The Landscape- Summer Edition

A special thanks to all of you who were able to attend the 21st Annual Meeting; the survey results indicate that this was a very successful meeting in terms of content, location and business opportunities. As newly elected President of NAHSA, I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to steer (with the help of the Board and staff) this organization on a course that aims to deliver high quality member benefits in these particularly challenging times.

As you may know, we sent out a membership survey directly after the Annual Meeting to gauge satisfaction and needs; our Membership Committee will be evaluating these results and making recommendations based on these answers. Overall, I will share that the results were positive with the organization meeting a majority of our members needs. NAHSA continues to work on initiatives that will bring our members value on many different levels; whether it is work to promote and gain recognition for the industry at large or it is a relationship with an industry organization to influence change, know that we are out there working hard, for you.

Details of NAHSA activities can be found in the Committee update portion of The Landscape. Please take a moment to update yourself with the organizations activities and see if there is an area that you would like to become more involved. As always, we welcome new members to participate on any Committee!

Directors
Curt Thimm, Griffin Greenhouse Supplies
Steve Young, Syngenta (Fafard)
Ron Riddle, BWI Companies, Inc.
Ken Charboneau, McConkey Co.
Gustavo Guinea, AT Films, Inc.
Jake Skokan, American Clay Works & Supply Company
Kurt Brace, Commerce Corporation
Richard Smith, Dosmatic U.S.A.

21st Annual Meeting - Sustaining the Industry
By Jameela Smith, Associate Director

NAHSA members arrived in Scottsdale, AZ for the 2008 Annual Meeting at the gorgeous J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa to temperatures in the low 100's! This year's Annual Meeting welcomed 110 delegates representing 18 Distributor companies and 47 Manufacturer companies. Attendees had a bit of informal networking time on the green during the annual NAHSA Golf Tournament, but after that it was down to business starting with the Contact Booth Scheduling Session. Appointments were available for Manufacturers and Distributors to conduct business with industry leaders and meet face-to-face with key customers.

Of course, no Annual Meeting is complete without an educational component. Keynote Speaker Max Carey shared with the group the importance of branding products to differentiate themselves within the market. Dr. Charlie Hall presented the group with data and suggestions to increase customer profitability, and last, but not least was the presentation and panel discussion on sustainability. Bob Dolibois, ANLA Executive Vice President, kicked off the discussion by providing an overview of what sustainability is and equally important, what it is not. This was followed by a panel discussion and questions for panelists Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farms, Toni Bucci, PhD, BASF and NAHSA's own Ron Eberly, American Clay Works. Attendees were able to bring their own questions and experiences to the table and seek advice from panelists that are already on their way (or have been for years) in operating and marketing their sustainable practices.

The Meeting was capped off with a final night cocktail reception and awards banquet. Attendees were greeted by illusionists that appeared to read your mind and conducted disappearing acts right before your eyes! The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the W.H. Milikowski Award, presented to Ed McConkey of McConkey Co., who graciously accepted the award at the conclusion of his Presidency.

As the meeting concluded for most attendees on Tuesday evening, many stuck around to participate in the Manufacturer and Distributor breakfasts and Committee Meetings. The breakfast discussions amongst the two groups proved to be very productive and an excellent platform for the two parties represented to communicate. You won't want to miss next year's meeting! Moreover, the Committee meetings were packed with attendees (thank you to all that participated!) and great ideas! Many of these ideas have already come to fruition or are under development!

Over all, this year's Annual Meeting offered attendees the opportunity to make new contacts, build upon existing relationships and gain critical industry knowledge, while enjoying just a little R & R! Thank you to all of the sponsors and attendees for making the 2008 Annual Meeting a success. To view pictures from this even, visit the NAHSA webiste. See you next year!

