About 75 interested parties came together to discuss commercial flower growing in South Carolina yesterday and I was glad to be among them. The meeting included participation by the SC Department of Agriculture, the SC Center for Cooperative and Enterprise Development, Clemson Cooperative Extension, Matson Consulting, the SC Small Business Development Center, and the SC Specialty Crop Growers Association. We also had flower farmers from the upstate, the midlands and the low country and some who are considering flower farming. I had the pleasure of seeing some fellow flower farmers in person for the first time since Covid.
With 60+ flower farmers in attendance and another 10 – 12 that I know of that did not make it, the supply of local flowers in South Carolina is growing quickly. If we can find ways to create a consolidated supply and distribution mechanism to provide local flowers to florists, event planners and corporations, we can strengthen ties and build a stronger financial basis for the floral industry and for flower farmers in our state. For example, Charleston is a leading destination for weddings in the country. Why not maximize the revenue that stays in the state by making it preferable to use local flowers over those that are imported from (usually) South America?
To be fair, there are florists and event planners is all 3 regions of the state that are huge supporters of local flowers. They understand that the flowers are fresher. They know that they can get beautiful varieties that cannot be shipped successfully. They are willing to utilize the decentralized distribution methods that we have today.
The complexity of buying from multiple small farms is one thing holding others back. They may not be staffed to coordinate with multiple sources. They may not be able to purchase flowers in large enough quantities from one or a few farmers to meet their needs. They also may not be familiar with some of the flowers that can be made available and need more education.
While this was just an introductory meeting, I am optimistic that this group has the energy to define solutions to these challenges. I look forward to our next meeting.
“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. African Proverb