Thirty-six American flower and foliage farms representing 10 states and hundreds of millions of homegrown stems — and that’s just the beginning.

In seven short months, the American Grown brand has gained momentum and has become the pertinent answer to key questions on the minds of caring consumers and conscientious designers nationwide: Where were these flowers grown? And who grew them?

Today, consumers everywhere are concerned about the origins of the goods they purchase — from their food and appliances to clothing and furniture — and even the flowers they place on their tables. In response, there have been a number of independent, state-specific, origin-based campaigns, each effective in their own right. But there has never been a single, unified, national “brand” to assure floral consumers that when they purchase bouquets and bunches, those blooms are American Grown. That is, until now.

Developed by a national task force of flower farmers from across the country, the Certified American Grown Flowers program reflects an all-American philosophy that supports grown-in-the-USA flower farms, as well as the retailers, florists and studios that sell and design with those flowers.

The task force received support and seed funding from the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Cooperative, the Alaska Beauty Peonies Cooperative, the Florida Leatherleaf Growers Association and the California Cut Flower Commission to help develop a name, “Certified American Grown Flowers;” a tagline, “Take Pride In Your Flowers;” and a contemporary logo that evokes a sense of Americana and agriculture, as well as fashion and style.

Certified American Grown was launched on July 1, 2014, taking advantage of the patriotic sentiments of the Independence Day holiday. But the symbolic gesture is far more than an attractive red-white-and-blue logo and a catchy slogan. It is a powerful tool to link America’s flowers and farms with customers who care.

To add credibility and accountability to the program, the task force partnered with USA Certified, Inc., an independent, third-party agency that verifies the source of products made and grown in the USA. Participating American flower farms are certified by this agency through a supply chain audit process. When completed, the certification qualifies them to add the Certified American Grown logo to their floral packaging, websites and other marketing materials. 

Certified American Grown assures the consumer of:

• Origin: The flowers and foliage are all grown in the United States by American farmers.

• Assembly: All ingredients in mixed bouquets are 100 percent grown and assembled in the United States.

Bruce Brady, Mellano & Co.’s vice president for business development and marketing, described their involvement this way: “We were excited to join the American Grown Flowers effort so that we can proudly identify all of Mellano & Co.’s flowers and foliage as Certified American Grown. We believe this program greatly enhances the flower shopping experience for customers around the country.”  

Stocking floral product with the American Grown logo eliminates all the guesswork on the part of the retailer and merchants, providing a third-party guarantee of protection that the claim is true. The American Grown brand also conveys a powerful, value-added message to shoppers and floral customers that you support American flower farmers, local agriculture and sustainable sourcing practices.

Consumer advocates have praised the brand for its transparency and for giving consumers the information they need to make an informed purchase. “Farms, retailers and florists who display the new Certified American Grown logo are differentiating themselves in the consumer’s mind as an important new resource to look for when buying their flowers,” said Debra Prinzing, creator of SlowFlowers.com.

Over the next year, the Certified American Grown campaign will continue to enroll new cut and potted flower and foliage farms in even more states nationwide. The brand’s message and potential to connect with American consumers is powerful and has emerged at a critical time in our industry’s history. Retailers, wholesalers and designers are encouraged to “Take Pride In Your Flowers” and become involved with the Certified American Grown campaign in 2015.

To learn more, visit AmericanGrownFlowers.org.

Kasey Cronquist is the chief executive officer and ambassador for the California Cut Flower Commission. He can be contacted at [email protected].