GROW Summit 2019 Offers Deep Dive Into the Future of Horticulture
December 23, 2019 
Greenhouse Grower’s 2019 GROW Summit brought together growers, suppliers, and others for frank discussions on the future of the horticulture industry.
Photo by Matthew Grassi
Greenhouse Grower’s annual GROW Summit, which took place in early December in downtown Cleveland, OH, is a forum for the most innovative minds among growers, suppliers, researchers, and trade associations to get together and focus on the most critical issues driving the future of the horticulture industry. More than that, however, the group aims to build a plan of action for how to address these concerns.
This year’s discussion was unique from past years in that it focused on all crops grown in a controlled environment, including ornamentals, greenhouse vegetables, and cannabis/hemp.
One of the highlights of the 2019 GROW Summit was a panel discussion featuring a mix of growers, suppliers, and researchers. Panel members were Greg Gonzales (Kind Okie Cannabis), Chieri Kubota (The Ohio State University), Chuck Buffington (Berger), and Lloyd and Alex Traven (Peace Tree Farm), Moderated by Greenhouse Grower Editor Janeen Wright, the panel discussed topics such as industry misconceptions, future opportunities, and the changes that must take place to ensure a profitable future.
On the Biggest Challenges in Your Segment of the Industry
- “Supplying enough product to keep up with demand.”
- “Passing on knowledge to our staff, while letting them do their jobs properly, so that when I step away from the business, the company can survive until my son is ready to lead it.”
- “Providing a sustainable flow of education and training for horticulture students.”
- “Changing our company culture to be more attractive to young people.”
- “Being able to operate in a traditional market like ornamentals, while entering new and emerging markets.”
On What is Working Well Right Now
- “The new markets we are entering may be different, but there are still similarities to the crops we’re more familiar with.”
- “The investments in technology for the cannabis industry have revitalized technology for the rest of the industry.”
- “Communication technology has helped us better connect with growers from a distance.”
- “Our decision to use soft chemistries has helped us as a company. People want to come and work for us.”
- “Our staff is eager to learn more about what we do, especially when it comes to how we use technology.”
On Critical Changes Needed for the Industry
- “The cost of growing cannabis in a greenhouse is high, and we need to figure out how to save money while maintaining quality.”
- “Traceability is putting more demands on growers to be able to show everything that was applied to a plant.”
- “We need to identify the cultural shifts taking place in our industry in terms of who works for us and who is buying our plants.”
- “There are several associations in the ornamentals industry, but not so much in cannabis or greenhouse vegetables. We need to build a better sense of community within those industries.”
- “We need to establish an emotional tie to what we produce. Consumers aren’t buying products; they are buying emotions.”
On Misconceptions in Your Industry, and How to Change Them
- “There are obviously different views on who cannabis growers are. We need to promote what the cannabis industry can provide to local communities.
- “Even as people are rebelling against plastic, we’ve seen studies that show that recycled plastic is better for the environment than biodegradable pots.”
- “There is a big communication gap in terms of what horticulture students know about sustainability. We’re trying to address that gap.”
- “Consumers, and in many cases even retailers, think all plants should be uniform. We need to remind them that plants should not be viewed as commodity products.”
- “The genetics lead time for developing a new plant is much longer than people realize.”
On How Generational Shifts Are Affecting Your Customer Base
- “People are learning more than just the THC content of cannabis. These new consumers are pushing sellers to provide new information about their crop.”
- “Consumers want to know where the plants they are buying came from. I think garden centers should be proud of the partners they work with and should always list their plant sources.”
- “We are seeing more local greenhouse lettuce production in Canada, and that is a direct response to people wanting to know where their food comes from.”
- “Young people want a plant that can provide an experience. If it’s going to be a temporary product, they want to know what it can do for them.”
What Is GROW?
Greenhouse Grower’s GROW Initiative was formed in 2011 with the goal of building a brighter future of long-term sustainable growth for the floriculture industry. It is centered around four pillars:
Drive Consumer Success: Create value for your products and focus on providing positive consumer experiences
Cultivate New Customers: Find new ways to reach out to customers and market outside of your comfort zone
Sharpen Business Management: Develop best practices for managing costs, getting a fair price for your crop, and enhancing the culture of your company
Invest in the Industry: Support research efforts and create new outreach and education programs that attract new talent to the industry
Each December, the GROW Summit provides a forum for innovative growers, industry suppliers, researchers, and allied industry members to home in on the major drivers affecting the industry, and set priorities for GROW for the coming year.
As you’ll notice in this look back at the 2019 GROW Summit, while GROW began as a floriculture initiative, it is expanding in 2020 to include all crops grown in a controlled environment, including ornamentals, greenhouse vegetables, and cannabis/hemp.
Watch for regular coverage of the GROW initiative in print and online that will capture and communicate the industry’s best ideas and solutions.
A shout-out to all who made GROW Summit 2019 a success.
GROW Summit 2019 Participants
Many thanks to those who attended the 2019 GROW Summit for sharing their insights, especially when it comes to trends that are directly affecting their businesses.
Growers
- Greg Gonzales, Kind Okie Cannabis
- Danny Gouge, Willoway Nurseries
- John Hoffman, Hoffman Nursery
- Jill Hoffman, Hoffman Nursery
- Alex Traven, Peace Tree Farm
- Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm
Suppliers
- Chuck Buffington, Berger
- Traci Dooley, Hortica
- Mike Kovalycsik, Stuppy Greenhouse
- Joe Lara, BASF
- Jeff Luke, Bioworks
- Heidi Warner, Nufarm
Researchers/Allied Industry Leaders
- Chieri Kubota, The Ohio State University
- Erico Mattos, GLASE
Greenhouse Grower team
- Karen Gerome
- Matthew Grassi
- Richard Jones
- Gregg Langermeier
- Brian Sparks
- Lori Stem
- Janeen Wright
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