2020 discussion about Maine's horticulture industry.

1. Maine’s Horticulture
Industry
A Well Kept Secret

2. • Don Sproul, Executive Director
• Maine Landscape & Nursery Association
• PO Box 4666
• Augusta, ME 04330
• 207-623-6430
• MngmtPlus@aol.com
• Jesse O’Brien, Legislative Liaison
• Ornamental Horticulture Council
• Down East Turf Farms, Kennebunkport
• Agronomist, Pesticide Management Advisory
Committees – both Portland and South Portland
• Jobrien@downeastturf.com

3. Co-Sponsors
Ornamental Horticultural Council
Maine Golf Course Superintendents Association
Maine Arborist Association
Maine Christmas Tree Association
Mid- Maine Greenhouse Association
Maine State Greenhouse and Florist Association
Golf Maine

4. MELNA owns and produces The Maine Flower Show
Over 20,000 in attendance in 2018
Over 130 booths for businesses to promote themselves

5. MELNA conducts an annual Charity
Work Project each year.
 Camp Sunshine
 Fort Williams Park
 Travis Mills Foundation
 The Morrison Center
 Portland Arts and Technology
High School

6. Maine's top four agricultural products
are dairy products, potatoes, chicken
eggs, greenhouse and nursery products.

7. In terms of revenue generated, Maine’s horticulture
industry is larger than blueberries, strawberries,
maple sugar, apples, aquaculture and other more
well-known segments.

8. USDA’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) reported
that Maine horticulture sales have
increased 43.6 % from $49.1 million
(2009) to $70.5 million (2014).

9. Maine horticultural operations
increased from 250 to 320, a
28% increase over the same
time period.

10. The 43.6% increase in sales
experienced by Maine is more
than double the national
average increase of 18%.
…..Why?

11. 2 Reasons
1. Horticulture included in definition of
“Agriculture” in state statutes.
2. MELNA established the Plant
Something! Plant Maine! marketing
program.

12. 2012 Legislation to include Hort as Ag had
a fiscal note of $135,000
Increased Sales Tax revenue due to
increased sales has averaged more than
$1,750,000 annually.

13. In 2016, MELNA launched the Plant
Something! Plant Maine! campaign, which
emphasizes planting for better health,
economic value, and the environment. In the
first year of the campaign, 15 statewide
garden centers saw a 22.3% increase in sales
and a job growth rate of 13.1%.

14. In 2017, the second year of the
campaign, 17 statewide garden centers
saw an additional 7.23% increase in
sales and a job growth rate of 12%.

15. Ornamental Horticultural Council
www.ohcmaine.org
Maine Landscape and Nursery Assoc.
Mid Maine Greenhouse Assoc.
Maine Golf Course Superintendent Assoc.
Maine Arborist Assoc.
Maine Christmas Tree Growers Assoc.
Maine State Florist and Growers Assoc.
Golf Maine

16. The Common Thread
 Grow, Install and Maintain Plant Material.
“ The Original Green Industry”
 We Deal with Pests
 Organically and IPM, Integrated Pest Management,
Permaculture, Plant Health Care
 Pesticides, we are all very concerned with the over use and
misuse of any pesticide
 Municipal Pesticide Ordinances

17. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): An approach
to controlling insects and other crop pests that
combines various physical, chemical, and biological
methods in an attempt to reduce reliance on
Pesticides.

18. • Don Sproul, Executive Director
• Maine Landscape & Nursery Association
• PO Box 4666
• Augusta, ME 04330
• 207-623-6430
• MngmtPlus@aol.com
• Jesse O’Brien, Legislative Liaison
• Ornamental Horticulture Council
• Down East Turf Farms, Kennebunkport
• Agronomist, Pesticide Management Advisory
Committees – both Portland and South Portland
• Jobrien@downeastturf.com