In This Issue ...

1. Fun 'N Sun 2017 - A Celebration
2. Cannabis & California Cut Flowers
3. California Floral Industry History
4. Featured New Member of the Month
5. Transportation Updates
6. New Members

Going Social ...

Members, please follow us on Instagram @CalifFlowers and hashtag #CalFlowers. Watch for event or news-specific hashtags. And we welcome your photos! Please share with Michael LoBue at [email protected].

Upcoming Events

WF&FSA Floral Distribution Conference
October 18 - 20, 2017
Miami, FL

CaliFlora 2017
November 4 & 5, 2017
International Floral Trade Center
5858 Dryden Pl
Carlsbad, CA

CalFlowers News

Our goal is to communicate on a monthly basis with the membership and interested parties about recent past and upcoming events, program updates, and general information about how CalFlowers is engaging in the industry on behalf of the membership.

Fun 'N Sun 2017 - A Celebration

This year’s Fun ‘N Sun event was held in Carlsbad, CA (San Diego County) at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, a five-diamond property.  Everything about our time in San Diego was first rate, including the weather!

Fun ‘N Sun is an every-other-year event and truly unique among the U.S. floral conventions and conferences.  In addition to a great locale and an abundance of friends, old and new, this event has a flower fair with the largest display of California floral products found anywhere, farm tours, and educational programming.  This year, Fun ‘N Sun featured a history of California’s floral industry from its beginning in the 1870s to the present and delivered its report of the impact of legalized cannabis on the California floral industry.

Click here to read a full recap of Fun 'N Sun 2017.

On Thursday evening, our attendees enjoyed posing for the camera at the Fun 'N Sun photo booth. Click here to view, download, and order photos. Thank you Lani Conklin with Black Moon Images.

Cannabis and California Cut Flower Production

On Saturday, August 12, at Fun 'N Sun, Professor Daniel Sumner of the University of California Agricultural Issues Center (AIC) at UC Davis campus, reported the results of AIC's study to determine the potential impacts of the emerging legal cannabis industry in California on cut-flower land usage.  In short, his conclusion is:  there's no evidence cannabis production will affect California's ability to produce cut flowers at current, existing levels.

Of course, there are many nuances to this situation and impacts will vary by growing regions, but overall, these two crops are expected to co-exist for the foreseeable future.

Obtain the full report here.

California Floral Industry History

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes" is a quote often attributed to Mark Twain.  While there’s no actual proof this maxim belongs to the renowned American author and satirist, it’s easy to imagine it is his and that he may have even meant it for the emerging California floral industry as it was forming in the state in the 1870s.  Okay, the part about advice for the forming floral industry is completely made-up, but the connection applies nonetheless.  Mark Twain was actually pattering around the young state at the time the floral industry was emerging.

The project entitled “Flowers – The California Way” was intended to inform and entertain Fun ‘N Sun attendees.  It provided a great deal more than entertainment – for those willing to examine it.

Two items jumped out for the author of the project that are extremely timely, for example.  First, 50% CalFlowers' 118 current California Grower members started their operations after 1993.  This is relevant because 1993 was the first year imported flowers took a dominant market share of cut flowers consumed in the U.S. market.  While flower imports hit the then domestic cut flower market like a Scud missile, it also produced different grower opportunities that many entrepreneurs seized upon.  Imports grew the U.S. market to unprecedented heights, and half of the commercial cut flower growers in California in 2017 are a testament to these opportunities.

Second “rhyme” from this history is that California growers have faced numerous environmental and market changes for more than a century and adapted nicely.  For instance, early in the 20^th century many flower farms in and around the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Los Angeles area had to relocate their farms because their land was worth more in another economic use.  Back then, it was housing – but does it really matter?  Farms simply moved.  While economic and demographic conditions are very different today than a century ago, the fact remains, the California cut flower industry has a long history of adaptation and reinvention.  Any reason to think it won’t do the same with today’s challenges – like cannabis?

Begin the history tour here.

Featured New Member of the Month

Hilverda de Boer USA

Hilverda de Boer USA colors your world!  They are the premium choice for high-end florists and event designers world-wide.  HDB USA specializes in the sale of cut flowers and foliage of the highest quality from the top growers around the world.   

Since the formation of their company in 1909, they have developed an extensive network of growers across the globe.  As a result, they provide a substantial and varied assortment of flowers and plants year-round.  With nearly 300 employees world-wide and 350 million stems exported annually, HDB USA is one of the leading exporters of flowers in the Netherlands.  They know each one of their clients personally and want them to showcase their unbelievable talents using HDB USA products.  Here in North America, their talented and knowledgeable team communicates on a consistent basis.  They are spread throughout our great nation, and each member maintains a vast knowledge regarding ports of entry and delivery methods to ensure product arrives to you in pristine condition.  Hilverda de Boer USA is passionate about delivering the best flowers on time, adding value and keeping their promises. 

Click here to visit the HDB website.

Transportation  

1. Did you know GSO delivers on Saturday at no extra charge?  Just indicate Saturday Delivery when booking.  GSO also recommends, “SAT delivery stickers” be used and they are available from GSO at no-charge. 800-322-5555
2. Just a reminder that our CalFlowers FedEx contract for 2017 includes the valuable FedEx “Money Back Guarantee”. However, we have in place a one-hour grace period for late shipments.  Simply put, this means FedEx has one hour past the stated delivery commitment to deliver your shipment.  After that one-hour period, they will honor the FedEx Money Back Guarantee if requested.  If you have any questions or comments, please contact Chris Johnson, [email protected] for assistance.
3. We wanted to pass on to members some across-the-board temporary changes FedEx has in store for all shippers during the 2017 Holiday Shipping period.  From Nov. 20, 2017 through Dec. 24, 2017, FedEx will increase their Holiday surcharges for Express and Ground.  Please visit www.fedex.com/us/shipping-rates/surcharges-and-fees.html for all the details.
4. Just a reminder that GSO has expanded D2D operations from four to seven states.  GSO is now servicing Oregon, Washington and Idaho.  This new expansion now brings GSO’s service area to CA, NV, AZ, NM, OR, WA, and ID.   Our program will now include these new states and prices will remain the same.  The only change is in terms of delivery times.  OR, WA, and ID will be classified as 2-day service (depending on origination), so shippers will need to pack boxes accordingly.  For more information on GSO and our program expansion, please visit our website, www.cafgs.org, or contact Chris Johnson directly at [email protected].

NOTE: Transportation Rate information and documents are viewable/downloadable (as PDFs) on the CalFlowers Members Only site. Please note that these documents are considered sensitive material and are available to the primary contacts for Ag Buddy, Associate Floral, Associate Grower, and Floral members only.

To access the Members Only site, simply login using the Member Login button in the top-right corner of our website.  

Click here if you don't know or don't remember your username and/or password.  This document will help you login. 

New Members

In July and August 2017, we were pleased to welcome the following new CalFlowers members:

1500 41st Avenue, Suite 240 Capitola, CA 95010 | www.cafgs.org 

Ph. 831-479-4912 | Fax 831-479-4914