Are you a member of OFA?
If you're not a member, you should join today! OFA - The Association of Horticulture Professionals is the leading horticulture educational association in the United States.
It is a membership-based, not-for-profit organization with a mission "to support and advance professional horticulture." Industry segments served include garden centers, greenhouses, nurseries, landscapers, florists, interior plantscapers, emerging professionals, and allied trade.
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Message from the President
Dear Members,
We are heading towards the start of the Spring season and the busiest time of year for our association. I would like to remind everyone that if you didn't turn in your county crop report yet, please do so right away. It was due a couple weeks ago but hopefully information can still be added. The crop report is very important this year because the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Department has commissioned a study to give the public a comprehensive understanding of Agriculture's economic contributions to the county. This study will be a valuable tool to educate and promote our Agriculture industry to the public. The same study was prepared for Monterey County last year and became a highly praised tool that helped explain the true importance of Agriculture and the positive effects to the local economy. The study for our county will be completed by April 30, 2013.
An important part of our Annual Open House event is our scholarship program. The scholarship is funded by proceeds from greenhouse participants as well as other community members, such as the Nipomo Rotary and Rabobank. The applications are all online and easy to access by High School seniors or current college students that plan to major in Horticulture. Another important part of our scholarship program is that children of CCGGA nursery members, with any college major, are able to apply. There is also a flyer that can be printed and used as a handout, (see link to the left). Please have this handout available for your employees and distribute them to anyone you know that is connected to our local High Schools and colleges. This is a great way for our association to support future leaders in horticulture and also, to provide higher education for our employee's families.
Lastly, don't forget to save the date for our Annual Open House event, taking place on April 13th, 2013. With the new Willow Street exit off of Highway 101, everyone will have an easier path nurseries as well as the Edward's Barn to enjoy the events that take place there.
Enjoy the last couple of months of Winter, as we head to a prosperous Spring!
Dave Pruitt, President Ball Tagawa Growers |
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Annual Meeting Recap
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President Dave Pruitt welcoming everyone to the meeting.
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Paul Texiera providing an update on county events.
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Thank you to all members and guests who attended this years annual meeting held at the Edward's Barn on December 6th.
We had a great turn out. Thank you again to all that participated and attended!
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Agriculture Super Bowl Commercial
Many of you football fans may have caught this commercial during the Super Bowl game this past Sunday but if you didn't catch it, you should check it out. We are all involved in the field of Agriculture and I believe that we're all farmers at heart. This is the best commercial that I saw!  | | Ram Trucks Super Bowl Commercial "Farmer" |
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Garden Center Holiday Sales are up!
Click here for the article.
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San Luis Obispo Designated
The USDA has designated San Luis Obispo County as a primary natural disaster area due to the losses caused by drought that occurred from January 1, 2012, continuing.
To determine if you are eligible you will need to contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA). You have until August 19, 2013 to apply.
Farm Service Agency, San Luis Obispo County
65 S. Main St., Ste. 106
Templeton, CA 93465
(805) 434-0398 Ext. 2
M-F, 8 am - 4:30 pm
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Flashback Time!
The image is a little small but we wanted to share this article with you that was written almost 20 years ago!
If you have any historic photos of CCGGA events or from your nursery, we'd love to see them! Please send them to Krista at info@ccgga.com
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Finding Bliss in 2013
Last time we talked about color trends for 2013... now let's talk about garden trends!
Bliss-such a great concept, eh? With the extreme ways today's culture is wired up and tapped out, the Garden Media Group is betting that finding "bliss"-even snippets of it-will be how Americans unwind in the new year. And where better to find it than in the garden?
GMG's 12th annual Garden Trends Report predicts that folks are re-evaluating lives, values and priorities and essentially redefining the concept of happiness. Part of that happiness can be seen through the lens of caring for Mother Nature. And the tools needed for the care taking of Mother Nature can be found at garden centers.
Check out all 12 of them HERE.
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5% increase? Not too shabby!
Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores made the Washington Post's list of the 10 weakest small business sectors for 2013. Bummer.
Blame the 5.2% sales growth over the past year, according to financial data collected from thousands of small employers by Sageworks, Inc. This is compared to the what the Post listed as the 10 fastest growing small business sectors that enjoyed sales bumps of 20% or more.
Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores join real estate and construction firms, as well as golf courses, on the slower growth list. The silver lining: at least we're at the top of the 10 list with the greatest growth among the group.
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Survey Request
The Central Coast Recycling Market Development Zone, a program of CalRecycle, has asked Farm Bureau members to participate in a survey so that they can update their data on the supply of agricultural plastic (film, drip, greenhouse and container) available in the jurisdiction/County. They have had several recent inquiries regarding constructing an agricultural plastics processing facility on the Central Coast.
The availability of supply will obviously be a key driver in that decision. Those businesses that have contacted us have all indicated they would take this material for free. The method of collection may vary from on-site pick to a centralized drop off, amo ng other options.
Once all of the information is collected we will post the results on our website: www.recycleloan.org.
Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the survey.
Here is the link to our survey-very simplistic, just trying to get the basics.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LT9YMR2
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Where do you go for your local Ag news?
San Luis Obispo Farm Bureau provides several sources for local information about issues, events and matters of importance to agriculturalists.
Ag Update E-Newsletter
E-mailed to you eight times a year with news you need to know! Please help us sign up your friends and associates to receive it: click here and then e-mail the page to them.
Farm Bureau Website
slocountyfarmbureau.org
SLO Country Magazine
Mailed to Farm Bureau members or read it
online.
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Do you know someone who would benefit from becoming a member of CCGGA?
We're always looking to expand our membership, so please spread the word about our organization!
Krista Herlihy
Central Coast Greehouse Growers Association
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The Central Coast Greenhouse Growers Association (CCGGA) was founded to provide a cohesive organization that acts as a good neighbor within the local and regional community, providing information and education to neighbors; other community groups or businesses; and county, state, or federal agencies.
The CCGGA acts on behalf of its members in resolving issues that may arise with neighboring communities, as we work to coexist and enjoy the numerous benefits the Central Coast provides for both living and growing high-quality plants.
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