Over the year and a half I have worked for SAF, I've heard so many great stories about our members including innovative sales techniques, clever shop designs, and expansive fields of fresh flowers. I finally got my chance to get into the field for a firsthand view of the industry, and I'm happy to share it with you.

Monday - June 7, Chicago

After leaving the 90-degree heat of Florida, I craved some cooler temperatures, which Chicago gladly provided. I started off my day with a trip to Kennicott Brothers Co., a wholesale florist that was founded in 1881. Red Kennicott, AAF, a former SAF president, welcomed me into his headquarters for a quick tour, where they do a large walk in business for your typical wholesale florist, before we headed out to visit a few of his retailer customers.

Our first stop was Ashland Addison Florist, where I got to see the Chicago delivery pool in action. In order to reach customers out of their immediate area, Ashland Addison offers three delivery pools in Chicago.

From there we moved onto A New Leaf Florist, where owner Marion Perry fills her downtown shop with youthful energy from the local arts institute. She employs some students as designers in the shop. Later that day, I stopped in City Scents Flowers & Gifts and marveled as owners Pat and Theresa Montana kept up with the steady walk-in business generated by foot traffic on and around Michigan Avenue-the Windy City's main drag.

Tuesday - June 8

Tuesday morning began with a trip to Phillip's Flowers corporate offices in Westmont, Ill. With 10 shops and deliveries to 150 suburbs, Phillip's is one of the larger retailers in the Chicago area. Phillip's, like many other SAF members, is family-run and has been for nearly 90 years.

Then, I was off to the growing side of our industry. I made a stop by Leider Greenhouses in Buffalo Grove, Ill. to visit their greenhouses that specializes in potted and bedding plants. Mark Leider showed me around the production area and explained the high amount of technology they use in the process.

On the way up to Milwaukee I stopped by a peony farm that is owned by Kennicott Brothers Co., in southern Wisconsin. They had recently finished harvesting the peonies but Red's granddaughter, Page, who is working at the farm for the summer, gave me a private tour of the location.

Wednesday - June 9

Before heading back to DC on Wednesday evening, I had the pleasure of spending the day with former SAF board member Tina Rojahn, of Rojahn and Malaney Wholesale Florist in Milwaukee. She introduced me to four retail florists: Phil and Monique Krainz of Roses Flower Shop, Nikki Lemler of Welkes Flowers, Linda and Mindy of Jess Fleur Fun, and Marty and Jane Loppnow of Waukesha Floral and Greenhouses. These four shops revealed a range of business tactics-from catering to a small community to operating in a large nursery setting.

All of our members were great hosts and let me see the real, personal side of their businesses. There is nothing that can replace seeing our members in action firsthand and this trip surely let me do that. Thanks to all I visited for taking time from your work day for me.

• M&M/Mars. They may promise to keep your hands clean, but M&Ms is taking a swipe at flowers this Valentine's Day. A TV commercial for the chocolate candies asks, "Can I send [M&Ms] instead of flowers?" And the site's custom-print Web site shows pink and red roses alongside pink and red M&Ms with the headline, "Forget Roses." In a letter faxed the global chief marketing officer of Mars, Inc., the parent company, SAF noted that "consumers choose M&M's for many positive reasons. Therefore making references to flowers to make your products look good seems unnecessary."
  
  
• Danbury Mint. The repeat offender's Valentine's Day jewelry catalog contains statements such as: "This Valentine's Day, don't settle for roses ... More precious than a dozen roses ... Roses fade quickly ..." SAF faxed, e-mailed and mailed a letter to the company's president, Peter Maglathlin, to request that the company promote its products on their own merits. SAF has contacted Danbury Mint each year since 2005, and each year the Norwalk, Conn.-based company fails to respond.
  
  Although the negative floral references continue to go unanswered, it's important to let the company know that the floral industry is paying close attention and not giving up. One day, we'll get through to the Danbury Mint.
  
