Members of the Western Nursery & Landscape Association (WNLA) have voted to dissolve the association, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Western trade show event that was set for January in Kansas City. The show was the 130-year-old trade group’s main source of income, and the board determined the association could not be sustained without it.
MANTS 2021 to move online due to COVID-19
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Organizers of the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), the green industry’s largest East Coast trade show, announced (PDF) that the show will not take place as an in-person event in 2021. The show had been scheduled for January 6–8 at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Nor Cal trade show canceled due to COVID-19
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The Nor Cal Landscape & Nursery Show, scheduled for February 25, 2021, has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show committee met July 16 to discuss how to produce a show that will be safe for all exhibitors and attendees, while the nation continues to grapple with feasible ways to hold large events. […]
Reflections on Farwest
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The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world’s social and economic norms with shelter-in-place orders and social distancing. Unfortunately, it has also turned the business of large events upside down — including the Farwest Show. That’s why you’re holding a Farwest Edition of Digger without a show to attend this year. Oregon growers define the show The […]
Nurseries, COVID-19 and the economy
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Earlier this spring, all signs suggested that the nursery industry might be in for a rough ride. In early March, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 had become a global pandemic. Soon thereafter, states began declaring emergencies, closing schools and limiting large gatherings. Then came the stay-at-home orders and the closure of non-essential businesses, […]
COVID-19 testing site locator goes live
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The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has published a COVID-19 Test Site Finder map to help people find local information about where testing is available, according to a release by the agency. The OHA is partnering with Google, Castlight and local public health authorities to update the site which is available in both English and Spanish. […]
OAN postpones Hawaii convention to 2021
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The Oregon Association of Nurseries has postponed this fall’s planned OAN Annual Convention in Hawaii. The get-together had been planned for November 12–14, 2020 at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui, but with travel to Hawaii uncertain at best due to COVID-19, holding the convention in Hawaii this year was untenable. A one-day virtual version […]
Nurseries report a profitable spring despite pandemic
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The greenhouse and nursery industry continues to predict high profits during the pandemic, according to the latest market snapshot by Northwest Farm Credit Services. In a straw poll, container and B&B growers in the Northwest reported a 12.05% increase in sales in 2020, although most of the gains were reported by the container growers — […]
OAN takes a financial hit
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I miss baseball. Due to concerns related to COVID-19, the start of the Major League Baseball season was postponed. I’m hopeful there will be some baseball games before the end of summer. I’m not a die-hard fan by any means, but I played a lot growing up. Summer was a time for batting gloves, infield […]
Growing in a new way
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Nurseries modify processes on the fly to protect their workers from COVID-19 COVID-19 created a game-changing societal threat — a deadly pathogen that can spread easily for up to 14 days without the carriers showing symptoms. Nurseries and greenhouses responded quickly by implementing social distancing to prevent transmission. They looked at every facet of their operations, […]