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In This Issue ...
- Baseball Tickets Almost Sold Out!
- Membership Survey: We Want to Hear from You!
- Floral Day at California State Fair
- uBloom Visit to Holland American Flowers
- CalFlowers Supported Education During The Texas State Floral Expo
- New Exhibit On The Origins Of The San Francisco Flower Market
- Member Benefit Spotlight: FedEx Office
- Member Spotlight: Hortica
- Transportation Updates
- Welcome New CalFlowers Members
2023 Events
CalFlowers "Member Appreciation" Meeting
Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel
August 18, 2023
San Diego, CA
SAF "Phoenix 2023"
The Westin Kierland
Resort & Spa
September 6 - 9, 2023
Phoenix, AZ
2024
Save The Dates
2024 Fun 'N Sun Floral Convention
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
September 4 - 7
Carlsbad, CA
Latest Legislation
Updates:
Click Here to read the latest Legislative updates.
Is a cooperative effort to get more Americans enjoying more flowers, more often. From upscale florists, farmers markets or grocery stores — as long as people are bringing home flowers regularly, that’s good enough for us.
We want everyone to experience the impact of flowers on a daily basis. They’re a beautiful, natural dose of feel-good, so why should they be reserved for special occasions?
Even the most modest bouquet of flowers can have all sorts of positive short and long term effects on how we feel — in other words, it’s that flower feeling.
Click Here and request access to all of the FREE Assets That Flower Feeling has to offer.
FLOWERS.
SELF CARE MADE EASY.
Self care has become a lot of work. You gotta pamper, practice mindfulness, balance life and work, and be awesome at all of them. Flowers on the other hand are self care made easy. They won't replace working out or eating well. But they're a spiritual tune-up. So treat yourself to a little off-the-shelf self care.
CalFlowers Featured
"New Member" Spotlights
To see all of our past Featured "New Member" Spotlight stories Click Here.
If your company would like to be a featured "New Member", please contact Monnaie Pepin for more details.
Past CalFlowers Newsletters
Click Here to view past CalFlowers Newsletters now available on our website.
CalFlowers News
Our goal is to communicate with our members and interested parties on a monthly basis about recent, past, and upcoming events, program updates, and general information about CalFlowers engagement in the industry on behalf of the membership.
If you have an announcement or story you think our members should see, contact Monnaie Pepin, Director of Communications, Events and Administration.
2023 - 2024
Membership Directory Available Online
To purchase additional printed copies of the 2023 - 2024 Membership Directory please Contact Jordan Richardson.
For Members Only Access
Click Here for a quick reference guide on how to log into the members only site.
CalFlowers
Social Media
Show That You Are A Proud Member of CalFlowers!
CalFlowers Members in good standing are now welcome and encouraged to use the CalFlowers logo to show that they are proud members of the Association. Read the full logo policy, suggested uses, and download the logo by visiting the CalFlowers membership portal and selecting “Marketing Tools” on the dropdown menu:
https://cafgs.memberclicks.
net/marketing-tools
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Baseball Tickets Almost Sold Out!
Last Chance!
Register today to save your spot.
As the dog days of summer fly by, we’d like to remind all CalFlowers members of our Member Appreciation Meeting in San Diego on Friday, August 18.
There is tremendous value in attending this fun and educational event, to be held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and continuing in Petco Park.
Join your fellow CalFlowers members from all industry segments for this great event which begins with a hearty Welcome lunch sponsored by That Flower Feeling.
- Steve Dionne (CalFlowers) and Imani Jackson (Designory)
will provide progress updates on That Flower Feeling’s marketing activities in 2023, as well as updates on industry funding for That Flower Feeling Foundation.
- J Schwanke will be on hand to provide updates on the exciting growth of Life In Bloom. The current season features California flower growers such as Benno Dobbe of Holland America Flowers and is being seen in millions of homes nationwide.
- We will have robust round-table discussions on challenges and opportunities for the flower industry, a great way to connect with your peers and share important industry insights.
