Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

Green industry seminars coming up

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Early registration is now open for the seventh annual Willamette Valley Green Industry Seminars, presented by several partners including the Oregon Association of Nurseries. These afternoon workshops take place every Tuesday from Nov. 3-Dec. 15 at the Natural Resource Education Center, The Oregon Garden, Silverton, Ore. Topics are listed on the series brochure, which can […]

Nursery sales down 17 percent

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Nurseries reported decreased year-to-year sales between 2007 and 2008, according to numbers just released by the Oregon office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, an agency of USDA. Ball and burlap growers were particularly hard hit due to the housing slowdown.

Join the fight against invasives

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The Oregon Invasive Species Council is accepting nominations for four positions on the council that are coming open at the end of the year. The appointing authorities are looking for individuals with expertise in various areas, one of which is nursery production. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has one of the six permanent seats, but […]

Suitable for work?

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If you’re at all involved in growing, marketing or selling flowers, then this week’s Doonesbury strips have been hilarious. (The link sends you to Wednesday, then clicking “next” will bring up Thursday and then Friday.)

Getting ready for H1N1

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Flu season is almost here. The typical flu season kills 36,000 Americans, hospitalizes 200,000 and costs U.S. businesses $10 billion in lost productivity. With the potentially deadly H1N1 strain in the mix, public officials fear this year’s impacts could be far worse. How can companies and individuals minimize risk? “It’s Not Flu as Usual: An […]

Rotten in Denmark indeed

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Evidently the Christmas tree association in Denmark was caught setting tree price guidelines in an attempt to stop members from undercutting each other – a huge no-no under most countries’ anti-trust guidelines. Authorities there have issued a 400,000 kroner fine — in our dollars, that’s about $79,470, or quite a few trees’ worth.

A pest that attacks healthy fruit

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John Griesbach, a phytosanitary consultant who has worked with the Oregon Association of Nurseries, shared with us the following information about a new pest: An informational meeting was held September 22 in Salem to update growers on a new and damaging exotic pest, the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). The pest has been found this […]

Study: Trucking dispute proves costly

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Americans are paying a very high price for their government’s ugly dispute with Mexico over cross-border trucking – $2.3 billion in higher costs, $2.6 billion in foregone exports, and 25,000 jobs, according to a study released Sept. 15 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Under the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, existing restrictions on […]

Small nurseries hope to pool ideas, resources

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How can small nurseries work cooperatively to become more effective and more profitable? The OAN Small Nurseries Group will meet to discuss this issue at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 at the Oregon Association of Nurseries, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop West, Wilsonville, Ore. OAN President-elect Kevin Klupenger, who is a nursery business consultant, will […]

NWREC would like your input

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Officials from the North Willamette Research and Extension Center and Oregon State University are developing a comprehensive, robust strategic plan for the future of the station that reflects the dynamic changes and trends in the agricultural community. Accordingly, they are in the process of conducting stakeholder meetings with members of the nursery industry. The first […]