Committe Update

Sustainability: As many of you know, NAHSA applied for a seat on the Standards Committee to review the Sustainable Agricultural Draft Standards, set forth by The Leonardo Academy, SCS and ANSI. Unfortunately, NAHSA did not make the cut (like many applicants representing our industry.) With this development, NAHSA has applied to be a member of the Input Sub-Committee to provide feedback to the Stakeholder Committee. The Sustainability Task Force, chaired by Jim Franklin, will convene in the coming weeks to discuss positions, next steps, etc. If you are interested in being a part of this Task Force, please contact Sarah Hagy at NAHSA Headquarters.

Water Issues: In the spring issue of The Landscape, the Committee reported on Ron Eberly's meeting with the USDA and the next steps needed in order to form a steering committee as it relates to water issues. In July, NAHSA's Water Issues Sub Committee organized a meeting in conjunction with the OFA Meeting which convened industry-related organizations to gauge interest in developing a Water Coalition.

The goal of this coalition would be to assure that our industry has a seat at the table in water discussions and gets fair treatment in water policy development and decisions. Next steps from the meeting are in development, but we are pleased to report that those involved (Irrigation Association, National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association, Water Education Alliance for Horticulture, and the American Nursery and Landscape Association, to name a few) have shown interest in moving forward. Formal approvals from their respective Boards are in the process.

With this said, NAHSA will be collecting data that is critical to the success of our initiatives as it relates to water. Our first attempt at this data collection was through the member survey. Please note that the NAHSA Headquarters Team will be making follow up calls to those companies that did not complete these questions. This information is housed at NAHSA Headquarters and is completely confidential; no one will have access to this information. It is imperative that we have 100% cooperation!

The Membership Committee is hard at work on a variety of tasks including the following:

· Production of NAHSA Member trade show booth signs: many of you received yours during OFA; for those that did not, please accept our apologies as there was a very short window to get these produced in time for the show. If you have yet to receive your sign (one per Member Company) please contact Jameela Smith at NAHSA Headquarters.

· NAHSA Spotlight Advertisement: NAHSA will be featured in the October issue of GMPRO and received ad space to promote the organization. A Task Force has been created to help determine the message that NAHSA will be sending out to the industry at large. This task is close to completion; a special thanks to Jennifer DeHoff at Wetsel for her help in designing the advertisement!

· NAHSA Membership Brochure: the Committee has been charged with developing marketing collateral to hand out to prospective members at trade shows and during daily business interactions. This task will be the focus for the remainder of the year; to submit ideas, please email us at nahsa@fernley.com

Program Committee Update
Jon Oliver, Chair

A special thank you to the Committee Members who worked so hard to develop a very successful 21st Annual Meeting! The responses are in and attendees were very pleased with this year's meeting. The Committee has its work cut out for them for the 2009 Meeting, but is confident that between the site selection and content, 2009 will bring even more value to members! Don't forget to save the dates, June 7-10, 2009.

The Committee will convene in a few weeks to discuss the responses from the meeting survey as well as prepare content for the 2009 meeting. Additionally, the Committee will be reviewing the RFP responses for the 2010 Annual Meeting site. As always, if you have any suggestions or comments to share with the Committee, please contact Sarah Hagy at NAHSA Headquarters.

NAHSA Spotlight Advertisement - Time is Running Out!

Branch-Smith Publishing, responsible for the production of GMPRO, amongst other publications, will be running a NAHSA Spotlight in their October issue. They are offering discounted advertising opportunities to NAHSA members that choose to advertise in this issue. NAHSA's goal is to gain visibility for the Association and its members; please support this NAHSA initiative while gaining visibility for your company! The deadline to submit your insertion order is Friday, August 22, 2008. Don't forget to use the NAHSA Member logo (attached) on your ad!

The NAHSA Spotlight will showcase your products and/or services to over 15,000 GMPRO commercial growers. Those companies that are more regional in distribution are welcome to highlight the states they service within their ad or advertorial. For a sample of a similar association section, go to http://www.greenbeampro.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=124&Itemid=261 after 6/4/08 and view pages 44-68 in the June issue of GMPRO.

