Month: December 2013

Now in its 125th year, the annual New Year's Day parade in Pasadena celebrates California's beautiful weather and bountiful flowers. It is an American tradition, yet most Americans are not aware that four out of five flowers used to decorate the floats are likely imported from South America. In fact, of all the flowers sold in the United States today, approximately 80 percent are grown in places like Colombia and Ecuador. …

The California Cut Flower Commission's (CCFC) Board of Commissioners recently elected Michael A. Mellano of Mellano & Company in San Luis Rey, chair of the CCFC. Mellano has served as chair of the Commission's Grower Research and Economic Committee since being elected a Commissioner in 2008. Mellano succeeds Lane DeVries of The Sun Valley Group in Arcata. …

Taiwanese orchid farmers invested in China because of the cheap land and low wages for labourers. Under their business model, their Taiwanese contact accepted the order, and the flowers were shipped from China. Now however, after a rise in wages and the decline of flower prices, profits are hard to come by. …