The PEN

BASF reorganizes specialty products department

BASF has announced that it will take its distinct businesses within the U.S. non-crop markets and merge them into one. The primary businesses known as Pest Control Solutions (PCS) and Professional Turf & Ornamentals (T&O), and secondary businesses including Professional Vegetation Management and Market Business Development will now collectively be known to the marketplace as the BASF Specialty Products Department (SPD).

Each respective market will continue to be served, but BASF will do so as one business unit led by Jan Buberl, director of specialty products. Buberl says that reorganizing the specialty products division, which has been a year in the making, serves the turf and pest marketplace better.

With this merger comes the move of the PCS business, currently located in St. Louis, to Research Triangle Park, N.C. The new SPD business structure will be in place by March 31. For the time being, the move will have no impact on BASF distribution channels in those markets, Burbel says.

Key changes related to this reorganization include the business manager roles of PCS and T&O being dissolved and consolidation of the PCS and T&O marketing departments.

Dan Carrothers, formerly PCS business manager, and Brian Lish, formerly T&O business manager, assume the newly created roles of SPD marketing manager and strategic account manager, respectively. SPD sales also includes an inside sales force and a traditional field sales approach that is divided into three regions for both key businesses.

For more: basf.com
 

EPA administrator resigns

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, who pushed through the most sweeping curbs on air pollution in two decades, announced she will resign her post. 

During her time at the EPA, Jackson pledged to focus on seven priorities for EPA’s future: taking action on climate change; improving air quality; cleaning up our communities; protecting America’s waters; assuring the safety of chemicals; expanding the conversation on environmentalism and working for environmental justice; and building stronger state and tribal partnerships.

“Under her leadership, the EPA has taken sensible and important steps to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, including implementing the first national standard for harmful mercury pollution, taking important action to combat climate change under the Clean Air Act, and playing a key role in establishing historic fuel economy standards that will save the average American family thousands of dollars at the pump while also slashing carbon pollution,” said President Barack Obama in a press release. 

For more: epa.gov
 

Direct-fired heating system proves safe, efficient, according to study

L.B. White's Therma Grow propane-fueled direct-fired heater system is up to 11.6 percent more efficient than certain indirect-fired models, according to a study recently conducted by The Ohio State University and funded by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

The study also concluded that the Therma Grow system does not cause plant damage, according to a PERC press release. The trial compared the Therma Grow system with an indirect-fired model and took place in two separate 24 by 48 foot double-poly greenhouses.

During the trial, scientists monitored fuel consumption, relative humidity, temperature, CO₂ and ethylene in both greenhouse environments. The greenhouse using the Therma Grow system reportedly used 11.6 percent less fuel than the greenhouse with the indirect-fired heater.

The reduction in fuel consumption is the result of Therma Grow’s heat combustion design, which converts almost all fuel energy into useable heated air, according to PERC. While an average vented heater is able to convert only 80 percent of its given fuel into usable heat, the Therma Grow is able to convert 99.9 percent.

Six plant varieties were tested during the study for signs of damage and overall quality: tomato, zinnia, marigold, impatiens, snapdragon and petunia plants. Researchers monitored plants for symptoms of off-gas damage, pests, diseases and signs of phytotoxicity. No damage or other issues were reported while using the Therma Grow system, according to PERC reports.

The study doesn’t validate all other direct-fired heaters as being plant-safe. The study only tested the Therma Grow system.

For more: agpropane.com or lbwhite.com

 

Nufarm Americas acquires Cleary Chemical Corporation

Nufarm Americas has acquired Cleary Chemical Corporation, a marketer of fungicides, insecticides and plant growth regulators to the turf and ornamental markets.

Nufarm will offer the entire line of Cleary products under the Cleary brand name. Vice President of Turf & Ornamentals Sean Casey said in a recent press release that business will continue as usual for the short-term as the two businesses are integrated. He added that customers looking for information about Cleary’s products should continue to contact their Cleary representative.

For more: nufarm.com
 

Welby Gardens prepares for initial MPS audit

Welby Gardens in Denver, a member of the growing MPS family in North America since 2011, was preparing for its initial audit in January 2013.

General Manager Marty Gerace says that MPS fits with the corporate philosophy and provides Welby Gardens with an opportunity to promote themselves as a responsible and sustainable company by adhering to high quality standards. This program helps to fulfill Welby’s mission to provide garden success to a distinctive market by featuring products that promote living color, beauty and quality of life.

