Scott Blumenthal, general manager of Chrysal in Doral, Florida (left), and SAF President & Chair Oscar Fernandez, director of sales for Rio Roses Equiflor in Doral, Florida (right), talk with a congressional aide last year during SAF’s Congressional Action Days.
Building on past successes, members of the Society of American Florists will take to Capitol Hill next month to make a case for increased floriculture research funding.
The March 19 fly-in is a vital part of SAF’s new, elevated advocacy strategy, CAD 365, which sets up targeted meetings between floral industry members and congressional offices several times a year when advocacy is needed most on key issues.
The March fly-in will focus on asking for an additional money for the Floriculture & Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI), a program designed to advance research that helps improve the quality of commercially produced flowers, foliage and plants and also broaden the message of the positive environmental and social impact of the industry’s crops.
“If you feel strongly about addressing pest and disease problems, tackling the challenges of climate change and making production more efficient — all current focus areas of floriculture research — this will be a great fly-in for you to attend,” says SAF Senior Lobbyist Joe Bischoff.
Through its advocacy efforts in 2022, SAF helped secure a $1 million increase in FNRI funding for fiscal year 2023, and this year, will be pushing for an additional $1 million for fiscal year 2025. SAF is coordinating targeted meetings with members of the Agriculture Subcommittee, part of the House Committee on Appropriations, and floral industry professionals who reside in the representatives’ districts. In those meetings, fly-in attendees will meet with congressional offices to discuss why increased floriculture research funding is needed.
“Those visits provide the opportunity to highlight why the funding needs to be preserved, and why FNRI is a unique program,” says Bischoff.
FNRI’s research involves dynamic partnerships between the floral and nursery industries, the academic community, and the federal government. Those partnership have been cited by the USDA as a unique and important model to follow for other industries interested in creating a similar program, Bischoff says.
“Members of Congress would be hard pressed to find a better example of industry and research collaboration — it’s something they need to continue to support,” he says.
The March fly-in is only one part of SAF’s new advocacy strategy. In addition to fly-ins, SAF is coordinating congressional visits to SAF members who are interested in hosting their senator or representative at their operation. The new strategy allows for more opportunities for floral professionals to advocate for the industry.
“Industry participation is critical to amplifying the advocacy work SAF and Joe Bischoff does year-round,” says SAF CEO Kate Penn. “We need as many voices as possible to take advantage of this face-to-face time with Congressional offices so they understand our industry’s needs.”
Want to attend the March 19 fly-in — or host a member of Congress at your operation? Email Lillie Wightman at lwightman@safnow.org.
Lillie Wightman is Projects and Advocacy Specialist for the Society of American Florists.
