Market buzz

GIE Media Inc. announces acquisition of Cannabis Business Times

GIE Media Inc., a leading B2B media company serving some 25 different industries through print and digital magazines, websites, e-newsletters, apps, conferences, reference books and other media platforms, today announced the acquisition of Cannabis Business Times from Hermes Media and Research in Arlington, Va. This new title serves the state-legal cannabis industry, and joins the publications in GIE Media’s Horticulture group, which include Greenhouse Management, Nursery Management, Garden Center, Produce Grower, Ornamental Breeder, Lawn & Landscape and Golf Course Industry.

“The economic opportunities are beginning to explode in this industry, and will continue to grow as legislation continues to advance the issue,” says Christopher Foster, GIE Media’s CEO. “We are excited to expand our portfolio into this emerging segment of the market.”

Noelle Skodzinski, co-founder and editor of Cannabis Business Times, also joins GIE Media and will continue to oversee Cannabis Business Times’ editorial. As the former editorial director of the Publishing Group at North American Publishing Co., along with a number of other editorial management positions, Skodzinski brings more than 20 years of journalism experience to the team.

Jim Gilbride serves as the Group Publisher of Cannabis Business Times. “This is a huge opportunity for some of our existing clients who are already capitalizing on this growth opportunity. We are excited to be on the forefront of B2B communications giving even greater access to this developing area,” says Gilbride.

Cannabis Business Times provides actionable intelligence for the legal cannabis industry through its website (CannabisBusinessTimes.com) and its weekly e-newsletter. An official media partner of the National Cannabis Industry Association’s (NCIA) Cultivation Management Symposium and its 2015 Cannabis Business Summit and Expo, Cannabis Business Times provides daily updates on marijuana legislation and regulations, as well as strategic business and investment information, legal insights and other intelligence serving cannabis businesses.

For more, www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com

 

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CENTS 2016 dates updated

The Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association Board of Directors has announced that CENTS 2016 will take place, Jan. 11-13 (Mon.-Wed.) with pre-convention workshops on Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.

ONLA plans to maintain our Monday – Wednesday pattern for future years as well. The dates are as follows:

• 2016 – January 11-13
• 2017 – January 16-18
• 2018 – January 15-17
   

For more details, and future updates, visit www.centsmarketplace.com
 

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Nine states running out of water due to drought

For many states, the rainy season is over, and most of the Western United States is now locked into a fourth consecutive year of drought. The imminent dry summer is particularly foreboding for California, where more than 44 percent of land area is engulfed in an exceptional level of drought. This was the highest such share nationwide and the kind of water shortage seen only once a century.

According to a study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), “Droughts in the U.S. Southwest and Central Plains during the last half of this century could be drier and longer than drought conditions seen in those regions in the last 1,000 years.” The likelihood of such a drought is 12 percent, NASA scientists estimated.

Based on the most recent drought levels estimated as of the week ended April 14 from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 24/7 Wall Street identified the nine states with the most widespread severe to exceptional drought conditions. During periods of severe drought, crop or pasture losses are likely, and water shortages and restrictions are common. Relative to historical trends, severe drought is expected once every 50 years. During times of exceptional drought, these conditions are intensified and water shortages are considered water emergencies. These are the nine states running out of water: Texas, Kansas, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Oklahoma, Utah, Nevada and California. — Yahoo! News

 

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AAS launches herbaceous perennial trial

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – All-America Selections (AAS) has a long history of being the only independent North American trialing organization that trials new varieties then grants branded awards to the best performers. That 80-year history has proven to be a good model with trialing protocols that have been refined to withstand the test of time and basics that will work with perennial entries as well as annuals and edibles.

Perennial Plant Association (PPA) is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, educators, landscape designers and contractors that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial industry. Together, the two organizations have determined the details necessary to conduct a thorough and horticulturally sound perennial trial and PPA actively endorses this new AAS trial.

The perennial trial will follow many of the basics of the recently launched AAS Vegetative Ornamental trial. Entries accepted will be herbaceous perennials propagated from seed, cutting, tissue culture or bare root. A seed entry can be trialed against a vegetative or TC comparison and vice-versa. Entries will be trialed next to comparisons, in order to continue the AAS legacy.

The primary difference with the AAS Herbaceous Perennial trial is that it will be a three-winter trial, allowing the AAS judges to measure and record winter survivability and subsequent growing season performance. Other AAS trial entries will continue to be trialed over one growing season. Breeders who wish to have their herbaceous perennials tested for first-season performance can continue to use the one-season trial. All other herbaceous perennials would be placed in the three year perennial trial.

For the long-term, entries have to be new, never-before-sold. But after submission to the AAS Herbaceous Perennial Trial, they may be introduced commercially. After the trial is completed, if the entry scores high enough to be become an AAS Winner, after criteria is met and the announcement is made by AAS, the breeder may then market that variety as an AAS Winner.

