New Sustainabloom Template Simplifies Sustainability Planning for Flower Growers

A new Sustainability Planning Template for Flower Growers is available through Sustainabloom by the American Floral Endowment (AFE). This free resource helps growers evaluate their current practices and create a sustainability plan tailored to their growing operation.

Developed with input from flower growers, researchers, and industry partners, the template reflects the day-to-day decisions growers make on their farms. It was also shaped by conversations across the industry about the need for practical resources that help businesses organize their sustainability efforts without prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach.

“We know growers are busy, and sustainability can feel like one more thing to think about,” says Dr. Amanda Solliday, Senior Manager of Sustainabloom. “Our goal was to create a tool that growers can sit down with, identify a few priorities, and build on the work they’re already doing.”

The planning template covers the major areas of flower production:

• Flowers: Nutrient management and soil health, pest and disease management, substrates, water, packaging, season extension and diversification, postharvest practices, certifications, and customer communication.
• Location: Biodiversity, buildings, and community.
• Operations: Energy sourcing, lighting, transportation, machinery, cold chain management, and employees.
• Waste: Composting, recycling, and reuse.
• Supply Chain: Plant material sourcing, sourcing of other inputs, and communication with suppliers.

Each section begins with a simple stoplight assessment that helps growers evaluate their current practices. From there, the template guides users through setting goals, choosing actions, assigning responsibilities, and tracking progress over time. The result is a plan that reflects each business’s priorities and resources.

“This template will be beneficial to many. It is a comprehensive resource that will help growers evaluate their current sustainability efforts and identify practical ways to continue improving,” says Chris Schlegel, Head Grower at D.S. Cole Growers in Loudon, NH.

This is the third planning template published by Sustainabloom, adding to the retail florist and wholesaler templates. While sustainability connects every part of the floral supply chain, the decisions made on a flower farm are different from those made in a wholesale warehouse or retail flower shop. Creating separate planning templates allows each segment to focus on the practices that are most relevant to their daily operations while using a consistent framework across the industry.

The Sustainability Planning Template for Flower Growers is available now as a free download.