Entries Now Open for International Grower of the Year Awards

Flores El Capiro, AIPH Grower of the Year 2017The International Association of Horticultural Producers’ (AIPH) International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2018 is now open for entries.

Sponsored by Royal Flora Holland, the event will take place at IPM Essen 2018 at the IPM fairground on January 23 in Essen, Germany.

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The awards recognize best practices in horticultural production by top ornamental production nurseries from around the globe. With two new categories this year, there are even more ways to be a winner.

The categories are:
• Finished Plants and Trees — Plants and trees ready for final sale
• Young Plants — Cuttings, plugs, liners, seedlings, etc., sold for finishing
• Cut Flowers and Bulbs — Flowers and foliage cut for indoor decorative use and bulbs
• Sustainability Award (New) — Best practices and innovations in improving sustainability
• Inspiring Business Award (New) — Small businesses (less than 10 employees) that demonstrate unique qualities and innovation.

This past year saw nine ornamental growers from Belgium, China, Colombia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Russia, and the United Kingdom reach the finals, with Flores El Capiro S.A. of Colombia winning the AIPH International Grower of the Year award for 2017. The 2016 winner was Costa Farms in Miami, FL.

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“It’s a very emotional ceremony, and this prize is for our workers,” said Carlos Manuel Uribe, Managing Director of Flores El Capiro, while accepting the award in 2017.

Speaking about the 2016 award, Mike Rimland from Costa Farms said, “This past year we got amazing coverage from all over the world. The owners and workers were all very excited. We were humbled and it motivated us to do even better. It was a great moment for Costa Farms.”

Not only do the awards highlight outstanding achievement in the industry, they offer a unique opportunity to benefit from international networking across the ornamental horticulture industry. Growers, horticultural businesses, and industry peers can all get involved by either entering the competition, sponsoring the event, or attending the gala dinner and awards ceremony.

The deadline to submit entries is July 15, 2017. More information can be found at aiph.org/groweroftheyear.

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