“Welby Gardens has worked hard to develop a trusted name and is committed to providing superior plant material,” Gerace said in a press release. “Having the certification assures our customers that we are holding ourselves to high standards by growing a sustainable product in a socially responsible way. It also gives us a measuring tool to assess how we are doing against our peers and better manage our own production.”

Welby Gardens has been a family owned and operated business for more than 60 years. It has 20 acres of greenhouses growing more than 3,000 varieties and has evolved into three divisions: Hardy Boy Plants (wholesale finished plants), Hardystarts (young plants) and Country Fair Garden Centers (retail). The philosophy of the company is to strive for excellence in plant quality and provide the best service in the industry.

The company also works closely with universities around the country and other industry leaders to produce and test the newest and latest in plant genetics. More than 800 new varieties are tested in its trial gardens every year.

For more: hardyboyplants.com or my-mps.com
 

Griffin makes second acquisition

Griffin Greenhouse Supplies announced that it acquired W.H. Milikowski Inc., effective Jan. 7. The acquisition marks the second expansion of Griffin in recent months, following the purchase of Syngenta Horticultural Services in November 2012. Griffin is a provider of greenhouse and nursery supplies, serving professional growers since 1947.

For more: griffins.com
 

Exciting new event for horticultural industry professionals

GIE Media Inc., C. Raker & Sons and Hort Couture LLC are excited to announce their joint venture creation of BloomaPalooza 2013, a one-of-a-kind business event for the horticulture industry to be held Aug. 1-3, 2013, at the famed Raker Trial Gardens in Litchfield, Mich.

“BloomaPalooza will be a premier event that brings plant breeders together with commercial growers, independent retailers, landscape contractors, architects, golf course management and other professional segments of the horticultural industry for three days of high-energy, cost-effective business interaction and family fun,” Chris Foster, CEO of GIE Media Inc., said.

BloomaPalooza will be an outdoor green industry trade fair with a music festival format and will offer a comprehensive, high-quality educational program for horticultural industry professionals.

“BloomaPalooza is a totally unique event concept for business owners and managers as well as their support staff and families,” said Jim Monroe, CEO of Hort Couture LLC. “Everyone we’ve discussed this concept with has been super excited about its creative dimension, drawing together 25 leading business speakers for educational sessions, exploring business ideas, insights and solutions, mixed in with more than a dozen amazing musical acts over a wide range of genres that will give BloomaPalooza the feel of a summer music festival. Add to this a trade fair with hundreds of vendors, great food (and not that high-priced carnival junk), a kid-friendly atmosphere, three exciting days of Garden Idol competition, and you have something very special.”

For more: bloomapalooza.com
 

Central reservation website launched for Spring Trials

OFA announced the launch of the official central reservation website for the 2013 California Spring Trials. This year, more than 30 companies are exhibiting at 19 locations. Attendees can arrange appointments through the website to create personalized itineraries, which can be printed or viewed via a mobile site. There is no fee for attendees to use the service. The website was developed by OFA and Clarity Connect, a leading provider of technology and marketing solutions.

The registration service is available now and is accessed through the official California Spring Trials website at ofa.org/springtrials.

Formerly known as the “Pack Trials,” the California Spring Trials is an annual weeklong event held at various locations throughout the state. This year it is held April 6-11, 2013. The event is a launching ground for some of the newest plant varieties, signage and packaging products, and merchandising programs and concepts. In addition, many locations include PGR experiments, outdoor trialing, technical information and help. Attendees use the occasion to get an early peek at products and to learn recommended growing and retail strategies directly from producers.

For more: ofa.org/springtrials

Amethyst coral berry wins award

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) recently announced its 2013 Cut Flower of the Year winners, naming Proven Winners’ Amethyst coral berry (Symphoricarpos x. doorenbosii ‘Kordes’) as top cut in the woody plants category. The shrub was noted for “masses of hot pink berries which ripen into the fall” and as “relatively easy to cultivate as a cut flower crop, with fruiting stems as long as 60 inches.” Evaluation is based on recommendations from cut flower growers and the performance in the ASCFG trials, the only national cut flower evaluations. Plants are evaluated across all zones for hardiness, yield, stem strength and marketability.

For more: ascfg.org