Presenting the 2022 Head Grower of the Year Finalists
July 5, 2022 
Excellence in Production: Andrew Butler, Green Valley Greenhouses
Butler and his growing team have a “no touch” policy on most crops. Proper and judicious use of plant growth regulators to eliminate touches has reduced crop times across the board, up to four weeks in some cases. This has fundamentally improved the company’s labor use and efficiency.
With help from his team, Butler led the development of an internal grower app for fertilizer, pesticide, and biostimulant applications. This has allowed for shared information on applications, precise tracking of inputs, and compliance with pesticide recording requirements across the entire operation.
Butler is constantly seeking out information to increase his knowledge, with an eye to greater efficiency and overall quality in his production. He has maximized his use of high-tech delivery systems and innovative, integrated fertility and integrated pest management (IPM) solutions on a very large scale across a very diverse crop. He keeps improving and keeps his company profitable in the highly competitive, high-volume wholesale market segment.
Excellence in Leadership: Gina Falcetti, Skagit Horticulture
Gina Falcetti oversees production of all liner propagation (cuttings, seeds, tissue culture) for both in-house production and wholesale. Her propagation area prioritizes sanitation, organization, and safety, which leads to the production of high-quality liners.
Falcetti has gone through numerous iterations of “innovation” and wants to use the latest technology available. She has worked hard to upgrade the propagation area to include fog systems and LEDs in the past year. She not only wants to incorporate the technology, but she also works with her team to understand the new equipment and how it will impact their growing.
Falcetti leads by example, is hard-working and passionate about her job, and is more than willing to work long hours when necessary. When working with new employees, she takes the time to explain the differences in crops and their care, why a particular variety fares better than others, and the challenges and resolutions that have occurred in the past. If someone is willing to learn, then Falcetti is willing to work with them.
Excellence in Quality: Ashley Smith, Bell Nursery
Ashley Smith has worked through three generations of a family business, and over 40-plus years he has done just about every task a grower can do. He has been on the cutting edge of using innovative crop protection products to produce strong, viable plants for the consumer. He has also embraced technology, including the use of floor heat, steam heat, forced-air heat, and an assortment of environmental control systems.
For Smith, it’s all about producing a consistent high-quality plant. This means managing the plant through the entire production process, and working with growers on the team to make sure they strive for that same level of quality.
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