The Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association will hold its 2022 Development Experience July 27–29 in Minneapolis, MN. Formerly known as Management Institute, DevX is a unique, hands-on opportunity for WF&FSA members to experience education in a whole new way.

The floral industry gathered once again to kick off the 2022 Floriexpo convention and trade show in Miami Beach, FL. Day one began with educational sessions focused on topics as diverse as New Trends and Consumer Preferences in Houseplant Purchasing, Growing Profitability in Turbulent Times, and Marketing Tactics to Achieve Top Revenue, including panelist such as Mimi Pacheco of Crystal Americas and Corrine Heck of Details Flowers Software. After a day of intense learning, attendees unwound at the opening reception held at the Royal Palm South Beach.

At the heart of Westerlay Orchids is the Overgaag family, horticulturists with a rich history that goes back generations to the greenhouses of Holland. It’s also the story of a father passing down a farming legacy to his son. Westerlay started with founder Joop “Joe” Overgaag, a greenhouse farmer in the Netherlands who immigrated to Carpinteria, California (with his wife and four children) in 1978. Now, his original Westerlay Roses farm has grown to 800,000 square feet on several coastal Santa Barbara properties, growing four million orchids a year.

Founded in 1946, FloraCraft has grown from a small business in Ludington, Michigan, to a leader in the craft and floral industries with more than 250 employees who provide American-made products to Walmart, Amazon, Michaels, JOANN, Hobby Lobby, and other leading retailers. Headquartered in Ludington, the company also has facilities in Pomona, California, and Celaya, Mexico.

The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) Market Development Branch is currently accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Fiscal Year 2021 – COVID. The HDOA will be awarding $500,000 to Hawai`i proposals that enhance the competitiveness of Hawai`i specialty crops. This additional funding was provided by the U.S. Congress due to COVID-19 impacts on the food system. Under the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) allocated funding to each state based on the value of the specialty crops produced in the state.

The number of floriculture producers and total sales were up in 2021, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.