1 00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:03,120 Gabrielle LaTora: All right, next we're going to kick it over to our next session. 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:08,720 Gabrielle LaTora: We have Sherri Chavez from the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,520 Sherri Chavez: Hi everybody, how are you doing today? 4 00:00:11,719 --> 00:00:19,640 Sherri Chavez: We hope you're doing well and I'm really grateful for the opportunity to talk to you a little bit about what we do at the ASCFG. 5 00:00:19,660 --> 00:00:31,580 Whitney Ottinger: Founded in 1988, the ASCFG is the leading nonprofit supporting commercial cut flower growers with more than 1,500 members across North America and beyond. 6 00:00:31,340 --> 00:00:40,860 Whitney Ottinger: Through production and marketing education, farm tours, webinars, and research funding, it helps growers of every size grow better and market smarter. 7 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:48,440 Sherri Chavez: I'm really grateful for the opportunity to speak with you today and tell you a little bit about the ASCFG and what we do. 8 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:53,719 Sherri Chavez: So we're a membership-driven trade association that was created to 9 00:00:54,660 --> 00:00:58,980 Sherri Chavez: support, educate, and unite cut flower growers. 10 00:00:58,980 --> 00:01:06,020 Sherri Chavez: We support cut flower research, and we really place a value on peer-to-peer learning. 11 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:20,760 Sherri Chavez: We were created in 1988 as the brainchild of Allan Armitage and [VERIFY: "Judy Lauschman"] as they recognized the importance to strengthen the domestic cut flower industry, 12 00:01:20,620 --> 00:01:35,100 Sherri Chavez: to champion the power of peer-to-peer learning within the cut flower community, to facilitate cut flower research, and also to promote public awareness about the importance of local blooms. 13 00:01:34,620 --> 00:01:40,300 Sherri Chavez: Talking a little bit about some of our membership benefits, some of our most important ones, 14 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:43,580 Sherri Chavez: perhaps you're familiar with the Cut Flower Quarterly, 15 00:01:43,439 --> 00:01:50,880 Sherri Chavez: which is a quarterly magazine that we produce that's given only to our members in hard copy each quarter. 16 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,560 Sherri Chavez: It's mailed directly to their address and their membership profile. 17 00:01:55,120 --> 00:02:02,640 Sherri Chavez: It's a wonderful production and it deals with all sorts of topics that cut flower farmers find valuable. 18 00:02:02,939 --> 00:02:15,420 Sherri Chavez: If you become a member in 2026, not only will you receive the hard copy Cut Flower Quarterly issues, but when you join, you have access to our members-only learning portal, 19 00:02:15,620 --> 00:02:24,020 Sherri Chavez: which allows you to take a look at any past issue of the Cut Flower Quarterly that we've produced and housed there. 20 00:02:23,860 --> 00:02:32,980 Sherri Chavez: So you get access to all 38 years of materials that we've combined and compilated and put in our member portal. 21 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:40,480 Sherri Chavez: In addition, you can take a look at all our past seed trial reports, all of our past educational videos. 22 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:45,920 Sherri Chavez: We've recorded some past conferences and webinars that you can take a look at there. 23 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:50,920 Sherri Chavez: Also, we have documents on a variety of topics pertaining to cut flower growing. 24 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:55,400 Sherri Chavez: So when you become a member, you have access not only to this year's 25 00:02:55,920 --> 00:03:01,840 Sherri Chavez: new information, but also to the historic record that we've created for cut flower growers. 26 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:07,120 Sherri Chavez: We have a monthly webinar series exclusively for members called Ask an Expert. 27 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:16,400 Sherri Chavez: As I mentioned, we value peer-to-peer learning, so many of our Ask an Expert sessions are on topics pertaining to cut flower growing 28 00:03:16,420 --> 00:03:18,900 Sherri Chavez: led by member experts. 29 00:03:18,900 --> 00:03:24,820 Sherri Chavez: So you can tune in live and learn along with them in a live Zoom session. 30 00:03:24,820 --> 00:03:28,100 Sherri Chavez: Or if that doesn't work out in your schedule in any given month, 31 00:03:28,340 --> 00:03:34,580 Sherri Chavez: through the learning portal, you can take a look at past sessions of those as well. 32 00:03:34,580 --> 00:03:39,060 Sherri Chavez: We have other online educational opportunities as well. 33 00:03:39,140 --> 00:03:50,340 Sherri Chavez: We have a Digging Deep webinar series, a Flowers Are Serious Business learning series, which members are allowed to join for a nominal fee and learn about another additional 34 00:03:51,020 --> 00:03:57,660 Sherri Chavez: specific topic, business topics, or topics pertaining to growing specifically. 