  
• Terre Haute Living. SAF responded to an article in the January/February issue of the Indiana magazine. The article "Roses are red, Violets are blue: Really is that the best you can do?" makes disparaging statements about the price and freshness of Valentine's Day roses. In the letter to the magazine's editors, SAF stated: "While rose quality can vary due to so many outlets selling flowers for the holiday, your best bet is a local professional florist. Handling flowers is their business all year long, and they are educated in proper care and handling techniques and temperature management - the key to flower freshness and longevity."

Whenever you hear a negative floral reference, remember that SAF is the voice of the industry and let us know right away. You can contact me directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; (800) 336-4743 or by fax at (703) 836-8705. For more information, visit SAF's Negative Publicity Response Web page at www.safnow.org/negativepublicity.

Achieving success on Capitol Hill requires patience and an appreciation of small victories.  After that, you need more patience. That’s just about the way it goes in any effort where politics play a major role.

And it’s no wonder, when so many people describe politics as “the art of the possible.” Working on something that’s just “possible” literally screams a need for patience.

The California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) has a victory to be proud of, yet ultimate success will require much more patience. Last week, language was added to the Agriculture Appropriations bill that urges the USDA secretary to use existing resources to help the domestic flower growing industry develop a better distribution system to compete more effectively. Congratulations to CCFC because it took a great deal of lobbying to get that far.

Granted, “urging” the Secretary to take action is not the same as “directing” the Secretary to take action.  But it’s a steppingstone to the next level, and for that reason the language is significant.

More than 20 years ago, SAF experienced the same thrill of a seemingly small but, in reality, monumental victory when the floral industry was recognized, also in an Agriculture Appropriations Bill, as being an important part of the U.S. agriculture industry. This, combined with many subsequent years of lobbying, was the steppingstone to today’s $6.25 million Floral and Nursery Research Initiative.

That effort required patience and a compelling story to tell – two things CCFC will need as it moves forward.

Almost exactly a year ago, the economy went into a tailspin in its most public way, with banks getting taken over by the government and the country’s largest insurance company getting bailed out.

Since then, 108 banks have shuttered, others have consolidated and 35 percent of domestic banks have tightened credit for small firms in July, according to a recent survey from the Federal Reserve. Of course, most small businesses don’t need a survey to tell them credit has dried up.

So, don’t you wish someone had told you back then to ask your bank for a bigger line of credit?

Well, someone did. Last year, at SAF Palm Beach 2008, speaker Paul Goodman, CPA, gave that as his No. 1 piece of advice during Financial Survival Kit, Dos and Don’ts.

It’s that kind of business-saving, practical, must-implement-as-soon-as-I-get-home-from-convention information that's drawing about 270 retailers, wholesalers and growers to the SAF’s 125^th convention this week in Phoenix. With business owners watching every penny and operating with leaner staffs, the choice to spend a few hundred dollars and few days away from their business might seem like a tough one – until you talk to attendees.

And that’s exactly what we did:

“This year, more than ever, we should be here,” said Jeffrey Dyer, who along with his wife, Leanne, are two of the 37 first-time attendees. The owners of Pizzazz Floral & Garden in Cheyenne, Wyo., said they are are especially looking forward to the session on building sympathy business and the Idea Swap, a fast-paced, high-energy session that packed in attendees last year.

“I told my managers to clear their calendars and get ready for a idea-packed dinner when I get back,” said Shari Lane of A Flower Fair of Las Vegas. “I’ve been in the industry for 20 years but as a manager of managers, I need this to re-energize and re-focus.”

"I couldn't afford not to come," said Cora Morrison of Des Moines Florist, another first-time attendee who said a tough economy made the decision to come an easy one. "In times like this, we need one another as a sounding board and reality check. And we need the kind of speakers and networking SAF offers to recharge."

“I am here for the business side; I can do the design but you can’t beat the how-to, financial side information,” said Jeane Meiers of Jeane Meiers Florist in Stanley, N.D. “And I had to hear it from Paul Goodman in person. That’s the kind of information you can’t miss.”

That sounds like an endorsement you can take to the bank.