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CMG Partnership with the Green Industry

Horticultural commodities in Colorado
Colorado's Green Industry
CMG partnership with Colorado's Green Industry


Primary horticultural commodities in Colorado

  • Commercial fruit and grape production valued at $23 Million
  • Commercial vegetable production valued at $255 Million. Primary crops include onions, potatoes, melons, peppers, and tomatoes.
  • Green Industries of Colorado valued at $2 Billion.

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Colorado's Green Industry

The Green Industry is that segment of agriculture focuses on improving the landscape environment in which we live. It includes the home landscape, indoor gardening and floriculture, and the landscapes on commercial, business, government and recreational sites.

An easy way to describe Colorado's Green Industries is to look at the associations affiliated with GreenCo. GreenCo is the collective parent association of the Green Industries of Colorado.

Associations


Annual Economic Impact of the Colorado's Green Industry

  • $2 BILLION in wholesale value
    • 25% of Colorado’s total agriculture production
    • Ranks second behind the cattle/dairy industry
    • 4 times larger than the corn and wheat industry
  • Employment
    • 34,000 full-time and part-time employees
    • $825 Million annual payroll
    • 4,000 companies that beautify our environment
  • Per capita spending
    • $375 per capita annual spending on gardening supplies
    • $967 per household
  • Experiencing significantly stronger growth the state’s overall economic development.

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Colorado Master Gardener Program Partnership with Colorado's Green Industry

The Colorado Master Gardener Program is a significant educational resource fostering successful gardening. Our niche includes 1) knowledge-based information, 2) non-commercial, and 3) home garden audience.

Benefits of successful gardening include:

  • Human development benefits (develops individuals, strengthens families, and builds stronger communities)
  • Food and enhanced nutrition
  • Protect and enhance the environment around us
  • Enhance property values
  • Expands gardening activities
  • Supports this major segment of Colorado’s economy


Working as a Team

Colorado Master Gardener activities must not duplicate fee-for-services provided by the green industry. For example CMG volunteer work does not include landscape design.

Some differences of opinion do exist between Cooperative Extension recommendations and green industry practices.

  • Where differences of opinion occur, we need to help the client understand the various perspectives, in a positive manner.
  • Cooperative Extension recommendations often deal with what’s ideal for plant health. However, in the real world, what’s ideal may not be economically practical in many situations. For example, from the perspective of plant health and growth, we routinely recommend 3-5% organic content in the soil. In many situations, this may not be practical, economically feasible, or even possible.

CSU staff, CMG volunteers, and green industry staff occasionally mis-diagnose problems due to inadequate information about the situation. It’s a challenge to all of us to work together as a team to provide the best information possible.

Each of us sometimes forgets that general recommendations don’t always fit site-specific needs. Again, we must strive to work as a team to provide the best information possible.

For our mutual success, CSU staff and Master Gardeners, and green industry workers must support each other in a team effort. Comments that belittle or discredit the green industry are unacceptable.

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Prepared by David Whiting
Updated and printed July 16, 2004