35 00:03:57,660 --> 00:04:03,819 Sherri Chavez: In addition to online learning, we also have a variety of in-person programs: 36 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:18,480 Sherri Chavez: conferences, floral design intensive, trade shows, farm tours, grower schools, so our members are able to participate in any of those if they work geographically in their planning and travel schedule. 37 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:26,360 Sherri Chavez: We also have a mentor program that is an online cohort-based, member-led mentor program. 38 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:33,080 Sherri Chavez: We haven't released the details of what that looks like for 2026, but we should be learning more about that soon. 39 00:04:33,020 --> 00:04:37,020 Sherri Chavez: As I mentioned already, we have a cut flower trial program. 40 00:04:37,020 --> 00:04:39,980 Sherri Chavez: So this year we've actually done two different trials. 41 00:04:39,980 --> 00:04:45,820 Sherri Chavez: Traditional cut flower trials, which we've done for a number of years, and our members have access to those 42 00:04:45,639 --> 00:04:47,800 Sherri Chavez: historic records throughout time. 43 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,680 Sherri Chavez: New results for this year are released in the Cut Flower Quarterly in the fall. 44 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,000 Sherri Chavez: But this year we're also doing a lily trial. 45 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:55,560 Sherri Chavez: So we've 46 00:04:55,740 --> 00:05:05,820 Sherri Chavez: combined with, partnered with some European bulb growers to trial lilies and lily production, specifically in North America, to see how those crops do. 47 00:05:05,820 --> 00:05:10,300 Sherri Chavez: So those results will be available at some point to our members as well. 48 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:17,360 Sherri Chavez: We have a closed Facebook group that we like to say is like having a consulting firm at your fingertips. 49 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,400 Sherri Chavez: So the conversation there varies every day, 50 00:05:20,340 --> 00:05:28,100 Sherri Chavez: exclusively for our members, and we ask that group stay specifically for cut flowering, flower growing questions. 51 00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:35,060 Sherri Chavez: So today, for example, somebody is talking about how, what payroll services people use 52 00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:35,940 Sherri Chavez: for their employees. 53 00:05:35,940 --> 00:05:42,420 Sherri Chavez: Somebody is talking about a structure that they are not sure will work for a specific crop. 54 00:05:42,340 --> 00:05:50,020 Sherri Chavez: Somebody's talking about a pest that they're seeing on a crop that they're wondering if they can get some guidance and help on. 55 00:05:50,039 --> 00:05:59,879 Sherri Chavez: So it's, it can run the gamut at any given day what the conversations are, and we encourage our members to participate and to learn from that experience as well. 56 00:06:00,020 --> 00:06:09,620 Sherri Chavez: So we talked a little bit about the importance of building within the public, the importance of local flowers, local businesses and local blooms. 57 00:06:09,620 --> 00:06:14,100 Sherri Chavez: And as a result, we've created a map-based 58 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:19,160 Sherri Chavez: website that our members can participate on called localflowers. 59 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:20,200 Sherri Chavez: org. 60 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:26,920 Sherri Chavez: Members have a page that they manage that tells a little bit about the crops they grow and the type of business that they have. 61 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:38,120 Sherri Chavez: And potential customers or anyone who's curious can use the map tool to find local growers who are our members in their area to try to find flowers and flower 62 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,080 Sherri Chavez: businesses that they may need. 63 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:47,800 Sherri Chavez: So all our members have the opportunity to be listed there so long as they're ready to have a public facing page. 64 00:06:48,220 --> 00:06:55,580 Sherri Chavez: We have a variety of supplier members who value what we do to educate and unite cut flower growers. 65 00:06:55,580 --> 00:06:56,699 Sherri Chavez: And as such, 66 00:06:56,940 --> 00:07:11,580 Sherri Chavez: several of those give member discounts exclusively to ASCFG members, so you can find a lot of savings using the supplier members that offer those additional discounts as you plan your upcoming seasons. 67 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,199 Sherri Chavez: We also have a variety of publications. 68 00:07:14,199 --> 00:07:19,240 Sherri Chavez: You'll see Allan Armitage's name appearing here, of course, but these are 69 00:07:20,020 --> 00:07:22,180 Sherri Chavez: well-respected resources. 