|
| ||
| |
| |
|
|
1997 S-103 Winter
Meeting
Agenda was adopted. Minutes were read and approved with corrections to several names. Introduction of members present: Fernandez, Ensen, Farris, Phillips, Emino, McNiel, Kuhney, Behe, Brumfield, Brooker, Harkess, Knight, Eakes, Haydu, van Blokland, Hodges, Barton, Hall, and Turner. Chairman Turner expressed the committee's appreciation to the local arrangements committee for their excellent tours of Collier's Reserve and American Farms. Administration comments: Dr. Emino reminded the committee of their unique composition of Ag Economic and Horticultural researchers. We need to emphasize this unique position in our next project which should be ready by the fall. The project is a written statement which describes our program; our activities and experiments are components of the project. Our annual report is due March 15. We may consider investigating the economic impact of new plant introductions as the Government Performance and Results Act will require us to demonstrate the impact our studies have on clientele. Dr. Farris reiterated that our project was, indeed, productive and in an area of growing demand. He encouraged us to make research result synopses available to him and Dr. Emino for periodic updates of our progress. Our old project statement expires in the fall of 1998. Manuscript reports: 1. McNiel reported on the irrigation and overwintering publication. This sub-committee had not met in some time. The field and container production publications are done and have been reviewed. The committee discussed publication on the Internet while a hard copy form was submitted to receive a number. McNiel plans to devote substantial time to revising the numbers this fall. Hall encouraged the group to consider making the Internet version interactive to be of more use to others. 2. Barton reported the progress of the Marketing committee publication on consumer and market research for the retail garden center. A draft is nearly completed and the manuscript is ready for review. Haydu, van Blokland, and Kuhney agreed to review the manuscript before the next meeting. 3. Hall reported on the Greenhouse publication process. He has received only one chapter to date and was considering means of motivating members who had promised other chapters. 4. Turner reported he was initiating the new project statement and writing the annual report. He had received some contributions from members, but needed others by next week. Brooker, Barton, and Behe volunteered to assist Turner in writing a draft for the new project. The sub-committee plans to have a draft for the entire committee to review by the next meeting. Presentations: 1.
Brumfield presented an informative program on her survey research of the "nursery"
industry in Eastern Australia. At the end of the survey results, the committee
viewed a videotaped presentation developed by a leading Australian producer on
their branding efforts. 2. van Blokland presented a synopsis of his paper for a uniform income statement. Following his recommendations, the financial performance of diverse firms may be easier to compare. Update on Future Projects: 1. Brooker reported that he is gearing up for a 1999 industry survey to collect 1998 data. This would provide committee members with a third year of data since we had collected data in 1989 and 1994. He distributed a survey protocol form and solicited feedback from the members. Some changes were suggested, but the committee wanted to maintain contunituty in most questions to preserve comparisons. We discussed contacting HRI to solicit financial support. Barton agreed to make the contact since she recently completed a project with them on her sabbatical leave. 2. Behe discussed progress on the regional garden center service quality proejct. We received $10,000 of $17,000 in requested funding from HRI. The states who agreed to participate were Texas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Delaware, and Kentucky. This sub-committee needed to meet with the marketing group. 3. Haydu discussed a national project to estimate the value of turfgrass to the economy. He suggested it be conducted in three parts: (a) compiling data from state studies already conducted; (b) updating the Florida study; and (c) estimating the value in other states from an econometric model. Turf is a standing committee and will meet to discuss the project. Hall suggested they investigate obtaining HRI designated SCOPE funds to get uniform data on all three industry facets: nursery, greenhouse, and turf. Considerable discussion ensuded. A sub-committee was formed to write a grant to the Fund for Rural Development to conduct a national survey to quantify the impact of all three industry facets, including turf. Subcommittees met after this discussion: turf, greenhouse, marketing, and nursery. The next S-103 Regional meeting will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, immediately preceeding the American Society for Horticultural Science meeting on July 24-26. McNiel and Barton agreed to make arrangement sof rthe meeting. The spring, 1998, meeting will be held in Charleston, South Carolina, during the last week of February. Fernandez will coordinate local arrangements. Meeting Adjourned
| |
