The lingering pandemic finds nurseries getting creative to fill vacancies Jonathan Pedersen, chief executive officer (CEO) and president at Monrovia Nursery Co. (Azusa, California), has watched as the labor market in the nursery industry has changed over the years. But this summer, with the global pandemic still overshadowing everyday life, vaccine mandates throwing in wrenches […]
Competing for key personnel
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Nurseries dangle remote work, added benefits and work-life flexibility to attract top talent The nursery industry has struggled with labor shortages for years. It started with field, farm, and greenhouse workers, and more recently has grown to include the key roles of propagators, growers, sales representatives, and managers. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, horticulture and […]
Keeping drivers in the loop
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Communication is key to treating truckers well during driver shortage Jackie Weisenberger of Oregon Pride Nurseries Inc. rarely hears that a driver has backed out of picking up a load from her McMinnville nursery. “Earlier this spring, we had that happen, but that was happening everywhere,” she said. “As things died down, as we got […]
Keep on trucking
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The booming nursery industry has put big demands on the shipping sector About a year ago, Gary “Bert” Bertelson was lamenting a lost summer. Before last year, Bertelson, head of nursery over-the-road sales for Wilsonville shipping broker Integrity Logistics, would take a month off every summer during the seasonal slowdown of the nursery shipping business. […]
Uncharted territory
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Providing leadership through turbulent changes is a challenge The COVID-19 pandemic has affected each of us differently, but one thing we can all agree on is that business as we knew it has forever changed. As leaders, we must be flexible to these changes. Does your leadership style allow for that? Are your skills keeping […]
A billion-dollar bounty
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Several factors explain Oregon’s robust plant sales figures, particularly in woody material When Rich Bailey of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. in Boring, Oregon, relocated to Oregon from Chicago several years back, he was struck by the wide diversity of plant materials produced by Oregon nurseries. “This state grows so many different types of […]
Springing forward
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COVID-19 has meant two banner years for nurseries, but the future’s a little foggy Over the decades, Grace Dinsdale’s Blooming Nursery has enjoyed a fairly steady path of gradual growth. The past few years, the Cornelius-based wholesale nursery has seen solid sales increases, often between 5% and 10% each year. For Dinsdale, who founded Blooming […]
Hired help
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What it takes for nurseries to find the workforce talent they need Working in the nursery industry is not easy. Laborers in the fields endure harsh weather conditions and strenuous work that can test their physical endurance. Drivers spend long hours on the road away from their families. Growers and production staff have to constantly […]
The grassroots of research
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The nursery industry plays an important role funding and vetting beneficial research projects Universities and colleges, in Oregon and elsewhere, don’t merely provide nurseries and greenhouses with well-trained, knowledgeable and conversant employees. They also provide research-proven knowledge and best practices, so growers can produce a better crop and run a more profitable business. These institutions […]
The framework of the future
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Growing minds: Part 2 Industry-funded scholarships provide essential support for tomorrow’s leaders It might not seem like much, but for Justin Schulze, plant breeder for Bailey Innovations, a division of Bailey Nurseries, the money he was able to cobble together through college scholarships was critical to launching his career. “Those scholarships can allow us to […]
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