- After the business meeting winds down, we will convene for a cocktail hour, sponsored by GLS, followed by a walk across the pedestrian bridge right to the gates of Petco Park. We have suites reserved in the Western Metal building with food and drinks where we can all enjoy the crowd’s energy, the crack of the bat, and just a great time with industry family and friends.
I sincerely hope you and your team can join us for this great event as summer begins to wind down and we head towards the busy Fall selling season. See you in San Diego!
You will need your username and password to register for the event. If you need help with that, please contact Jordan Richardson at jordan@cafgs.org or by calling (831) 217-3423.
For more information visit the 2023 Member Appreciation Meeting page on our website.
Thank you to the following companies for their valued sponsorship of the 2023 Member Appreciation Meeting:
 
Membership Survey: We Want to Hear from You!
Your satisfaction is of the utmost importance to CalFlowers Staff and Board, and your feedback is essential for us to better understand your needs and strengthen the benefits available to you as members. Please share your recommendations by completing this 6-minute anonymous membership survey by September 1, 2023.
Floral Day at California State Fair
CalFlowers was a proud sponsor of the California State Fair, which took place in Sacramento on July 14-30. We’d like to thank the fabulous local florists for beautifying the flower booth and spreading #ThatFlowerFeeling. During the fair, CalFlowers and CSFA co-sponsored a full day of student and children’s floral design competitions. There were two rounds of student competitions and 3 awards distributed to both college and high school levels. Congratulations to all who shared their talents with us!
Pictured Above: Ann Quinn announces the winners of the competition as Wilton Lee prepares to hand out the ribbons.
uBloom Visit to Holland American Flowers
Get the inside scoop from J Schwanke's Life in Bloom's visit to Holland America Flowers. Learn more about the history of Holland America Flowers and their beautiful flowers by watching the full video here.
CalFlowers Supported Education During The Texas State Floral Expo
Supporting education in the floral industry has a positive impact on florists, floral designers, and other professionals that attended the Texas State Floral Expo last month. CalFlowers’ involvement helped TSFA provide valuable business knowledge, new floral trends and to showcase the creativity and talent of design presentations, along with resources that contribute to the attendee’s growth in their floral careers.
New Exhibit On The Origins Of The San Francisco Flower Market
Kanetaro Domoto arrived in San Francisco in the 1880s from Wakayama Prefecture in Japan. After taking on different jobs, he and his brothers founded a profitable business of growing flowers in nurseries, which led them to become the first growers in Northern California to commercially produce imported camellias, azaleas, wisterias and lilies.
Pictured Above: Motonoshin Domoto in the sego palm greenhouse on 55th Avenue in Oakland in 1905. Japanese Immigrants were highly influential in expanding the San Francisco Bay Area’s flower industry. | Source:Courtesy California Historical Society.
 Using Japanese agricultural techniques and seeds, the Domotos played a key role in founding San Francisco’s downtown wholesale flower market in 1912 and the SoMa market in 1924. Today, a relocated version remains part of the iconic San Francisco Flower Market at Sixth and Brannan streets, one of only five wholesale flower markets in the United States.
Pictured Above: Minoru Shinoda, left, a woman identified only as "Miss San Francisco," center, and Mayor George Christopher, right, on the opening day of the San Francisco Flower Terminal in September 1956. | Source:Courtesy California Historical Society.
In 2019, the records and photographs of the California Flower Market, as it was once known, were donated to the California Historical Society. The records include photographs, books, articles and other ephemera from the late 1800s to 2014, which together tell the history of the market and California’s flower industry. Now, the California Historical Society has put them together in an online exhibition.
Click Here to read the article.
Member Benefit Spotlight: FedEx Office
We love our members and are always striving to provide support and value to floral businesses. FedEx Office is offering CalFlowers members significant discounts on printing and production projects, ranging from simple black and white copy jobs to signage and banners to better reach customers. Follow this link for more information.
Member Spotlight: Hortica
 Hortica, a brand of the Sentry Insurance Group, is solely focused on the horticultural industry and is a proven partner for business insurance, employee benefits, and safety services since 1887. They deliver comprehensive, cost-effective insurance solutions through personalized customer service, prompt claims handling, loss control expertise, and financial stability.