There are two packages available:
Package A - Full page 4-color display ad and full page of advertorial
Package B - Half page 4-color display ad and half page advertorial

For more information and special pricing, contact:
Rhonda Newton
Associate Publisher
GMPRO
817-882-4156
rnewton@branchsmith.com

Randy Mapston
Account Manager
GMPRO
817-882-4125
rmapston@branchsmith.com

Do You Promote Your Affiliation With NAHSA?

Can the NAHSA logo be found on your website? Did you ever think to include it on your promotional materials to show your customers your dedication to continuing education and commitment to the industry? In our efforts to brand NAHSA and create more awareness of the organization, we are asking all members to include the logo in as many places as possible. Here are just a few ideas:

· Company Website
· Price Sheets
· Quotation Forms
· Memo Pads
· Business Cards
· Company newsletters
· Press Releases
· Advertisements
· Promotional Pieces
· Trade Shows
· Direct Mail Pieces

To obtain the logo file, contact a member of Headquarters or simply email us at nahsa@fernley.com. Thank you in advance for your support!

NAHSA Trade Show Booth Signs

Thank you to those members that proudly displayed the NAHSA trade show booth signs at OFA. For those of you that did not obtain your trade show booth sign, please note that they are now available upon request. All member companies are eligible to receive one, free of charge. Should you require more than one, you may request the artwork and produce them on your own. Simply contact Jameela Smith at NAHSA Headquarter to obtain yours.

Green Corner - Adapted from The Sierra Club's How Green is My PC Quiz?

By Sarah Hagy

How Green is Your PC?

While browsing around on The Sierra Club's website looking for even more ways to go green, I came across their How Green is Your PC? quiz. I took the quiz (scored an 85%) and found out some interesting facts about computer usage; here are a few highlights.

The average laptop consumes one fifth the energy of an average desktop.
As PC's become more powerful, they are also becoming more energy efficient.
In 2007 the EPA revised the Energy Star Criteria to include power-consumption requirements to measure energy efficiency for both idle and fully powered PCs. Now there are even fewer computers that will receive the Energy Star rating.
More than 80% of a computer's total energy consumption will occur before you purchase a PC. Manufacturing a computer takes ten times the PC's weight in fossil fuel (not to mention chemicals, all of which are toxic.)
Only 10% of computers are recycled.
Restarting your computer uses more power than having it run once it is on.
You can configure your own computer to be more energy efficient by following these simple steps: Click on the start menu, chose the Control Panel from Settings, click on Power Options.
PC's use more energy when the user is playing games, especially when there are 3-D graphics involved.

Operations Update

Minimum Wage Increase

Effective July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage for covered non-exempt employees will rise from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour. This is the second of three increases provided for by the enactment of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. A third minimum wage increase to $7.25 per hour becomes effective on July 24, 2009. Many states have minimum wage laws with provisions that differ from the federal law. When an employer is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employer must comply with the provisions of each law.

IRS Increases Mileage Rates

Internal Revenue Service has increased the optional standard mileage rates for the final 6 months of 2008. The rate will increase to 58.5 cents from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2008. IRS made this special adjustment in recognition of recent gasoline prices. Other items enter into the calculation of mileage rates, such as depreciation and insurance. IRS normally updates the mileage rates once a year in fall for the next year.

Joe Ellers - Encore Sales Seminar

August 15, 2008
St. Louis, MO
How to Keep Your Sales Pipeline Full

New Member Benefit - American Supply Association - Educational Resources

NAHSA has entered into a partnership with the American Supply Association's Educational Foundation to bring discounted educational opportunities to you all year long. Courses like Essentials of Profitable Showroom Sales, Advanced Inside Sales and Price Value: Capturing Value for Distributors are just some of the courses now available to NAHSA Members at a discounted rate. To learn more, visit the American Supply Association's website. For more information, please contact Jameela Smith at NAHSA Headquarters.

