CalFlowers Takes An Active Role in Legislative Advocacy

Earlier in 2019, the leadership of CalFlowers became aware of legislation proposing new regulations on cut flowers brought into California for resale.   That measure was Assembly Bill 1205 in the California State Assembly.

Another piece of legislation soon appeared in the U.S. House of Representatives – H.R. 3019 – that would require Federal agencies to purchase only domestically grown flowers.

The problem with these well-meaning measures is that they backfire and cause harm.  They add costs, which can result in higher prices for consumers, which lead to lower consumption, and ultimately a shrinking market.  Confronted with higher prices on a discretionary product like cut flowers and greens, consumers are likely to skip the flowers in the supermarket or wherever they buy flowers.

CalFlowers has studied the U.S. floral industry over the past 40 years, and has concluded that despite significant disruptions to the market, partially caused by an increase in imported cut flowers from Colombia and Ecuador in the mid-1990s, the floral market is efficient and functions well.  While these disruptions changed the way traditional segments in the industry operated, they also grew the market to an unprecedented size, and created new conveniences for consumers.

CalFlowers asks only two things of our state and federal legislators:

  1.  Do not impose regulations on an efficient market, especially legislation that would benefit one segment of the floral industry at the expense of other segments and result in fewer consumer choices; and
  2. Demonstrate leadership to your constituencies by enjoying more flowers more often, regardless of where they are grown.

Please feel free to review our collateral and information on CalFlowers and proposed legislation.