In This Issue ...

1. Fun 'N Sun Flower Fair Space Almost Sold Out!
2. CalFlowers’ Membership Drive: Referral Program
3. 2024-2025 Membership Directory: Online Access
4. Industry congratulates Miley Cyrus on Grammy for Record of the Year, “Flowers”
5. More Consumers Planning To Give Flowers for Valentine’s Day
6. New AFE Research & Webinar Series
7. Member Spotlight: Pagoda House Peonies
8. Transportation Updates
9. Welcome New CalFlowers Members

2024 Dates

NexGen Live
DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley
February 25 – 27, 2024
San Diego, CA

IFPA - Floral Conference Anaheim
February 27, 2024
Anaheim, CA

A World of Flowers
Great Lakes Floral Assn.
March 1 – 3, 2024
DeVos Place
Grand Rapids, MI

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show
Pennsylvania Convention Center
March 2 – 10, 2024
Philadelphia, PA

WF&FSA Floral Distribution Conference
The Doral (Registration starts in fall)
March 3 – 6, 2024
Miami, FL

WUMFA Annual Conference
Flower Power
Radisson Hotel & Conference Center
March 15 – 17, 2024
Green Bay, WI

44th Annual SAF Congressional Action Days
March 18 -19, 2024
Washington, DC

FFA Convention
March 21- 24, 2024
Sacramento, CA 

FloriExpo
Cultivating the Floral Community
June 5 – 7, 2024
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Texas Floral Forum
Omni La Mansion on the Riverwalk
June 21 - 23, 2024
|San Antonio, TX 

Slow Flowers Summit
Banff Centre for the Arts
June 23-25, 2024
Banff, Alberta, Canada 

2024 AIFD “Emerge”
July 2 – 6, 2024
Orlando, FL 

California State Fair
July 12 – 28, 2024
Sacramento, CA 

WF&FSA DevX 2024
July 23 - 26, 2024
San Francisco, CA

SAF’s Annual Convention
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa
August 6 – 9, 2024
Aventura, FL

2024 Fun 'N Sun Floral Convention
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
September 4 - 7
Carlsbad, CA

IFPA
October 17 - 19, 2024
Atlanta, GA 

2024 Texas Floral Showcase
The Petroleum Club
October 17, 2024
Midland, TX

2024 Texas Floral Showcase
Shady Villa Event Center and Hotel
November 2, 2024
Salado, TX

 Latest Legislation
Updates:

Click Here to read the latest Legislative updates.

FLOWERS.
SELF CARE MADE EASY.

  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

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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 

 

 

 

Fun 'N Sun Flower Fair Space Almost Sold Out!

We are excited to announce that we have sold out of our single booths for the 2024 Fun 'N Sun Flower Fair! There are only 9 tabletops and 3 double booths left. We have limited space available so if you are interested in exhibiting reserve your space today.

Thank you to our members who have signed up to exhibit.

Click Here to sign up or to see a list of our
2024 Flower Fair Exhibitors.

For more information contact Chris Johnson: (760) 533-5580 

CalFlowers’ Membership Drive: Referral Program

You’ve probably heard the good news! We've increased member shipping discounts and are working hard to spread the word. We value our existing members and want to celebrate YOU and your efforts to build this vibrant community by introducing a referral program.

How the Referral Program Works:
Your company will be entered into a drawing for each application that lists you as a referring member. There will be a drawing in January, February, and March for a chance to win a $100 gift card. Your participation helps to support the floral industry and strengthen businesses like yours.

We are excited to announce the winner of the January drawing, Little Farmhouse Flowers! Little Farmhouse Flowers has been a wonderful advocate and educator, helping people learn how to ship flowers. Additionally, they grow and distribute beautiful blooms! Learn more about Little Farmhouse Flowers by visiting: www.littlefarmhouseflowers.com.

Thank you to The Sun Valley Group, McCullough Flower Farm, B.A.R.E. Flower Farm, and Allen’s Flowers for spreading the word about CalFlowers during the month of January and beyond!

Information to Share:

• New members receive $50 off application fees January through March
• Members receive access to year-round discounted FedEx rates
• CalFlowers members have opportunities to network with over 875 floral community stakeholders, attend events, and access professional service discounts.
• Learn more and apply: https://www.cafgs.org/membership-benefits
• Questions? Contact Member Relations & Services Coordinator, Jordan Richardson at (831) 217-3423 or jordan@cafgs.org.

Ways to Spread the Word:

• Repost on Social Media: Visit our social media pages and share our Membership Drive posts with your network.
• Share Details About the Drive: Help us reach more potential members by sharing the info above or spotlighting our press release in an email, social media page, newsletter, etc. 
• Share Your Why: Provide a testimonial. Your personal endorsement can inspire others to join and be a part of our thriving community.

2024-2025 Membership Directory: Online Access

A printed 2024-2025 Membership Directory was recently sent out to all CalFlowers’ members. The directory is a valuable tool with information about member benefits, resources, and contacts of over 875 CalFlowers members in all segments of floriculture and produce, as well as floral-related service providers. Members can also access the directory online by following this link and signing into the member portal. Thank you for being a member of CalFlowers, we are so glad to have you!

