Gene Milstein - Applewood Seed Company

December 2002

How do you see the wildflower seed industry evolving over the next few years? Who or what will determine the directions the industry takes?
Essentially the industry has been around for about 30 years, and it enjoyed tremendous growth in the first 20 years. It is now a maturing industry with many competitors at various levels filling many different niches. It is a small industry compared to the bedding plant or turf industries; but a stable one with many different aspects and interests. There are several markets to satisfy: Some people simply want a beautiful display and are not concerned about species native to their area. They want low cost, easy to grow seed. Others have very specific expectations and will only use species native in their region. Some even require that the seed be produced locally, within 50 to 100 miles of where they are to be planted. These expectations keep seed companies on their toes (some say off-balance). Because traditional seed companies have had a hard time responding to the latter demands, many non-traditional, local and regional seed companies have developed with the support of the local and state governments. In fact, some governments have even gotten into doing seed production of their own. They claim that the seed industry has not been responsive to their needs. Therefore, public lands and government employees (sometimes prison inmates) have been used to produce crops. This situation has become very controversial because the industry feels this is unfair competition, especially when governments donate their crops to non-profit corporations, which in turn sell seed to the public consumer.

Another major issue affecting both the wildflower and the grass seed industry is the debate over Invasive and Noxious Weeds. Ever since the Clinton administration issued the Executive Order on Invasive Species in 1999, states and local organizations have been making their own list of invasive species, often including those that have been in the trade for generations. Some of these lists include such common crops as blue grass, crown vetch, wheat, oats, rye and flowers such as vinca, ox-eye daisy, dames rocket and blue flax. Even though these lists carry no weight of law, they are affecting how people use or view these species. These native plant groups also play a role in what appears on the noxious weed lists in each state. Potentially, the native plant and weed interests could affect what crops are grown, so it is important to make sure a balance is of interests is maintained .

How these issues play out will have a great affect on the direction of the traditional wildflower seed industry. How many of these niches the seed companies can supply will determine how much the industry can grow. Therefore, the future depends a great deal on how much each of the member companies get involved with resolving these issues.

(to Jack Bodger's answer)

 

 

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