Market buzz

Scholarship available for outstanding green industry students

Cleveland, Ohio – Garden Center magazine has opened the application period for its annual scholarship program.

Garden Center, along with sister publications Lawn & Landscape, Golf Course Industry, Nursery Management and Greenhouse Management, is offering two awards for $2,500 each. The Richard Foster Award is available to students planning careers in a landscape, lawn care or horticulture business. The Stanley Zontek Award is available for students planning careers in the golf course maintenance business.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled at a recognized two- or four-year college or university working toward a degree in horticulture, turfgrass management or other field related to the green industry.

Applications are due April 15, and can be downloaded at www.gardencentermag.com/horticultural-scholarship.aspx.

AmericanHort officially debuts, forms partnership with HRI

AmericanHort, the industry’s new trade association, formally debuted Jan. 1, 2014, following the consolidation of the American Nursery & Landscape Association and OFA – The Association of Horticulture Professionals.

The new organization will represent the whole of the plant industry, including breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden center retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscapers, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers, and all of those who are part of the industry supply chain.

AmericanHort will have its primary office in Columbus, Ohio, and an office in Washington D.C. to facilitate government relations and research activities, including the management of the Horticultural Research Institute. AmericanHort will also continue to manage America in Bloom, the industry’s community beautification initiative.

AmericanHort also announced it is forming a strategic alliance with the Horticultural Research Institute to support and promote research benefiting all horticulture industries. The collaboration will accelerate research efforts in the areas of industry survival issues, sustainability, marketing and technology.

The Horticultural Research Institute’s mission is to direct, fund, promote, and communicate horticulture research. The strategic alliance with AmericanHort is another example of how HRI collaborates to build prosperous businesses, advance the green industry, and fulfill its core vision.

For more information, www.americanhort.org and www.hriresearch.org

American in Bloom symposium set for October

The America in Bloom symposium will be held Oct. 2-4 in Philadelphia, Penn. Registration for the event’s awards program is available through the AIB website. The awards program is open to a number of civic, military, educational, and non-profit organizations including: towns, townships, cities of all sizes, business districts, college and university campuses, military installations, and identifiable sections of large cities.

If you recruit a new participant for the 2014 AIB Awards program, you receive a 25 percent discount on your registration fee. Recruit four new participants and your registration is free.

The registration deadline for the 2014 AIB Awards program is Feb. 28. Participants are evaluated on their efforts in horticulture, heritage, and environment across residential, commercial, and municipal sectors.

At the event, AIB will celebrate the ways that people are planting pride in their communities, present awards for outstanding achievements, and will host an extensive educational program.  

For more information, www.americainbloom.org.

Spotted!

Notable products and ideas from garden centers and businesses across the country
 

Plan now for guided tour of California Spring Trials

For the fourth year, a tour of several of the main stops along the Spring Trial route in California is being organized by floriculture/greenhouse specialists Dr. Mark Bridgen and Dr. Neil Mattson of Cornell University. The tour will take place April 8 to 10.

Guests will visit the major horticultural companies that distribute plant materials and supplies and get a first-hand look at the products and new varieties that are available to the floriculture industry. This excursion is designed specifically for members of the greenhouse and floriculture industry, other horticulture professionals, and academics. It is an opportunity to meet fellow growers, breeders, and other plant company representatives to share ideas, update your understanding of what’s happening in our industry, and travel with trained horticulture professionals.

The first day includes visits to Proven Winners, Syngenta Flowers and Sakata Seed.

The next day will include visits to Dümmen USA, including Red Fox and HGTV HOME, and also the group of Fides, Oro, Ecke Ranch, Oglevee, and Bartels brands; this stop includes GreenFuse Botanicals. A stop at the California Polytechnic State University is also included on this day. That night will be spent at the Crowne Plaza Ventura located on a Pacific Ocean beach.

The trip concludes with a visit to Ball Horticultural Co. in the morning and to GroLink Plant Co. in the afternoon. Other stops include Athena Brazil, Flamingo Holland, Florist Holland B.V., Florensis, Hort Couture, and PlantHaven International, Inc., Royal Van Zanten, Schonoeveld, and Sequoia Group International.

For more information, www.concepts.us.com/registration-greenhouse-spring2014.asp.

Several scholarships available in green industry

Many organizations have submitted information about scholarship opportunities available to students pursuing a career in horticulture for 2014. Here’s a roundup of the awards:

TOCA scholarship, internship opportunities
The Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association will award one $2,500 fall semester scholarship (2014-2015 academic year) to undergraduate college students pursuing careers working for trade publications, newsletters or companies/marketing agencies that promote the golf course, lawn and landscape, sod and nursery/greenhouse maintenance industries.

In addition, TOCA is offering an 8 to 10 week hands-on communications internship with a member publication in the green industry. The intern will receive a $3,000 stipend paid by TOCA for work at a TOCA publication.

2014 Sidney B. Meadows Scholarships
Created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund is a 501 (c) 3 charitable foundation providing academic scholarships to students in16 southeastern states. About 12 students will receive $1,500.

AFE intern scholarship programs
Two intern scholarship opportunities, available through the American Floral Endowment, are now accepting applications.

The Vic and Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program gives students the chance to intern at a commercial production greenhouse or nursery. Students will intern for periods of three, four or six months. Upon completion of their internship, they will receive a scholarship for $1,500 (three months), $3,000 (four months), or $6,000 (six months).  

The Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program gives students the chance to train at one of the leading retail, wholesale or allied trade operation for 10 to 16 weeks. Upon the successful completion of their internship, students receive a $2,000 scholarship.

For more information, www.sbmsef.org www.toca.org/contest-awards

http://endowment.org/floriculture-scholarshipsinternships

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