However, for the first entry year (entries submitted by July 1, 2015), AAS will accept entries that have been on the market for twelve months or less.

For additional information, please contact Diane Blazek at dblazek@aas-ngb.org or 630-963-0770.

 

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Register now for IGC Show tours!

BALTIMORE & CHICAGO – Registration is now open for the IGC Show Garden Center Tours, offering a look at a roster of successful independent retailers on Monday, the day before the trade show opens. The day-long event gives tour-goers the opportunity to network with fellow IGC retailers and energize their business with fresh retail strategies from independent garden centers counted among the best in the area. On-board moderators will begin by revealing the best practices that put the host stores on top in their market. Then attendees will explore each location in person. Transportation and lunch included. Conducted in conjunction with Garden Centers of America and The Garden Center Group. IGC retailers are encouraged to sign up early — the tours have sold out in previous years.

For more about the IGC Shows and to register, visit www.IGCshow.com

 

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AFE announces more than $310,000 in research funding

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has approved more than $310,000 in scientific research project funding for 2015-2016 to support six continuing projects and five new projects, according to a press release from AFE.

“These projects will directly benefit the entire industry by providing information on production of insect and disease-free plants and details of Botrytis infection on floral crops,” said Terril Nell, Ph.D., Research Coordinator for AFE.

PLANT BREEDING AND GENETIC ENGINEERING

• Development of Petunia with Enhanced Stress Tolerance: Dr. Nicole Waterland, West Virginia University, $22,065 (year two of two).
• Making Better Plant Products by Understanding Dynamic Facets of Metabolism: Dr. Thomas A. Colquhoun, University of Florida, $33,000 (year one of three).
   

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

• Managing Pythium Species in Floriculture Irrigation Water: Dr. Mary Hausbeck, Michigan State University, $40,000 (year two of three).
• Engineering Impatiens for Resistance to the Devastating Disease Downy Mildew: Dr. Zhanao Deng, University of Florida, $31,500 (year one of three).
   

INSECT MANAGEMENT

• Beneficial Fungal Endophytes for Effective Insect Management in Floricultural Crops: Dr. Kevin Heinz, Texas A&M University, $34,000 (year three of three).
• A Novel Approach to Fungal-based Thrips Management with Marigold Guardian Plants: Dr. Margaret Skinner, University of Vermont, $21,721 (year one of three). POST PRODUCTION
• New and Potent Inhibitors of Ethylene Action for Improving Cut Flower Longevity: Dr. Rasika Dias, University of Texas at Arlington, $24,900 (year two of two).
• Postharvest Management of Botrytis During Shipping and Storage: Dr. John Dole, North Carolina State University, $31,000 (year one of three)
   

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY/ PROTOCOLS

• Utilization of Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) Irradiation on Ornamental Plants for Disease Suppression, Growth Regulation and Extended Post-Harvest Longevity: Dr. Mark Bridgen, Cornell University, $18,700 (year three of three).
• Development and Evaluation of Various Biochars as Aggregates for Increasing Substrate pH Stability: Dr. Brian Jackson, North Carolina State University, $5,400 (year three of three).
   

OTHER (POLLINATOR CONSERVATION AND INSECTICIDE MANAGEMENT)

• Impacts and Residual Longevity of Systemic Insecticides on Pollinators in Floricultural Plant Production Systems: Dr. Juang-Horng Chong, Clemson University, $50,621 (year one of two).
   

More than 150 free online research reports on a variety of topics that focus on important industry issues are available at Endowment.org/research.

Research projects can last from one to three years and any reasonable but justifiable budget will be considered. Pre-proposal applications are available on the AFE website and are due by June 1 each year. The primary research priorities are listed below. They are focused on all floricultural crops – fresh cut flowers, fresh cut greens, flowering potted plants, foliage plants and bedding plants.

• Biocontrol
• Breeding — can include breeding to enhance postharvest quality, plant and flower quality or to reduce insect and diseases.
• New Technology — to increase floriculture quality.
• Pest and Disease — Focus areas: Aphids, Botrytis, Downy/Powdery Mildews, Leaf Miners, Thrips, Whiteflies and others.
• Postharvest — can include shelf life, transportation, home or garden performance.
   

AFE is also funding a new research project to examine the health of honey bees on ornamental plants following treatment with neonicotinoids and other systemic insecticides.

In addition to the research project, a new educational video was released that provides information on the horticultural industry’s essential role in bee and pollinator stewardship.

The video was produced as part of the Horticultural Industry’s Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, which was established in 2014 in collaboration with the Society of American Florists, AmericanHort and HRI.

To learn more about the Initiative and watch the video, visit endowment.org.