I provided a brief "State of the Industry" from the domestic flower farming communities' standpoint at the International Floriculture Expo in Miami on Wednesday June 19th in Miami, FL. The presentation included the latest consumer research done by the California Cut Flower Commission and the Buy California Marketing Agreement. The presentation highlights the disparity between imports and domestic flower farming in today's U.S. marketplace and encourages retailers to consider the consumer research that supports promoting U.S. Grown flowers to consumers seeking more locally grown blooms. The top three reasons consumers support U.S. Grown flowers included: 1. The Economy 2. Standards 3. Freshness

1. Heart & Soil

2. State of California
The State of California

3. Farms 225
Size < 77%
> 18%
Value $278m
Impact $10.3b
Jobs
15,000
Impact 122,000

5. Cut Flower Wholesale Value (in million dollars)

6. What Do They Want?

7. 75% 77%
25% 23%
National California
Yes, prefer U.S. grown No, it doesn't matter
Preference for U.S. Grown
Agricultural Products
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
67% 70% 72% 76% 82%
California
• Residents in San Joaquin Valley are
the most likely to have a preference
for U.S. grown products (86%) while
those in San Diego are the least likely
to have a preference for U.S.
products (72%).
National
• As consumers age they are more
likely to prefer that their agricultural
products are grown in the U.S.
Q.2 Do you prefer agricultural products grown in the United States to products grown in and
then imported from other countries?

8. About three-fourths
(74%)
of American’s don’t know where the flowers
they purchased or received are from.

9. However, if given
the choice, more
than half
(58%)
would prefer to
buy California-
grown flowers.

11. #1 The Economy
• Your Neighbors
• Jobs
• Local Taxes
• Schools
#2 Standards
• Regulations
• Safety
• Enviromental
#3 Freshness
• Quality
• Vase Life

12. Eighty Five percent (85%)
of consumers surveyed strongly agree or agree
that when they see the blue license plate on their
produce or flowers, they are more likely to
purchase that product over one not grown in
California

13. Eight six percent (86%)
of consumers strongly agree or agree
that it is important for them to feel
connected to the people and place where
their food comes from.

14. The Morrison Group Research
Buyer Interviews:
• “Buy local/USA” drew little interest from large
buyers
but enthusiasm from retail florists.

15. The Opportunities Ahead

16. Be Who You Are!

17. "Ten or 15 years ago, the organic label
was more important to our
customers, but we started to feel, over
the last five to seven years, that our
customers were more interested in
buying produce that's local."
A.C. Gallo, President & COO

18. How Local Can You Get?

19. "Consumers are also starting to consider the distance
their flowers travel. Jennifer Juhos Grey, owner of Fiore
Designs in Venice, CA, has seen an increasing amount
of her high end clients demanding locally sourced
flowers to minimize the ecological footprint for their
weddings and events. A real opportunity exists now to
restart local flower production without the use of
pesticides and urban rooftops may be the ideal spot."
- Trey Shelton
psfk.com
on June 16, 2013.

23. Come to California!

25. T H A N K Y O U