An initiative known as the Flower Summit, comprised of ten nationally focused floral industry associations, met in Washington D.C. on March 13, 2019 to continue discussing projects and programs aimed at benefitting the entire floral industry. The first Summit meeting took place in October 2014.
Left to right: Jamie Kitz, Sakata Inc.; Joost Bongaerts, President, Florabundance; Mike Mooney, General Manager, Dramm & Echter; Congressman Jimmy Panetta, House of Representatives; Frank Biddle, President and Owner, Francis Biddle International, Inc. (FBI Flowers); Matt Altman, Altman Plants.
The Summit is a voluntary forum for discussing and identifying initiatives to which the participating associations may contribute to help benefit their members and the entire flower industry. The Summit members have discussed collaboration in many industry initiatives during the last few years and have worked together on projects. The participating associations will continue to meet to explore opportunities to benefit the floral industry.
Summit participants
Each of the following organizations receives invitations to participate in Flower Summit meetings:
- American Floral Endowment (AFE)
- American Institute of Floral Design (AIFD)
- Association of Floral Importers of Florida (AFIF)
- Asocolflores
- California Association of Flower Growers & Shippers (CalFlowers)
- California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC)
- Expoflores
- Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
- Society of American Florists (SAF)
- Wholesale Florist & Florist Suppliers Association (WF&FSA)
Most participating organizations have met at least once per year since the first meeting in 2014. These organizations have committed to meet twice a year going forward. The next Summit meeting will be at SAF’s annual conference in September of this year in Amelia Island, Florida.