VNLA President's Update

VNLA President's Update

From Chris Dowdy

WOW! What a great event Field Day was this year. It was terrific to have members, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, guests and industry partners come together for educational talks, tours and to re-connect.

I must send a few THANK YOU shout-outs. First, to our Field Day committee: Jeff Howe, Robin McCall, Matt Deivert and Seana Ankers. They put together three days of networking, education and tours! It takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to prepare for and plan an event such as Field Day.

THANK YOU, Field Day Sponsors!

Lunch Sponsor: SOUTH RIDING NURSERIES

Gold Sponsors: BAILEY AND JAMES RIVER NURSERIES

Bronze Sponsors: LANDSCAPE SUPPLY AND STERN HORTICULTURAL SALES

Water Sponsors: FARM CREDIT AND WILLIAMS BROTHERS TREE & LAWN

THANK YOU, Field Day Exhibitors

TreeDiaper

NYP Corp

Chesapeake Bay

Landscape Professional

VDACS Office of Domestic Marketing & Promotions

Plant Southwest Virginia Natives

VA Dept of Environmental Quality

Farm Credit

Greenworks Tools

Dayton Bag & Burlap

Envu Turf and Ornamentals

VDACS Office of Pesticides

Blue Ridge Prism

Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Extension Center

The VNLA is fortunate and thankful to have had fantastic hosts for Field Day 2023. Thank you!

• RISING SILO BREWERY: Great food and connecting with colleagues at VNLA’s networking social

• HAHN HORTICULTURE GARDEN AT VIRGINIA TECH: Scott Douglas, Erica Feuerstein, Jahin Gazi, Claire Krotoski and Daphne Williams. The VNLA could not have pulled off Field Day without their support.

• VT WORSHAM FIELD EDUCATIONAL TOUR: Emerson Pulliam, Mike Goatley and Dan Sandor. What an incredible tour and experience for everyone.

• RIVERBEND NURSERY EDUCATIONAL TOUR: Jonathan Cottle, Steve Ronyak, Eric Sanders, Isaac Brantingham and their entire Riverbend team. Impressive!

Terrific educational speakers and panel discussion at Field Day! Thank you for sharing your expertise!

DR. ALEJANDRO DEL POZO provided an update on current research being conducted on red-headed flea beetle, Japanese maple scale and box tree moth. He shared information on the biology, ecology and management of these three key pests for ornamentals.

PEGGY SINGLEMANN shared her expertise related to native plants and opportunities. She discussed information and tools to help think through what to grow while also growing profitability. As well as an update in regard to resources to help navigate the Nativar debate

PANEL DISCUSSION: Labor in our Industry. A terrific forum to ask questions and hear and learn from industry leaders. Thank you, panelists!

CLIFF WILLIAMSON | Virginia Agribusiness Council

JIM SAUNDERS | Saunders Brothers

EMILY MORRIS | másLabor

CHAPMAN WILLIAMS | Williams Brothers Tree and Lawn

Moderator: SEANA ANKERS | Meadows Farms Nurseries & Landscape

A big thank you to everyone involved in making Field Day 2023 a success. To those who attended, thank you for taking the time to participate and making the best of an unexpected, rainy and somewhat chilly day.

I hope the fall season has been good to everyone so far –with landscape contractors planting lots of shrubs and annuals and nursery growers moving a lot of shrubs and pansies to be planted. By now, we have all seen Christmas trees start to show up. Before you know it, lawn maintenance and planting will come to an end and we will be prepping for plants and lawns to take a long winter nap.

I’ll have one more update for you in the VNLA’s winter 2023 newsletter and then my time as President will come to a close. Please know the VNLA Board of Directors continue to work to deliver quality programs, as well as keeping up with changes occurring in the industry. Here is to a prosperous remainder of the busy fall season. •