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The Society of American Florists is on a mission to debunk poinsettia toxicity this holiday season. Per an announcement released by the SAF, many consumers (namely, pet owners and parents of young children) shy away from it because of the belief that it can endanger a loved one.

AmericanHort released the following statement after the Department of Transportation issued an Interim Final Rule announcing that horticulture is specifically included in the definition of agricultural commodity as it pertains to transportation:

“We are very pleased with the clarification of the agricultural commodity definition,” said Tal Coley, director of government affairs. “Plants are highly perishable products in transit. Officials at FMCSA, with assistance from USDA, got this right and should be commended. This is a sound government measure that will provide clarity to commercial drivers in our industry and enforcement officers alike. We would also like to thank Rep. Austin Scott and Rep. Kurt Schrader on their bipartisan efforts to elevate this issue in Congress.”

The Cresco, Iowa-based grower hosted its annual poinsettia variety day on Dec. 3, featuring 144 commercial and pre-release poinsettia varieties.

“The Poinsettia trial and Variety Day event emphasizes our commitment to industry by showcasing genetics under northern USA growing conditions,” Plantpeddler President Mike Gooder said. “It is important to do a poinsettia production trial as a way for the industry and our growers to see how varieties perform in real world greenhouse conditions.”