The pending expiration July 31 of the Andean Trade Promotion & Drug Eradication Act and the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences program, referred to as GSP, will increase the price of flowers imported from Ecuador into the United States by 6.8 percent by slapping an import tariff on them.

The Ecuadorian Trade Office in Chicago launched a campaign, “Keep Trade Going,” on May 15 to highlight the country’s importance as a U.S. trading partner as well as the quality of Ecuador’s products.

Why discuss fashion in a floral venue? After all, our industry sells flowers, not fashion, right? Yes, but fashion is influenced by pop culture. And our consumer base is looped in more than ever to what it hot in pop culture-and will spend money on it.

Although we may still be selling traditional flowers, we can ensure arrangements and merchandising resonate with our consumer base by incorporating some fashion and pop culture. Below are fashion trends, followed by “floral take-away” tips.

The Memorial Day Flowers Program, a private, nonprofit foundation, organized the donation and distribution of 240,000 roses at Arlington National Cemetery and 207 other Memorial Day events across the country in 27 states.

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture summary found that the total wholesale value of floriculture crops sold by operations with $100,000 or more in sales in the 15 key states for floriculture was $3.99 billion for 2012, up one percent from the 2011 total.

George Staby said he hoped the Chain of Life Network website and related resources would be taken over by a consortium of three universities and a floral trade group in the next month. Final negotiations are under way now, he said in a recent interview.

“Hotel rooms are sold out, we’ve already got 225 registered with more than a month to go, the sign-ups for the grower tours are already near capacity, and we have more than 40 exhibitors lined up.” With those words by Monnaie Castillo on June 11, it sounds like the 2013 NORCAL Sun ‘N Fun Weekend is in full bloom.