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OAN goes to Washington, D.C.

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I traveled to Washington, D.C. along with our OAN executive director, Jeff Stone, and the chairwoman of our Government Relations Committee, Leigh Geschwill of F & B Farms & Nursery. We were there to represent the Oregon Association of Nurseries, and to lobby for the needs and priorities of Oregon’s nursery industry. This was my […]

Knowing our customers

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Last fall, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bridget Behe, a professor of horticulture at Michigan State University. She was giving a presentation on her research into the marketing of edible and ornamental horticultural crops, which is her area of expertise. If you are not familiar with Dr. Behe’s podcast, “Connect 2 Consumer,” I […]

Standing up for the industry

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On Valentine’s Day, our group of about 15 OAN members and professional government relations staff visited the Oregon State Capitol. We split up into three groups of five to have meetings and meaningful conversations with our state senators and representatives in their offices. The annual OAN Advocacy Day has been one of our most effective […]

We are Oregon grown

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If you have not visited Oregon to experience what is grown here, you need to. This issue of Digger is the Nursery Country issue, featuring the state’s quality plants and the growers who produce them. It’s a good read, filled with good information. However, there is no substitute for driving the roads, walking the farms, […]

Winter is coming

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This might sound like a plug for Game of Thrones — after all, the Season Eight premiere isn’t that far away! But seriously, winter isn’t just coming, as they say. It’s here. Preparations must be undertaken. From a grower’s standpoint, we are almost done getting the plants ready to survive the winter. Some growers, meanwhile, […]

Support is critical

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My name is Mike Hiller, I work at Kraemer’s Nursery in Mt. Angel, Oregon, and I am proud to be your new OAN president. But how did I find myself in this position? Several years ago, Mike Coleman approached me to consider joining the Executive Committee of the OAN Board of Directors. I asked him […]