose. While Mills's physical shop was unaffected, like Roberts at Beautiful Bouquet, Mills had to deal with slow deliveries.

"We had a couple of deliveries we had to delay until it was safe to go into the area," Mills explains.

The amount of backup due to closed roads also is a problem, says Cassandra Tuggle of Designs of the Times Florist, also in Melbourne. "There was a lot of traffic making it tough to get deliveries out," she says.

In Miami, Bill Schodowski of Transflora says operations are running as normal but the smoke was causing some irritation. "The quality of the air is pretty bad," he says. "A couple of our sales consultants were complaining that Monday night was pretty bad, just to breathe. However it is getting better as we speak."

Officials say winds from the southeast and the approval for the use of chemical retardants should improve the air quality and keep the fires from spreading beyond the park, reports The Miami Herald.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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Farm Bill Receives Presidential Veto

In a significant victory for the floriculture industry, the House and the Senate passed the conference report on House Resolution 2419, commonly known as the "Farm Bill." 

However, as anticipated, President Bush today vetoed the measure saying it was wasteful and contained too many subsidies for wealthy farmers.

Congress is expected to override the president's veto because the bill was approved in the House and Senate by majorities larger than the two-thirds necessary to defeat a veto.

The passage marks the first time specialty crops have been included as a major component in the Farm Bill. The bill includes mandatory funding for new research to meet the needs of specialty crop producers in the areas of plant breeding, pests and diseases management, food safety and mechanization.

"The passage of this bill represents a real first for the specialty crops industry including floriculture growers," says Lin Schmale, senior director of government relations for SAF. "We've worked hard to insure that Congress overrides the unfortunate presidential veto."

After more than  a year of heated debate, contentious hearings and numerous delays, the House and the Senate cleared the bill by wide margins, despite vehement protests from the White House. The Senate voted late last Thursday to adopt the conference report 81-15, which came one day after the House adopted the report by a vote of 318-106. 

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-5-Md.) plans to bring to the floor a vote to override the president's veto before the Memorial Day recess.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

  
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Consumers to Use Rebates on Gas, Food

If results from a new survey are any indication, many Americans will spend their federal tax rebates on necessities, not discretionary items. 

In a survey conducted from April 29 to May 7, the National Retail Federation (NRF) finds that most consumers will use their rebate checks to pay for gas (17.2 million people) and many will put the money toward everyday purchases at their local supermarkets (21.2 million people).

"The rising cost of groceries and gasoline means that discretionary spending is taking a backseat to necessities," says Tracy Mullin, NRF president and CEO. "For many consumers, struggling with rising bills and lowering home values, economic stimulus checks could not come at a better time."

Consumers are not only stressed about their personal finances, they're also growing pessimistic about the country's economic future, according to the Reuters/Zogby Index, a poll that measures "the mood of the country."

"Consumer confidence fell to a 28-year low this month as rising prices strained household finances, the economy shed jobs, the housing market struggled and the cost of gasoline rose to $4 a gallon," the Index states. Pollster John Zogby adds that many consumers believe the situation is bound to get worse: "A majority of Americans expect gas prices to eventually hit $5 a gallon."

David Hope, AAF, AIFD, of Flower Gallery in Washington, D.C., says offering free delivery on Web site business has helped to bolster online sales. While everyday sales are down for the shop, compared to last year, online sales for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day were up.  "I was really surprised we did more this year [on the holidays] than last year," he says, despite not spending significantly on marketing.

--Cassandra P. Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

 
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NEWSMAKERS

SAF Members Talk Politics with Media, Lawmakers

Two SAF members didn't shy away from recent opportunities to represent the floral industry by building critical relationships with a local lawmaker and newspaper.

Tom Massingham of Garrison Hill Florists Inc. in Dover, N.H., was the sole retailer at a business roundtable held by Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-1-N.H.). Topics addressed at the 90-minute meeting included energy costs, the troubled housing market and health care costs. Members of the banking, legal and real estate industries participated in the discussion.

"I was happy that there was at least one retailer there," Massingham says.

For Massingham, the discussion on health insurance rates hit home because he was just notified that health insurance rates for his employees would rise to nearly $170 per person per month as of July 1. Shea-Porter plans on making the business roundtable a regular event in her district, and Massingham says he will attend the next meeting, too.

