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Gene Milstein -
Applewood Seed Company |
December 2002 |
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How do you see the wildflower
seed industry evolving over the next few years? Who or what
will determine the directions the industry takes? |
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Essentially the industry has been around
for about 30 years, and it enjoyed tremendous growth in the
first 20 years. It is now a maturing industry with many
competitors at various levels filling many different niches.
It is a small industry compared to the bedding plant or turf
industries; but a stable one with many different aspects and
interests. There are several markets to satisfy: Some people
simply want a beautiful display and are not concerned about
species native to their area. They want low cost, easy to grow
seed. Others have very specific expectations and will only use
species native in their region. Some even require that the
seed be produced locally, within 50 to 100 miles of where they
are to be planted. These expectations keep seed companies on
their toes (some say off-balance). Because traditional seed
companies have had a hard time responding to the latter
demands, many non-traditional, local and regional seed
companies have developed with the support of the local and
state governments. In fact, some governments have even gotten
into doing seed production of their own. They claim that the
seed industry has not been responsive to their needs.
Therefore, public lands and government employees (sometimes
prison inmates) have been used to produce crops. This situation
has become very controversial because the industry feels this
is unfair competition, especially when governments donate
their crops to non-profit corporations, which in turn sell
seed to the public consumer.
Another major issue affecting both the wildflower and the
grass seed industry is the debate over Invasive and Noxious
Weeds. Ever since the Clinton administration issued the
Executive Order on Invasive Species in 1999, states and local
organizations have been making their own list of invasive
species, often including those that have been in the trade for
generations. Some of these lists include such common crops as
blue grass, crown vetch, wheat, oats, rye and flowers such as
vinca, ox-eye daisy, dames rocket and blue flax. Even though
these lists carry no weight of law, they are affecting how
people use or view these species. These native plant groups
also play a role in what appears on the noxious weed lists in
each state. Potentially, the native plant and weed interests
could affect what crops are grown, so it is important to make
sure a balance is of interests is maintained .
How these issues play out will have a
great affect on the direction of the traditional wildflower
seed industry. How many of these niches the seed companies can
supply will determine how much the industry can grow.
Therefore, the future depends a great deal on how much each of
the member companies get involved with resolving these issues.
(to Jack Bodger's answer) |
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