"We know your industry as well as we know insurance. Our customized coverages help protect:
- Greenhouse growers
- Garden centers
- Nurseries and sod farms
- Lawncare professionals
- Retail/wholesale/event florists
- Interior plantscapers
Our Loss Control and Safety Services team can work with you to help keep your employees, customers, and business safe. We offer risk management, loss control, and safety programs featuring:
- On-site consultations
- Thermographic inspections
- Targeted safety presentations
- Webinars
- Annual claims analysis
- Training materials
And, if you experience a loss and need to file a claim, we’ll help you restore your business quickly. When you choose us for your horticultural business insurance, you’re supported by a team of experienced claims professionals dedicated to serving you. Learn more about our specialized business insurance by visiting hortica.com or give us a call at 800-541-5082 to speak with one of our representatives."
Testimonial: From Jim Gibson, owner, Timbuk Farms
“They work with you. The relationships are strong, and you have people that understand your business. You’re not talking to an adjustor that’s never done a claim before. You’re talking to someone that’s done it for 20, 30 years and knows our industry. That’s huge.”
Learn more by visiting hortica.com.
If you are a CalFlowers member and would like to be featured in a future member spotlight, please fill out this form and send it to jordan@cafgs.org.
Transportation
This month we’d like to pass on some basic, but helpful information on filing product claims and surcharges. Although these two documents, created by FedEx, came out earlier in the year, they are an excellent resource. This first resource offers information regarding surcharges and fees. Keep in mind that the CalFlowers program offers members MANY surcharge and fee reductions that are significantly lower than these standard surcharges, however it’s still a good reference point and has some clear definitions on what each fee/surcharge is. If you would like a summary of your program surcharge / fee discounts and waivers, please check our website or email Chris Johnson (chris@cafgs.org) for a copy.
The second resource is very helpful when you need to file a claim for damaged or lost product. Keep in mind, a product claim is different from our Money Back Guarantee, which applies to shipping charges and is handled differently. Product claims are more involved and can be confusing, but this resource helps navigate the process.
One more valuable resource has to do with any current Service Alerts. We suggest that you check this daily update each morning before shipping.
A few other reminders:
- FedEx has reinstated the Money Back Guarantee (MBG) for CalFlowers members for Priority and Standard Overnight only. Delays due to hazardous or disruptive weather are not eligible for shipping credits. Remember also that the MBG is not automatic and you will need to request it within 14 days via the website www.fedex.com.
- As of late, and different from the software glitch mentioned above, we have seen a rise in incorrect invoicing. Much of this is due lack of box dims being listed on the waybill. As a best practice, be sure to indicate the box dimensions on your booking/waybill as this will help if there is a dispute regarding the size of your box and ultimately your invoice.
- I have also seen an increase in incorrect billing mainly due to scanning errors creating incorrect box sizes and/or logging incorrect weights making the invoice typically higher than expected. To inquire, contact the FedEx billing department (800-622-1147) and have them open a file/case. They will investigate and be in touch. If you need help, your local FedEx rep can help. See #4 below.
- For those wanting to know who your FedEx representative is, or if you want to be contacted by FedEx, please email me your FedEx account number and I will respond with information on your FedEx contact. It’s always a good practice to establish a relationship with your FedEx representative. They can be an asset when needed.
- You can have your shipments held at your nearby FedEx Office instead being delivered to your door. Having shipments held at your local FedEx office can help with temperature management since your boxes will be stored in a temperature-controlled office rather riding in a truck all morning. It’s also true that you can drop off your shipments at your local FedEx office. This can be an advantage for some parts of the country where having your packages standing by in FedEx office is preferable to being in a truck for hours.
- As we know, keeping an eye on the weather, nationally as well as locally is important, and a great way of doing that is by routinely checking the “Service Alerts” section of the FedEx website each morning for the latest updates. Here you will find the most current alerts and service disruption alerts updated each day.