Member News

Introducing DEGLAS Acrylic Sheet Glazing Systems - A lasting solution for greenhouse reglazing projects

A world leader in acrylic technology, Evonik is proud to introduce the new DEGLAS Glazing Systems for DEGLAS High Impact Acrylic, which will give growers an easy, long-lasting and cost effective solution for replacing weathered and yellowed plastic greenhouse coverings, such as polycarbonate. Now growers can get the best protection against yellowing with a complete DEGLAS reglazing system. DEGLAS acrylic is guaranteed not to yellow for 30 years--a standard that is unprecedented in the greenhouse industry.

DEGLAS Glazing Systems are specially designed for use with 8 mm or 16 mm DEGLAS High Impact acrylic sheets. DEGLAS Glazing System can be easily fitted to existing greenhouse structures and adaptable to any design requirements. Because retrofitting DEGLAS Glazing Systems is so simple, it is the perfect choice for re-covering greenhouses that have suffered with old, yellowed plastic coverings.

DEGLAS acrylic polymer is inherently UV stable through and through; therefore, it maintains exceptional high light transmission and clarity for 30 years. The new DEGLAS Glazing System offers a great solution and long term answer to the problem of having to replace yellowed plastic coverings.

DEGLAS acrylic panels have been a proven winner for the world's leading growers. DEGLAS High Impact Acrylic offers superior energy savings, durability, consistent growing conditions and patented condensate control. Add in the industry's best warranty against hail and growers get an outstanding reglazing choice in DEGLAS.

For decades DEGLAS acrylic glazing has outperformed other glazing products in greenhouses around the world. DEGLAS has been engineered to deliver performance advantages that translate into improved business performance, making it the top choice of the world's leading greenhouse growers.

Growers can now get the lasting benefits of DEGLAS without the aggravation of having to recover yellowed, weathered greenhouses over and over again. A free DEGLAS sample presentation kit can be ordered by calling 1-800-268-4742.

Visit the website at www.deglasamericas.com. For more information, please contact:

The SCOTTS® Company Upgrades Peters A-B-C Web Site - Enhancements make the site easier to use with faster results

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (May 27, 2008)--Choosing the best water soluble fertilizer based on water quality and crop type is now easier than ever before. The Scotts® Company North America Professional Business Group has made significant enhancements to www.PetersABC.com, the home of the Peters® A-B-C Selection System™.

Originally launched in July 2007, the Peters A-B-C Selection System is designed to help nursery and greenhouse growers dramatically simplify the often difficult process of matching water quality and crop types to the best water soluble fertilizer. The Selection System produces recommendations to optimize nutrition for a long list of horticultural crops based on four different water quality types, from low alkalinity (0-60 parts per million, or ppm, calcium carbonate) to high alkalinity (240+ ppm calcium carbonate). The Selection System takes the guesswork out of the process by recommending the most appropriate Peters Excel¨ and Peters Professional¨ fertilizers, categorized and clearly labeled as "A" (All-Purpose) formulations, "B" (Base) formulations or "C" (Customizing) components. "A" formulations offer complete fertilizer programs in the convenience of a single bag, while fertilizers labeled as "B" and "C" are designed to work together for maximum flexibility and customization when dealing with crops or water types that have special requirements.

"The goal of the Peters A-B-C Selection System is to make the task of choosing the best water soluble fertilizer as simple as possible," said Chris Buchheit, marketing manager-ornamental horticulture for the Scotts North America Professional Group. "The additional functionality that's now built into the Peters A-B-C Web site both simplifies and speeds up the selection process while offering our customers even more valuable information--at the click of a mouse."

In addition to hosting the Peters A-B-C Selection System and offering product information, the Peters A-B-C Web site now offers a completely new feature--a handy Rate Calculator. Using an online form, growers can choose either Peters Professional or Peters Excel fertilizer, enter a specific injector ratio and select a preferred ppm of nitrogen. The Rate Calculator takes this data and uses it to determine the number of ounces of fertilizer to mix per gallon of water to match the pre-specified nitrogen ppm. The Rate Calculator also displays the number of gallons of water needed to dissolve a 25-pound bag of Peters fertilizer, while still achieving the desired nitrogen percentage.

