Seed Your Future: A National Initiative to Promote Horticulture

Seed Your Future began in 2013 as an initiative to promotion horticulture with Longwood Gardens and ASHS. Additional collaborators include APGA, NJHA, AmericanHort, and AHS. FleishmanHillard (FH, Washington, DC), a nationally recognized communications and marketing firm, was engaged to conduct research with internal and external audiences to determine the public perception of horticulture and careers in horticulture. Through stakeholder focus groups and general public online and phone surveys, the importance of horticulture, career perceptions and the need for the promotion of horticulture were examined. Students, faculty, industry and administrators in horticulture have a broad understanding of the field, much more than the public, especially young, ethnically diverse, and lower income participants. While lack of public awareness is one of the biggest challenges in horticulture, it is also its greatest opportunity. Sixty-five percent of all phone survey participants as compared to 41% of 18-24 years old revealed a general awareness of the word horticulture. General public found agreement (48% to 59%) with four statements about the essential, universal and invaluable worth of horticulture; however, strong agreement was less, ranging from 26% to 46%. Only 26% of respondents felt strong agreement with the statement, “Horticulture is a diverse area of study, and it offers viable, fulfilling and respected career paths that I would recommend to others”. The research found strong stakeholder support for a national promotion of horticulture. A strategic plan has been formulated along with a new careers video and website: seedyourfuture.org. Leadership has expanded to include an Advisory Council co-chaired by Charlie Hall, Texas A&M and Janet Mahoney, Director Global Total Rewards, Discoll’s; and a National Leadership Cabinet co-chaired by Anna Ball, President, Ball Horticultural Co., and Paul Redman, Director, Longwood Gardens.  A timeline and further updates will be presented on the initiative.