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These industry leaders had a lot to talk about at the first annual Crystal Ball Project.

Crystal Ball Project Tackles Industry Issues
GIE Media’s Horticultural Group hosted a first-of-its-kind meeting June 5-7 in St. Louis. The Crystal Ball Project united leaders of some of the nation’s most prominent nursery and greenhouse operations from across the country.

Led by Greenhouse Management editor David Kuack and editorial director Todd Davis, attendees discussed top issues including labor, production, marketing, branding and government regulations.

Labor was a contentious issue because of the difficulty finding qualified workers, the lack of effort on the part of the federal government to try to resolve the illegal immigrant issue and the increasing number of states passing more restrictive laws.

The consensus? It’s not an easy time in our industry. Roadblocks abound, but leaders shared ideas and vowed to have follow-up conversations and meetings.

Look for the Second Annual Crystal Ball Project to take place in June 2012.