Program Announced for 2019 NFF

The 2019 National Floriculture Forum will take place Feb. 16-17, in Chicago, Illinois. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Adding Value: Back to our Roots.”

Participants may register at any time, but the deadline to receive the group discounted hotel price is January 23. Registration information can be found at https://concepts.us.com/registration-forum-2019.asp

Thanks to financial support from the American Floral Endowment, registration is only $150. Registration includes an optional tour of the Chicago Botanical Garden, all meals during the meeting, breaks, a discounted price hotel and an excellent program that includes:

Feb. 16, 2019

Morning Tour of Chicago Botanic Garden – Optional

The Chicago Botanic Garden traces its origins back to the Chicago Horticultural Society, founded in 1890. Within the nine laboratories of the Garden’s Plant Conservation Science Center, scientists and graduate students conduct a wide array of plant research. The Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums. Its Lenhardt Library contains 150,000 volumes, including one of the nation’s best collections of rare botanical books.

This is an optional morning of tours for attendees. The official meeting does not begin until noon. Those who would like to participate in these tours need to arrive in Chicago on Friday night.

7:30 a.m.                Buses depart from the hotel

8:15-11:15 a.m.     Jim Ault will lead a tour of the newly renovated greenhouses and speak about the scientific endeavors of the garden, which includes the breeding and introduction program associated with Chicagoland Grows.  There also will be a bus tour of the gardens.

NFF meeting

12:00 noon           Lunch Break at hotel conference room (included in registration) 1:00 p.m.               Meeting begins 1:00-1:30 p.m.      Marvin Miller: Welcome and “Status of the floriculture industry in USA” 1:30-1:45 p.m.      Mark Bridgen: “NFF, Pi Alpha Xi, and US academic floriculture” 1:45-2:15 p.m.      John Dole: “Getting Involved with Seed Your Future” 2:15-2:30 p.m.      Ryan Dickson, Chair-Elect of the ASHS Floriculture Working Group

2:30-3:30 p.m.      Session I – Creative ways to attract external funding 2:30-2:45 p.m.          Neil Mattson, Cornell University 2:45-3:00 p.m.          Bridget Behe, Michigan State University 3:00-3:15 p.m.          Jim Faust, Clemson University 3:15-3:30 p.m.:         DISCUSSION

3:45-4:30 p.m.      Session II – Sources of external funding for floriculture faculty 3:45-4:00p.m.           Jim Daly, American Floral Endowment 4:00-4:15 p.m.          Allen Hammer, Gloeckner Foundation 4:15-4:30 p.m.          Drew Gruenburg, FNRI (Floral Nursery Research Initiative)

4:30-5:00 p.m.      Session III – Graduate student summaries of current floriculture research – Part I 5:00-5:15 p.m.       Summary of the day – Marvin Miller 6:30 pm                  Group Dinner and evening networking SPEAKER:  Charlie Hall on “Incorporating the Value of Plants and Our Industry into Curricula”

Feb. 17, 2019

8:00-9:15 a.m.      Session IV – Where is academic floriculture heading in the USA? Surviving into the Next Generation —  Moderated by Dr. Charlie Hall Panel discussion: Paul Thomas, University of Georgia Brian Trader, Longwood Gardens John Dole, North Carolina State University Bridget Behe, Michigan State University

9:15-10:15 a.m.    Session V – Young Faculty:  Challenges and Opportunities — Moderated by Dr. Mark Bridgen

Panel discussion: Brian Krug, Pioneer Seed Krishna Nemali, Purdue University Ryan Dickson, University of Arkansas Jeb Fields, LSU Hammond Research Station

10:30-10:45 a.m.  Discussion:  What are ways to help new faculty

10:45-11:15 a.m. Session VI – Graduate student summaries of current floriculture research– Part II

11:15 a.m.:             Business meeting 11:45 A.M.              Wrap-Up and development of Action List – Marvin Miller 12:00 noon:           Meeting adjourns