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The University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) has begun research for a new Economic Impact Study to gauge the size and scope of Florida’s nursery and landscape industry. The study, commissioned by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA), is the third for the organization and the first in five years. The most recent study placed Florida’s nursery and landscape industry at $9.9 billion.
For the first time, the Economic Impact Study will report data for all 67 of Florida’s counties, which will allow FNGLA chapters and individual members to get a better understanding of the industry in their region. It will also capture hurricane-related losses for both 2004 and 2005.
| Florida Green Industry Economic Impact Study |
If you have not yet received an e-mail inviting your participation in the Economic Impact Study commissioned by FNGLA, you still may participate. Questions about the Economic Impact Study, should be directed to the IFAS researchers below who are conducting this landmark study on FNGLA’s behalf. Alan W. Hodges, Ph.D., Associate-In John J. Haydu, Ph.D., Professor |
Another first for the study will be the manner in which data is collected. The Economic Impact Survey is using an Internet-based questionnaire that will be e-mailed to FNGLA members with e-mail addresses on file with the association. Members with e-mail addresses on file should already have received an e-mail with the subject line “Florida Environmental Horticulture Industry Survey.” Individuals and companies interested in providing their economic impact information for the purposes of the study may contact IFAS Professor and research coordinator Alan Hodges to participate (contact information is in the sidebar at right). FNGLA encourages all recipients to fill out the survey as completely and quickly as possible; the survey should only take a few minutes to complete.
“It’s become pretty common to perform research through Internet-based surveys,” Hodges tells Lawn & Landscape. “We typically send out e-mails that direct the recipient to a Web site where they can fill out the survey. It’s quite easy and the initial results are pretty encouraging – we’ve received 200 responses in the first two weeks.”
Hodges says he and his fellow researchers are aiming for at least 400 responses, which would give them an acceptable 5-percent margin of error for the survey results. Of course, more responses will yield more accurate numbers, so participation is encouraged. For this study, separate questionnaires will gather information across three sectors of the green industry in Florida: Production nurseries, landscape firms (maintenance and installation), and horticultural retailers. Studies will be kept strictly confidential and only averages will be disclosed. The effects of this year’s hurricanes will be one important focus of the research.
“There’s been a lot of damage from hurricanes and that’s one of the things we’re asking for details on in the survey,” says IFAS Professor John Haydu. “It will be interesting to see what kind of impact the product losses and structural damage all of that amounted to. At the same time, while we expect some negative impact because of the hurricanes, growers report being very upbeat this year, and we’ll hope to see that reflected in the research as well.”
Hodges says this report is on a “fast track” toward completion, with data compiled and analyzed by the coming summer. A presentation of the results is planned for the Florida Nursery Allied Trades Show in September 2006.
| NATIONAL TURF STUDY DEBUTS |
Researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences have begun an Economic Impact Survey specific to the state of Florida, but this isn’t the only big research project they’ve undertaken for the industry recently. In June, IFAS completed its study Economic Impacts of the Green Industry in the United States with in-depth information on both the actual revenue details of the industry and the impact that has on industry inputs, jobs and other national economic issues. “The national survey we did was funded by the National Urban & Community Forestry Advisory within the U.S. Forest Service, and while they were provided with information specific to urban forestry, we took the opportunity to take a larger look at the green industry across the country,” explains IFAS Professor and Researcher Alan Hodges. The national survey looked at the same three sectors as the Florida-specific survey that’s being conducted now (wholesale growers, landscape firms and retail companies) and supplemented the data with information in the manufacturing sector. The results were summarized by state and region. Researchers then computed total regional economic impacts using a standards software package. “The research allowed us to calculate the ‘spin-off’ effect of the industry,” Hodges explains. “For example, a greenhouse that grows and sells plants might make purchases of inputs like fertilizer, soils, etc., so that has an additional affect on the economy. Typically, we found that for every dollar of output, you get a total impact of $2 to $3 on the economy.” That total impact also includes things like industry jobs, as well as wages that ultimately go toward personal consumption. Hodges says that a follow-up study looking specifically at the turfgrass and lawn segments of the green industry is in the peer-review process and should be finalized in a month or so. The Green Industry Impact Study is available online at economicimpact.ifas.ufl.edu. |
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