ANLA Provides Testimony for House Hearings on Federal Crop Insurance
from ANLA
Last Wednesday, Steve Bennett of Riverbend Nurseries (TN) represented ANLA in Washington, DC at a Congressional hearing concerning the Federal crop insurance program. Steve shared some of the challenges that Riverbend, and many other nurseries, experienced following the 2007 Easter weekend freeze. He commented, "The federal crop insurance program falls short of adequately addressing the extreme diversity and unique situations presented an industry that grows thousands of varieties - in every state in the U.S. Despite these challenges, federal crop insurance programs remain a valuable component of our industry’s risk management practices." To read ANLA press release, click here.
2009 ANLA Legislative Conference: July 20-22
from ANLA
With a green industry colleague in Congress, a new administration in place and a significantly changed legislative landscape, 2009 is a critical year for ANLA and our partners to collaborate on a green industry message to Congress. Join your colleagues in Washington, DC for issue briefings, to hear perspective on our most critical issues from policy makers themselves (including former CEO of Summerwinds Garden Center, freshman Congressman Walt Minnick), and attend scheduled appointments with your Members of Congress and their staff. For your business and your industry, join your peers in Washington, DC this July! For more information about the ANLA Legislative Conference or to register today, visit www.anla.org/LegCon.
Impact of Improved Landscape Quality and Tree Cover on the Price of Single Family Homes
from HRI's Journal of Environmental Horticulture, March 2009
Impacts of the quality of landscaping and percentage of tree cover on home prices were estimated from a sample of 75 home sales within the Melonie Park neighborhood in Lubbock, TX, from 2003 to 2005. Estimates were derived using a regression of house sale price on house characteristics, landscape quality, and tree cover. Homes that improved landscaping from average quality to good or excellent quality increased selling price by 5.7 and 10.8 percent, respectively. Approximately 30 percent of the increase in sale value was accounted for by added tree cover. The results show that each $1.00 invested in upgrading an average landscape to excellent quality returns $1.35 in added property value. More
To Sell During a Recession, Shop a Mile in Their Shoes
from MarketingProfs
"Know thy customer" is often referred to as the first commandment of marketing. Ironically, this tenet is almost always overlooked or, at best, receives a perfunctory nod. Countless organizational decisions are based on executive preferences or beliefs that have no relationship to the people who are absolutely necessary for success - the customers. More
Summers Says U.S. Economic Freefall Has Ended
from Reuters
The sense of "unremitting freefall" in the U.S. economy has ended and the picture is no longer completely negative, but rather mixed, President Barack Obama's economic adviser Lawrence Summers said. "Six or eight weeks ago, there were no positive statistics to be found anywhere. The economy felt like it was falling vertically. Today, the picture is much more mixed," Summers said. More
The Green House of the Future
from The Wall Street Journal
What will the energy-efficient house of the future look like? It could have gardens on its walls or a pond stocked with fish for dinner. It might mimic a tree, turning sunlight into energy and carbon dioxide into oxygen. Or perhaps it will be more like a lizard, changing its color to suit the weather and healing itself when it gets damaged. More
New and Improved
from The Wall Street Journal
Diversify, diversify, diversify. Across the country, many businesses, especially small ones, are finding the key to survival is to broaden their appeal in new markets while increasing their profitability among existing clients -- including Garden Associates Landscape Architecture Inc., a 19-year-old firm in Somerville, N.J. More
Best Practices Make (Nearly) Perfect
from Distribution Center Velocity
An old business adage has it that you can't manage what you don't measure. The flip side of that might be, you can manage what you do measure, and, if the results of DC Velocity’s annual survey of DC and warehouse metrics are any indication, you're likely to see performance improve as a result. More
Seven Ways to Optimize Efficiency in Today’s Warehouse
from Distribution Center Management
Thirty years ago, virtually every organization looked at its warehouse as a necessary evil. It was a simply a building to keep the weather off the merchandise. But today’s distribution center has become a much different place. To borrow an old expression, this isn’t your father’s warehouse any longer. More
USDA to Conduct First Wide-Scale Survey of Organic Agriculture
from The United States Department of Agriculture
This spring, USDA will conduct the first-ever, wide-scale survey of organic farming in the United States, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today, to find out how the growth of organic farming is changing the face of U.S. agriculture. "The Organic Production Survey is a direct response to the growing interest in organics among consumers, farmers, and businesses," said Vilsack. More
Top 10 Water Innovators Celebrated in New Report
from Green Biz
Water, it is often said, is the new carbon: the next critical piece of business operations to manage and use efficiently. But the vast majority of innovations in water technology are often overlooked by investors, the press and the public, according to Laura Shenkar, the principal at the Artemis Project. More
USDA Releases Floriculture Crops Summary
from Greenhouse Grower
Regional Environmental Priorities Added to LEED ‘09
from Landscape Management
Cutting Prices Without Cheapening Your Image
from Today’s Garden Center
Proven Winners Offers Garden Center Certification
from Lawn & Garden Retailer
|
