acramento, CA – Certified American Grown (CAG), a nonprofit trade association representing cut flower and foliage farmers across the United States, has named Camron King as the organization’s first CEO & Ambassador. The organization is the only floral organization that certifies the origin of the flowers and foliage the members grow, process, package and market. King will bring a long history of success in agriculture and association management experience to the table as Certified American Grown continues to build during its inception as an independent association.
Building on two decades of experience in managing and positioning organizations for success, serving as a government relations professional and an ambassador and spokesperson for regional, state and national organizations, King has a network of contacts, breadth of experience, and tenacity to lead Certified American Grown for long-term sustainability and success. King has long worked in the agricultural community with wine grape and wine organizations, aquaculture and caviar companies, and others to establish and grow the organizations, develop increased recognition and sales and be positioned for providing perspective on policy and regulations.
“I am honored to be working with a group of dynamic and dedicated farmers that have committed themselves to a common value of promoting and protecting American Grown cut flowers and foliage,” said King of his hiring. “The prospect of serving this community to develop growth opportunities, serve as a spokesperson and leader, and work to impact the positive prospects for sales of our domestically grown products is both thrilling and energizing. We have much work to be done and with a unified farmer community, the best is yet to come for Certified American Grown.”
As a nonprofit trade association, Certified American Grown will continue its efforts to lobby on behalf of cut flower and foliage farmers in Washington, D.C., sponsor American Grown Flowers Month in July, host the American Grown Field to Vase Dinner Tour, and give consumers confidence in the source of their flowers and foliage by providing the only third-party guarantee in the floral industry validating bouquets and bunches purchased were actually homegrown.
“We are so excited to have Camron with his vast experiences and knowledge to lead us in our endeavors.,” said Rita Jo Shoultz, Chair of the Board for Certified American Grown and owner of Alaska Perfect Peony. “We are all looking forward to a long and rewarding relationship.”
The staff and leadership of Certified American Grown is working on advocacy efforts on behalf of Certified American Grown members, membership development plans, creating opportunities for members to sell more American Grown flowers and foliage, and efforts to increase support amongst buyers and consumers for member’s products.
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About Certified American Grown. Certified American Grown represents a unified and diverse coalition of U.S. cut flower and greens farms, including small to large entities in all seven districts of the country. Certified American Grown flower and foliage farms participate in an independent, third-party supply-chain audit to verify both origin and assembly of the flowers and foliage they grow. When it appears on bouquets, bunches and other packaging or store signage, the Certified American Grown logo gives consumers confidence in the source of their cut flowers and foliage and assures them their purchases come from a domestic American flower or foliage farm. For more information about Certified American Grown, visit americangrownflowers.org.