Other enhancements at www.PetersABC.com broaden the Selection System's reach and generate product recommendations even more quickly. Information about products specifically for the Canadian market are now included on the Web site, and growers everywhere can choose from an expanded crop menu within the Selection System, allowing them to find just the right fertilizer for almost any application. Furthermore, they can now receive and print their customized product recommendations online immediately after entering their data, rather than having to wait for them to arrive via e-mail.

"The Scotts Company has always placed a tremendous emphasis on both customer service and product innovation," Buchheit said. "The recent enhancements we've made to www.PetersABC.com are examples of these two elements working together to create a positive customer experience."

Based in Marysville, Ohio, The Scotts Company LLC is the world's leading producer and marketer of professional horticulture products. The Company's industry-leading brands include Osmocote® controlled release fertilizers, Peters Professional® and Peters Excel® water soluble fertilizers, and more than a dozen herbicide, insecticide, miticide and fungicide products. For many years, The Scotts Testing Lab has helped thousands of growers learn exactly what nutrient formula their plants need for maximum success. Learn more at www.scottsprohort.com or by calling customer service at 1-800-492-8255.

The SCOTTS® Company North America Professional Business Group Stengthens Marketing Team

MARYSVILLE, OHIO (May 21, 2008)--The Scotts Company LLC announces a new organizational structure for the North America Professional Business Group's marketing team. Scotts Professional markets specialty fertilizers (Osmocote® and Peters®) and plant protection products (such as Rout® and OH2®) to the commercial horticulture industry, including greenhouses, nurseries and landscape professionals, as well as high-value specialty agriculture products throughout the Americas. According to Ted Piatt, senior director, North America, the marketing team's new structure will help the Professional Business Group to continue its development of new services and products while contributing to a more cohesive global marketing effort.

"The strengthening of our marketing team reflects our overall strategy of bringing innovative solutions to the North American grower through global synergies," Piatt said. "Our new organizational structure combines the strengths of our North American and European team members, allowing us to build upon the successes that Scotts has experienced worldwide."

Chris Buchheit has been appointed North American marketing manager for ornamental horticulture, which includes Scotts® flagship brands of Osmocote® controlled release fertilizer, Peters® water soluble fertilizers and Micromax® micronutrient packages. Buchheit's prior position with Scotts was as marketing manager for controlled release fertilizers.

Richard Morris has expanded the scope of his former position as plant protection marketing manager to become the new marketing manager of all professional landscape and plant protection products. He will now handle the Landscaper PRO™ turf care product line as well as Scotts' professional fungicides, herbicides, miticides and insecticides. Richard will also be responsible for the management of our global plant protection portfolio.

Ryan Lewis has been named marketing communications manager for the North America Professional Business Group. Lewis will now manage all marketing services and communications coming out of North America. He will be tasked to bring innovative tools to Scotts' distributor partners and sales force while providing a consistent brand message to the grower.

Lisa Koonts, marketing services specialist, has been with The Scotts Company for a total of fourteen years, the first seven of which were spent with the North America Professional Business Group. Koonts rejoined the North America Professional Group in March 2008.

"Our current team has the knowledge and expertise to advance our marketing efforts in North America and beyond,' Piatt added. "With their proven leadership, dedication and innovative spirit, Scotts North America Professional Business Group will continue its legacy of success on a global scale."

Based in Marysville, Ohio, The Scotts Company LLC is the world's leading producer and marketer of professional horticulture products. The Company's industry-leading brands include Osmocote¨ controlled release fertilizers, Peters Professional® and Peters Excel® water soluble fertilizers, and more than a dozen herbicide, insecticide, miticide and fungicide products. For many years, The Scotts Testing Lab has helped thousands of growers learn exactly what nutrient formula their plants need for maximum success. Learn more at www.scottsprohort.com or by calling customer service at 1-800-492-8255.

Contents

Landscape Newsletter Summer Edition

Association News

Committe Update

Green Corner - Adapted from The Sierra Club's How Green is My PC Quiz?

Operations Update

Member News