"She certainly seems receptive to hearing about what is going on in her district and interested in what's happening in the real world back here," Massingham explains. "Based on previous experience with my local representatives, she seems more willing to not only listen to concerns, but actually try to do something about them."

Jo Buttram, AAF, AMF, of Shirley's Flowers & Gifts in Rogers, Ark., used her experience as a veteran attendee of SAF's Congressional Action Days and knowledge of the resources at SAF to make sure her interview with a state newspaper hammered home the industry's most important points. A Northwest Arkansas Business Journal reporter wanted to know Buttram's views on a new Senate Finance Committee proposal, "Information Reporting for Electronic Payments," that could affect small businesses. The proposal is one of several that purport to close the tax gap (now estimated to be more than $300 billion). "SAF has specific concerns about its impact and has signed a letter to that effect as a member of the Coalition for Fairness in Tax Compliance," says Jeanne Ramsay, senior director of government relations for SAF.

Buttram, who maintains solid relationships with her federal lawmakers, is often called upon by SAF to discuss industry concerns with her legislators. When it came to giving this interview, however, Buttram says she knew her best bet was to contact SAF staff to obtain talking points and advice before speaking with the reporter.

The article, which appeared in the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal on May 19, centers on small business opposition to the measure. Buttram says in the article "the proposal would unfairly burden those who do report all their income while doing nothing to those who don't."

It's important to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves to talk with the media and meet with lawmakers. For helpful taking points, visit the government advocacy and industry promotion sections of SAF's Web site.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Flowers Take to the Sky in New Promotion

Millions of air travelers will hear about scientifically proven benefits of flowers this summer, thanks to a Sky Radio campaign featuring an interview with Stan Pohmer Jr., executive director of the Flower Promotion Organization (FPO).

During the broadcast, an announcer asks listeners, "What do you really know about flowers?" A considerable part of the interview focuses on Harvard Medical research conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., in partnership with the SAF/FPO Alliance. As the Sky Radio announcer points out, the research shows flowers have the ability to "relieve negative emotions in the workplace or decrease anxiety in the home environment." During the interview, Pohmer discusses the benefits of flowers such as their ability to make people feel more compassionate toward others when they're in the home.

"A single stem can change the whole personality of a room," Pohmer says during the interview.

Listeners also are provided with several Web sites to turn to for more information about flowers, including flowerpossibilities.com. Pohmer says the Web sites are designed "to help the consumer incorporate flowers into their lives and lifestyles." And at the conclusion of the upbeat interview, the announcer even adds his own take on the positive effects of flowers.

"It's always been my advice to other men to send flowers before you need to," he says.

The Sky Radio campaign expands on a successful campaign that ran on all American Airlines flights in February. By launching the new campaign now, the FPO can capitalize on the busy summertime travel season to connect with consumers, according to a FPO press release. The campaign will be broadcast on all 129,000 American Airlines flights in August, reaching about 4.2 million passengers. It also will be available on NWA flights in the beginning of August and worldwide on all 2,880 flights, reaching 700,000 consumers. For the months of September and October, the campaign will connect with 3.34 million passengers each month.

For more information on consumer research, visit SAF's Web site.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

  
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BUSINESS BUILDERS

Kid-Friendly Promotion Draws Big Crowds in Philly

 
An in-store promotion April 25 at Kremp Florist in Philadelphia drew a crowd of more than 450 people, generated a customer e-mail list of almost 300 and helped the shop clear out inventory — all with "basically no cost" to the business. How did they do it? Webkinz.

Webkinz pets are the latest craze among Web-savvy kids ranging in age from four up to pre-teens: Once a child has a Webkinz stuffed animal, he or she uses a "secret code" to sign up for an account online, an action which puts the stuffed animal into a virtual world. In this world, the child can earn or buy points to decorate the animal's home, play games and even interact with other Webkinz members.

"When Webkinz first came out, I got a small assortment to test," says Chad Kremp. "They were a slow sell but it was a new idea so it took a while for customers to catch on. Then after about eight months of having a full display rack, we sold them all in about a week. This was in January of 2007. It's been crazy ever since."

