Southern Nursery Association To Shutter Its Doors

SNA Logo Southern Nursery AssociationA long-standing organization in the nursery and ornamentals industry is shutting down. Following the cancellation of the SNA Conference which had been scheduled for February, the Southern Nursery Association (SNA) announced that in a unanimous vote the board of directors has made the difficult decision to cease operation of the 121-year old organization. Since the conference is the main source of income, and with declining membership, the board determined that the association cannot be sustained.

Founded in 1899, the SNA, a non-profit 501 (c) 6 trade association representing the horticulture industry in the southeastern U.S., accomplished many achievements in fulfilling its mission “to unite and advance the horticulture industry through educational, research, and marketing efforts.” The SNA produced one of the industry’s largest trade shows from 1950-2009, the SNA Research Conference from 1955 to 2020, and the SNA Plant Conference from 1991 to 2020. In addition, the association hosted a State Officer’s Conference to encourage the exchange of information and learn about various issues affecting the industry throughout the region. Through a collaborative effort with industry researchers, the SNA produced the Best Management Practices (BMP) Guide, designed to help growers identify and promote exceptional management practices, methods and procedures. The first publication was in 1996 (v 1.0) and updated in 2007 (v 2.0) and once again in 2013 (v 3.0). With more than 6,000 copies in use today, this ever-popular guide has been recognized as the undisputed benchmark for horticultural BMPs in the U.S.

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The SNA also published the Proceedings of the SNA Research Conference and featured more than 3,000 titles comprised of more than 12,500 pages on the SNA website. Hundreds of topics in 13 categories were presented at the conference and the proceedings have been published online, in an easy-to-use format, as an industry service. This exhaustive library will be transferred to the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) website for future reference.

In an effort to preserve the 121-year legacy of the SNA, two existing HRI Funds (the SNA Fund and the SNA Golf Classic Fund) will be combined (totaling approximately $300,000) and renamed the Southern Nursery Association Legacy Fund. SNA members are encouraged to continue to donate to this important fund that awards funding for horticultural research in the southeast region of the U.S.

Past SNA Executive Vice Presidents Danny Summers and Karen Summers have volunteered to maintain the SNA website to house SNA’s rich history. Additionally, an SNA Facebook page will be maintained to create a community for past SNA members, and for photos, memories, and comments.

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The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund, created by SNA in 1989, will not be impacted by this move. The Fund is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 charitable corporation fully independent of the SNA and will continue its efforts to award academic scholarships to horticulture students throughout the southeastern U.S. To date, the fund has awarded more than $550,000 in scholarships. The fund balance currently stands at more than $900,000.

SNA members can continue its mission to protect and advance our industry by becoming active members of their state horticulture association and AmericanHort. To assist in the effort of preserving the legacy of SNA, AmericanHort is offering an introductory membership to current SNA members through June 30, 2021. Details are available at AmericanHort.org.

The creation of an SNA member group, based on the level of interest, inside AmericanHort, will help retain the identity and community of SNA. Additionally, efforts to expand the Southern Nursery Association Legacy Fund within HRI will be paramount to preserve the 121-year history and carry forth the longtime mission of the association to further horticultural research.

In the coming weeks, SNA will be exploring other avenues for AmericanHort to help preserve some of SNA’s programs such as the research conference, student competition, and the Best Management Practices Guide. Final details of the effort to preserve the legacy of SNA will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.

The Southern Nursery Association wishes to express gratitude to the members, exhibitors, attendees, researchers, students, and volunteers who have been a part of the SNA experience for so many years.

“SNA is truly a legacy, one that has been a guide post and beacon of light to the industry across the land, not just the South,” says Greenhouse Grower Contributing Editor Allan Armitage. “So much knowledge, so many extraordinary people, so much hope and excitement for decades. How we will miss it!”

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