70 00:07:22,180 --> 00:07:27,060 Sherri Chavez: Many people say that they are the go-to resource for these topics. 71 00:07:27,060 --> 00:07:34,660 Sherri Chavez: You can purchase these as non-members for a little bit of an increased price, but our members get a discount on those books and they are available 72 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,680 Sherri Chavez: to purchase through our website. 73 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,640 Sherri Chavez: We have a variety of upcoming farm tours. 74 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,640 Sherri Chavez: A few of them have already passed and a few of them are already full. 75 00:07:43,460 --> 00:07:48,340 Sherri Chavez: However, we have space available in these three upcoming tours. 76 00:07:48,340 --> 00:07:55,139 Sherri Chavez: So if you're still planning some travels later this year, there's an opportunity to visit a farm tour that we host. 77 00:07:55,039 --> 00:08:00,080 Sherri Chavez: There's still space in the afternoon Roots Cut Flower Farm tour on August 7th. 78 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:04,319 Sherri Chavez: You can travel to Ontario, Canada on August 18th. 79 00:08:04,319 --> 00:08:07,840 Sherri Chavez: But I'll just let you know that if that may be in your travel plans, 80 00:08:08,820 --> 00:08:13,060 Sherri Chavez: registration is closing for that event on August next week. 81 00:08:13,060 --> 00:08:18,580 Sherri Chavez: So please hop online, go to our website and register for that tour right away. 82 00:08:18,460 --> 00:08:26,220 Sherri Chavez: Or if Eugene, Oregon sounds appealing to you, Charles Little and Company has a little bit of space left too on August 25th. 83 00:08:26,220 --> 00:08:29,819 Sherri Chavez: So we would love to have you join us for those events. 84 00:08:30,039 --> 00:08:33,640 Sherri Chavez: And last but not least, we'd like to extend a membership offer. 85 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,959 Sherri Chavez: We would love to include you among the ASCFG community. 86 00:08:37,959 --> 00:08:44,600 Sherri Chavez: If you grow cut flowers, we feel you belong here and we would love to add your voice to the conversation. 87 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:55,440 Sherri Chavez: Anybody who is participating today in this conference can scan this QR code and receive a $50 savings off their first year's membership. 88 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,200 Sherri Chavez: I'd love to hear from you. 89 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,280 Sherri Chavez: If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. 90 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,160 Sherri Chavez: My contact information is on this slide. 91 00:09:04,259 --> 00:09:12,100 Sherri Chavez: And I'm so grateful to the University of Georgia for giving us the opportunity to speak with you today about the ASCFG. 92 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:13,459 Sherri Chavez: Thanks so much. 93 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:14,440 Gabrielle LaTora: Let's see. 94 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,520 Gabrielle LaTora: Growers, your QR code for the membership link. 95 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:25,960 Gabrielle LaTora: If you will just email that to me, then I can share it in the chat so that everybody has that and we'll make sure to share 96 00:09:25,860 --> 00:09:27,700 Gabrielle LaTora: Sherri's contact information. 97 00:09:27,700 --> 00:09:32,420 Gabrielle LaTora: If anybody has questions for Sherri, feel free to put them in the Q&A or in the chat. 98 00:09:32,420 --> 00:09:37,460 Gabrielle LaTora: I don't see any at this moment, but I'll keep an eye on it for a minute. 99 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:38,440 Sherri Chavez: Not a problem. 100 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:44,280 Sherri Chavez: I'll be happy to share the QR code and I'll just send that to Bethany's email if that's helpful. 101 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:46,280 Sherri Chavez: And that way you can post it in the chat. 102 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,360 Sherri Chavez: I'll just include all my contact information on this last slide. 103 00:09:50,020 --> 00:09:51,060 Gabrielle LaTora: That's perfect. 104 00:09:51,060 --> 00:09:52,820 Gabrielle LaTora: Thank you for your flexibility. 105 00:09:52,820 --> 00:09:54,100 Sherri Chavez: Oh, it's my pleasure. 106 00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:54,900 Sherri Chavez: We're delighted. 107 00:09:54,900 --> 00:09:56,980 Sherri Chavez: Thank you so much for the opportunity. 108 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:58,000 Gabrielle LaTora: Thank you. 109 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,080 Gabrielle LaTora: We appreciate your support. 110 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:06,960 Gabrielle LaTora: I don't see any questions right now, so we're going to go ahead and transition to our next session.