More than 450 people visited Kremp Florist in Philadelphia during an April Webkinz promotion. The Webkinz stuffed animals are the latest trend among Web savvy pre-teens.

Recently Ganz, the maker of Webkinz, encouraged customers to take part in a weekend-long "Webkinz Extravaganza." During the extravaganza, the company discounted select products for retailers to give away as prizes for different games and contests. In exchange, Ganz listed participating retailers on its Web site. In Philadelphia, however, Kremp  did  things differently.

"We had all the games and contests but instead of buying more product to give away, we used product we already had," Kremp says. "The kids loved it because they were able to choose from our entire selection rather than giving them only a small amount of items to choose from as their prize."

To promote the event Kremp Florist sent out e-mails to its already established 500-person Webkinz customer list, and posted an announcement on a storefront marquee, a low-cost promotion that yielded high results, says Kremp. 

On the day of the event, kids and parents lined up at Kremp Florist to check out the products and participate in the contests and games that went from 4 to 7 p.m. To capitalize on future marketing opportunities, the shop asked customers to provide e-mail addresses before they participated in the games.

"In just three hours we had 293 e-mail addresses," Kremp says.

Despite the large crowd, Kremp says the event stayed well organized, and it's something the florist will "definitely" do again in the future.

"We are always concentrating on getting people into the showroom," he explains. "Selling Webkinz gets parents into the store, who we hope to turn into flower buyers [if they are not already]. And it also introduces the kids to us for future prom flowers!"

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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Flowers for Kids...and Soldiers

A Texas wholesaler and a retail florist joined forces to put a new spin on an educational program designed to get kids interested in flowers.

Greenleaf Wholesale Florist in Austin, Texas, partnered with local retailer Phil Enderle of Marvel's Flower World, Inc., in Kileen, Texas, to present a Flowers for Kids program in late-April — but rather than limiting attendees to the 235 third through sixth graders at the school, they invited soldiers from the local Ft. Hood military base to participate. Fourteen local soldiers participated, handing flowers to the children as they made their bouquets, and, according to Ray Liehr, manager, they enjoyed the program as much as the kids.

"In one way, it was an opportunity for them to get off the base, away from their regular duties," Liehr explains. "Some of the soldiers were getting ready to be deployed and won't be able to see American children and a family-type setting, or be with their own kids at school." Liehr says the soldiers showed a lot of interest in learning about the different flowers.

"You could hear them saying the different names to each other as they were helping to hand out flowers to the kids for their bouquets," Liehr says. Each soldier also received a bouquet to take home for a loved one.

The nonprofit Flowers For Kids, which was started in early 2006, is designed to increase demand for cut flowers by teaching kids how to care for, appreciate and make their own bouquets, so they encourage their parents to buy flowers.
 
Liehr calls the program "the single most effective marketing tool" that directly benefits the retail florist and wholesaler. "We can only assume that more people buying flowers from shops that are exposed to and offer Flowers for Kids classes will result in more business for the retailer, wholesaler and their suppliers," he says.

For more information about becoming a certified Flowers For Kids instructor, you can visit the program's Web site.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 
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LIFE AT WORK

Employers Promote Healthy Lifestyles

Rising gas and grocery costs are dominating headlines, but soaring health premiums remain a top concern of employers, according to Workforce Week.

A Hewitt Associates survey of 500 U.S. companies shows that the health and well-being of employees are primary factors for small business owners looking to lower health care costs. About 90 percent of businesses "plan to aggressively promote healthy lifestyles to their employees in an attempt to cut health care costs." The businesses also plan to promote the health objectives over a long-term period of time.

"Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of companies are offering incentives aimed at motivating employees to adopt healthier behaviors, while 67 percent 'will utilize health care data and measurements' to shape organization-wide strategies on health and wellness," according to the article.

This idea to promote health and fitness company-wide isn't new. Last year, Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group launched a health rewards program in which employees can convert their fitness and health improvements into rewards such as cash or "HealthMiles" points at more than 50 retail locations in the U.S.