- Find the latest news from FedEx here.
For members looking for the latest Program Summary and Rates for 2023, they can be found posted up on our website with all our other shipping program. Please visit www.cafgs.org.
To all our new members who are just starting with FedEx shipping, they have a helpful “Customer Training” service that is available upon request. This service offers shippers direct one-on-one assistance from FedEx covering many of the questions new shippers may have. If you are interested in signing up, please contact Chris Johnson via email: chris@cafgs.org. FedEx also has some excellent information for new shippers on their website. Visit: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/get-started.html for a good summary of what FedEx offers.
For members needing FedEx Tech Support, this phone number takes your right into the department (877) 339-2774. They can help with many tech-related issues including guidance regarding on-line shipping platforms.
We would also like to remind members to stay current with their FedEx Express shipping invoices. FedEx payment terms are 15 days. All members shipping on FedEx Express are expected to stay within the FedEx payment terms. To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.
The CalFlowers GLS program is one of our popular, most value-priced offerings, with discounts well over 70% off standard rates. GLS offers later pick-ups and earlier deliveries while providing express door-to-door services covering CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, NM, UT, and ID. Members who want to ship on GLS must sign up in advance. It’s easy and just takes a few minutes. Please contact Chris Johnson for more details at (760) 533-5580 or chris@cafgs.org.
GLS has been very receptive to our requests for program improvements. They have added the following features to our program for members to utilize.
- GLS will now honor product claims. Yes, if GLS is at fault (acts of God, not included) and the product arrives damaged, significantly late, or just missing, members now can file a claim. We highly recommend member shippers to indicate the correct Declared Value to be covered.
- GLS will credit (100%) of the shipping costs if your shipment is not delivered on the day promised. Bad weather is excluded. Members will need to request this within 48 hours at customerservice@gls-us.com.
- GLS has given our account access to a special premium team of Customer Service agents. This high-level group was designed for fast response and problem solving. Please contact Chris Johnson for access to this important resource.
- GLS has a new revamped website. Check it out at https://www.gls-us.com. Additionally, I recommend trying this handy Delivery Rates & Times Calculator to view delivery dates and estimated time of arrival.
Airlines:
Breaking News: For our members shipping cargo on airlines, just last week we had a significant update to our Alaska Air Cargo program. We are pleased to add the state of Alaska to our discounts! Now members in Alaska can ship OUTBOUND nationwide, from any major airport in Alaska (serviced by Alaska Airlines), for super discounted Express rates. Member shippers just need a CID number and to sign up with us.
Additionally, just this week, we added SEA and PDX to our program. Now the Pacific Northwest can ship to California at our highly discounted Express rates. Again, members just need a CID number and to sign-up.
Did you know Alaska Airlines is the largest airline operator out of San Diego. They have 67 daily flights to 33 non-stop destinations.
Newly added lane segments from Alaska Airlines are:
- SAN to IAD in August
- SAN to TPA and EUG in October
Alaska Airlines has also added frequency to these lane segments:
- LAX – SFO
- FAT to SAN
- SAN to SFO
- SAN to STS
- SFO to SNA
- SNA to STS.
For the latest in Alaska Cargo News, Check out this https://www.alaskaaircargoconnections.com/.
For members wanting to get in touch with our Alaska Air Cargo Regional Sales Manager, California, Mike Narowski can be reached at mike.narowski@alaskaair.com.
If you have been taking advantage of our new CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, you know this offering really delivers when it comes to value. Our program offers EXCELLENT pricing to many areas of the country from California, Portland, Seattle and now Alaska. Check out all the program details on our website. To sign-up, contact Chris Johnson at chris@cafgs.org.
NOTE: Transportation Rate information and documents are viewable/downloadable as PDFs on the CalFlowers Members Only site. Please note that these documents are considered sensitive material and are available to the primary contacts for Ag Buddy, Associate Floral, Associate Grower, and Floral members.
Welcome New CalFlowers Members
We are pleased to welcome the following new CalFlowers members from July 10 - August 2, 2023:
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