An Economic Overview of Florida's
 Woody Ornamental Nursery Industry

 Alan Hodges and John Haydu1

 Abstract

 A comprehensive survey of the Florida woody ornamental nursery industry was conducted
in 1989. Responses to a mailed-out questionnaire were received from 104 firms. Questions addressed
in the survey included product sales, marketing practices, distribution areas, labor management,
pricing and exchange arrangements. Sales reported by responding firms totaled $125 million. Since
1981, market distribution areas have shifted to greater reliance on within-state sales, and greater
export sales. This information may be used to develop policy and guide research efforts for the
woody ornamentals industry.

Key words: woody ornamentals, Florida, marketing, sales, industry structure.

 Introduction

 Nursery and greenhouse crops represent the seventh largest agricultural industry in the
United States, with a total value of $6.94 billion at the wholesale producer level in 1988. Florida is
the second leading producer of ornamental plants, with an industry value of $948 million, following
California with $1.58 billion (Figure 1; ERS, 1989).

 Florida $948

 Texas $514

 Pennsylvania $283

 Oregon $250 California $1576

 New York $224

 New Jersey $221

 N. Carolina $215

 Michigan $212
 Oklahoma $206


 Other $2289
 Figure 1--Value of nursery/greenhouse industry at producer level for ten leading states, 1988.
 Values in million dollars.


 1 Alan Hodges is an Economic Analyst; John Haydu is an Extension Economist and
Assistant Professor; IFAS, Food & Resource Economics Dept., Univ. Florida, Gainesville. The
authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of J. Robert Strain, Extension Economist.