SAF members should also keep in mind another form of healthcare expense savings: SAF's participation in the ScriptSave healthcare savings program, which affords SAF members and their employees a discount on prescriptions that are either: a) not already covered by their health insurance; b) if they do not have health insurance; or, c) their health insurance does not include prescriptions. The ScriptSave discount card also gets members a reduced rate on eye exams and lenses at participating locations such as Lens Crafters and other big chain eye care stores.

--Cassandra P. Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

 
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Media Boot Camp at SAF Palm Beach 2008

Knock. Knock. There's a TV reporter and a camera crew at your door. Will you know how to make the most of the opportunity and present your company in the best possible light? Learn the tricks of the trade at the Media Interview Boot Camp, Saturday Sept. 20 during SAF Palm Beach 2008. 

The cameras will be rolling during this interactive session taught by professional media trainer Nan Tolbert of The Communications Center. You'll have a chance to participate in a mock interview, see yourself on camera and find out how to do it better.  You'll learn how to prepare for the interview... speak in "sound bites" that news editors love... use eye contact, voice control and body language to enhance your credibility, and more. This session is the perfect follow-up to last year's PR Boot Camp. Don't miss it! 

Plan to be at SAF Palm Beach 2008, Sept. 17-20 in Palm Beach, Fla. Check out the complete convention schedule and program details online now. 

Questions? Contact Laura Weaver, CMP, at 800-336-4743 or lweaver@safnow.org.

 
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On the Horizon

• "Keys to Communication" by SAF's PFCI featuring Sharon McGukin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI: July 7, 2-3 p.m. in Chicago, in conjunction with the AIFD National Symposium.
• SAF Palm Beach 2008: Sept. 17-20, 2008, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.

 
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REGULAR FEATURES

E-Brief Top Five

Teleflora's coronation of "America's Favorite Mom" was the most viewed story from last week's E-Brief. Storms tearing up the midwest and south also received a lot of clicks as well as our story on funeral directors braving harsh winter weather to attend a florist-sponsored event. If you missed reading any of last week's top five, just click on these links to get caught up.

1. Teleflora Crowns America's Favorite Mom

2. Storms Tear Up Midwest, South

3. Funeral Directors Brave Snowstorm for Florist Event

4. Site Focuses on Perks of Ecuador's Floral Industry

5. Businesses Invited to Yelp

 
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Product Spotlight: Wedding Flower Calculator

Help your brides-to-be make their wedding planning less stressful. SAF's Wedding Flower Calculator makes it easy for your wedding customers to calculate their flower budget. Just download the calculator from the Sales and Business Tools page on SAF's Web site,  enter your shop information and flower prices into the simple Excel spreadsheet, and load it onto your Web site. Brides enter the quantities they need and the worksheet calculates approximately how much they can expect to spend. They can even compare three different budget levels (Economy, Most
Popular, and Premium). Requires Microsoft Excel.

 
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On the Discussion Boards

A new query has been posted to the discussion boards looking for help defining the difference between modern and contemporary designs. "I need to make sure that those who are taking orders are on the same page as those who are making the arrangements," the poster explains. Think you can help nail down the proper definition?

In response to a previous post looking for ideas on how to offer a landmark celebration, a new response has just been added to the discussion. A poster reveals that for her shop's 30th anniversary, they offered 30-cent roses the whole day. She goes on to report that even though it was pulled together right after Valentine's Day "we were very surprised and pleased with the number of people who came in." Find out how they promoted their landmark celebration.

Or start your own discussion.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Teachers and Nurses are Among the Most Celebrated in April/May

When it comes to which observance generates the most sales in April/May, last week's e-poll says that National Teacher's Day/Week is on top. Teacher appreciation garnered slightly more than 39 percent of the votes. National Nurses' Day pulled in close to 35 percent, while Cinco de Mayo ended up with only slightly more than 4 percent. The "don't know" category raked in almost 22 percent of the votes cast.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Survey Says: Mother's Day Buying Remains Steady

Despite the current economic situation, the proportion of American adults purchasing fresh flowers or plants for Mother's Day held steady compared to 2007. A solid 36.7 percent of adult consumers purchased floral gifts for the holiday, less than one half of one percent below the finding in 2007 (37.1 percent). Forty-three percent of adult males and 31 percent of adult females made floral purchases for Mother' Day.

 
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