Minnesota Landscape Industry Booming

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota’s green industry nearly doubled in gross sales from 1995 to 2000 and is expected to grow another 30 percent to 50 percent by 2005, according to a study recently released by the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association.

The state's nursery and landscape companies generate annual sales of more than $2.1 billion. Between 1995 and 2000 the average gross sales of companies in the nursery and landscape industry increased by 97 percent. Minnesota 's nursery and landscape exports to other states and Canada total $100 million.

Minnesota green industry employees received a total annual payroll of $697.9 million. There are more than 10,000 full-time employees, 1,700 part-time employees and 16,500 seasonal employees. Most of the industry’s companies employ fewer than 10-full time workers, according to John Mickman, president of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. There are approximately 3,000 family-owned companies in Minnesota that comprise the professional nursery and landscape industry.

“The success of our industry is a testament to the fact that small, family-owned and operated businesses can be created and can succeed,” Mickman says.

This economic impact study was the first comprehensive compilation of data on the state's professional green industry. Companies were surveyed in the winter of 2001-2002 and asked for sales figures from the year 2000. National corporations selling plants and garden goods in Minnesota and national corporations in the lawn care business were not surveyed. Estimates do not include gross sales from those companies.

Data was compiled and analyzed by the St. Cloud State University Department of Economics. Spearheaded by the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, partners in the project included the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, AgStar Financial Services and the University of Minnesota Department of Horticulture.