Industry Congratulates Miley Cyrus on Grammy for Record of the Year, “Flowers”

The Grammy Awards wrapped up on February 4, and the fact that Miley Cyrus won the Grammy for Record of the Year with her song Flowers touched the industry. And particularly That Flower Feeling, as they already thanked Miley Cyrus for being the unofficial ambassador for flowers last year. In an Instagram post, Florabundance Inc., who embodies 'That Flower Feeling,' congratulated her and again thanked her for her support. "Thank you for helping us spread the message that flowers aren't just for special occasions—they're a source of joy and mindfulness every day."

Click Here to read the entire article from Floral Daily.

National Retail Federation survey:

More Consumers Planning To Give Flowers for Valentine’s Day

Consumers are expected to spend a total of $25.8 billion on Valentine's Day this year, a little lower than it was expected in 2023 but still the third highest in the survey’s history. This was announced in the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

When talking about flowers and comparing it with last year, they are still ranked third on the list of top gifts, and this year, even more respondents are planning to give flowers, 38% (instead of 37% in 2023).

The absolute top gifts include candy (57%) and greeting cards (40%), of which the percentages remained the same compared to last year. Then, the list continues with flowers (39%), an evening out (32%), jewelry (22%), clothing(21%), and gift cards (19%).

A striking result from this year's research is that consumers who still value the non-romantic relationships in their lives are prioritizing gifts for significant others. Total spending on significant others for the holiday is expected to reach a record $14.2 billion.

Consumers expect to spend $185.81 each on average, nearly $8 more than the average Valentine’s Day spending over the last five years.

Click Here to read the entire article from Floral Daily.

New AFE Research & Webinar Series

Botrytis can cause devastating losses during production, shipping, and in retail. An Integrated Pest IPM approach is necessary to manage Botrytis successfully and it is critical for growers to have alternative control methods to use in rotation with fungicides to prevent resistance. Microbial biopesticides are an IPM tool for controlling disease while mitigating fungicide resistance risk. Adoption of biopesticides in production is growing but their variable performance under commercial conditions is still a challenge. Advances in biopesticide research reveal that they work best when used in combination with other strategies. Several natural compounds have been found to enhance biopesticide efficacy with significant implications for IPM. Read more on AFE’s Chitosan and Botrytis control in greenhouses research and check out AFE’s Grow Pro free webinar series.

 Transportation

With Valentine’s Day upon us, and with regards to FedEx, it will depend on the weather.  Currently, there are no major advisories affecting hub operations, but with the atmospheric river slamming into California right now, hopefully west coast operations will avoid any major issues. Shippers are advised to check the FedEx website frequently for up-to-date Service Alerts. See below for the link.

For the holiday, be sure to notify FedEx with any volumes over and above what you normally ship. Contact your local rep, driver, or terminal. Failure to give notice of larger than normal volumes run the risk of your packages being delayed.

And for those that haven’t heard, we signed a new historic agreement with FedEx vastly improving our program discounts and overall value package. Here are some highlights:

• Priority Overnight and Standard Overnight discounts rise to 78%
• Ground Discounts rise to 55%
• FedEx Home Delivery discounts rise to 40%
• New for 24 is FedEx One Rate.  Deep discounts as high as 45%
• Yearly GRI cap will be 5% in upcoming years.
• Flat-Rate Pricing is retained as well as Money Back Guarantee and no minimums.
• Dramatic Surcharge improvements such as:
  • Fuel Surcharge            15%
  • Residential                   50%
  • Delivery Area Sur         35%
  • Declared Value            25%
  • Demand (peak)            25%
  • Saturday PU/DEL        100%
  • And many more…

1. All these improvements and many more have automatically been loaded into your FedEx account.  There is nothing to do but enjoy the savings!

   The 2024 CalFlowers FedEx Program Summary and Rates are now up on our website.  Please visit cafgs.org for more information.

   A few other reminders:

1. Incorrect billing seems to be getting better lately which is good news. As a good practice, remember to input correct box sizes as this will help to insure correct invoicing. If you do require assistance, 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Find the latest news from FedEx here. 

For those members looking for good general information on Surcharges and Claims, the following information can be helpful.

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.  

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. Failure to stay current with FedEx risks your account being delinked from the program. For more information on this issue, please contact Chris Johnson, Dir. of Transportation chris@cafgs.org

To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.

For those shippers shipping volumes over and above what is normally shipped, GLS also needs to know. Please notify your driver or customer service team.

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 when shipping Priority.

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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.
4. 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: 

For our members shipping cargo on airlines, we’d like to remind you that just 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, 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.

For the latest in Alaska Cargo News, Check out this https://www.alaskaaircargoconnections.com/.

Here is also a handy link for commonly asked questions: https://www.alaskacargo.com/faqs

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 January 10 - February 7, 2024:

www.cafgs.org 

Ph. 831-479-4912 | Fax 831-479-4914