PASADENA, Calif. — Miracle-Gro®, the Official Rose and Flower Care Company and the Presenting Sponsor for Post Parade: A Showcase of Floats Presented by Miracle-Gro, has committed to using California Grown flowers and foliage for over 85 percent of its float floral decor. This marks the Tournament's first major brand sponsor with a float to become certified "CA GROWN". The California Grown Certification is a volunteer program that recognizes parade floats and entries built with over 85 percent of cut flowers and greens from the Golden State.
"The parade was founded as a way to celebrate California's beauty, so it just made sense for Miracle-Gro to feature California grown flowers on our float this year," said John Sass, Vice President and General Manager of Miracle-Gro. "They not only remind us of the Parade's origins, it puts a focus on sustainable flowers that inspire consumers to dig in and discover their own piece of Earth."
On December 31, the Buy California Marketing Committee (BCMA) and the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) will recognize Cal Poly Universities for the fifth year in a row and FTD, Inc., for the second year in a row. This will be the first time for Miracle-Gro and the California Milk Advisory Board to be recognized for their commitment to local California Grown flowers.
"We are thrilled to have a leader like Miracle-Gro recognize the importance of supporting locally grown flowers and the people who grow them. Their support and participation in the California Grown certification program is something our farmers certainly appreciate," said Kasey Cronquist, CEO and Ambassador for the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC), which represents the state's flower farmers. "We have seen first-hand the generous contributions Miracle-Gro has made to our local communities, through their support of our farms and their work improving local green spaces, community centers and schools. We are very proud that our flowers will be used on their Tournament of Roses float in 2016."
California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross will travel to Pasadena to officiate the certification ceremonies on December 31st.
"We could not be more proud of our hard working Cal Poly students, who design and build their own float each year. Seeing the pride on their faces during the certification ceremony is something I look forward to," said Secretary Ross. "And we are so excited that Miracle-Gro, FTD and our own California Milk Advisory Board will be demonstrating their support for California's farmers by becoming certified CA GROWN. This is a big year for us!"
FTD is proud to be the Official Floral Partner of the Tournament of Roses. FTD and its iconic Mercury Man symbol have a 60-year history of participating in the Rose Parade. The storied floral and gifting company has once again committed to being certified CA GROWN, and will use CA GROWN flowers and foliage to decorate their VIP parade vehicles.
"We rely on California flower farmers every day to provide many of the high-quality flowers that allow us to help our customers express their most important sentiments. FTD is pleased to showcase California Grown flowers in the Rose Parade," said FTD Florist Segment EVP Tom Moeller. "The Rose Bowl is a wonderful tradition that FTD has been honored to be a part of to create opportunities for our florist members to participate and enjoy."
The float from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and California State Polytechnic University at Pomona, with a theme of "Sweet Shenanigans," will also receive certification on the 31st. "We are proud to be highlighting California Grown flowers on our float," said Cal Poly San Luis Obispo President Jeff Armstrong. "Our students will go on to be the next generation of farmers and ranchers in the state, so it's natural that we would support the California flower farmers by showcasing their flowers on the Cal Poly float each year."
The California Milk Advisory Board's float, "Adventures in Real Food" will depict a variety of popular dairy-centric foods floating down a "rapids" of milk. "We are thrilled that California's dairy farmers have requested their fun float to be covered in California Grown flowers. It's great to see dairy farmers supporting their fellow flower farmers," said Cronquist.
The Rose Parade originated in 1889 as a way to showcase the bounty of what is grown in California during a time of year when much of the country is covered in snow. Today it's a nationwide tradition that nearly a million visitors line the streets of Pasadena to glimpse the floral displays and millions more watch from their homes across the country. The California flower industry has a $12.2 billion annual impact on the state's economy. California's flower farmers represent over 4,500 jobs and contribute $1.7 million to California's economy every day.
About the California Cut Flower Commission:
The California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) is a state agency created in 1990 by the Legislature to advocate and promote California cut flowers and foliage farmers. For more information about California Grown flowers, visit www.ccfc.org.
About the Buy California Marketing Agreement and the "California Grown" Program:
The Buy California Marketing Agreement (BCMA) is a joint effort of agricultural industry groups representing the products of California's farms and ranches. Working as an advisory board to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, BCMA brings together industry and government resources to increase the awareness, consumption and value of California agricultural products, helping the state's consumers enjoy the best of the California lifestyle. For more information, visit www.californiagrown.org.
About Scotts Miracle-Gro®:
With more than $2.8 billion in worldwide sales, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are some of the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S., the Company operates Scotts LawnService®, the second largest residential lawn care service business. In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligene® and Substral®. In 2015, the Company ranked in Forbes 100 Most Reputable Companies in America. For additional information, visit the Company's website at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.
Source: Scotts Miracle-Gro®