Standards slog on, helium shortage rises, protests trim trade show attendance
Standards slog on, helium shortage rises, protests trim trade show attendance
Fall has fallen, and like a wedding this issue brings news of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
The something old is the seven-year effort to develop a national sustainable agriculture standard. The project at the Leonardo Institute has suffered committee resignations, funding shortages and copyright disputes. But like a hardy flower, the effort survives. This fall draft standards will be issued for public comment.
The something new is a shortage of helium. It matters to supermarket floral departments, Bradley Gaines writes in this issue, because balloons are important upgrades to flower sales.
Something borrowed could be floral holidays from other countries. We list some from Europe for your review (my personal favorite: National Flirt Day).
The something blue is, no doubt, the staff at Asocolflores in Colombia. Anti-government protests there were expected to hold down attendance at the recent biennial Proflora show. This was foreshadowed by an article we ran on the first anniversary of the U.S.-Colombia free trade pact, where the head of Asocolflores said we got the best of the deal. Colombian farmers agreed, it turns out.
Also in this issue: The PMA Floral Council will make a splash at the Fresh Summit and ghosts of Christmas can guide your holiday container choices. And don’t miss our store shot of bananas and flowers cozying up. And yes, the flowers are droopy and on sale.
You may kiss the bride or groom now.
See you next month.
John Niblock is the floral editor and floral sales manager of The Produce News. He can be contacted at 843/724-9888 or [email protected].