CNGA LooseLeaf August/September 2018

9 LooseLeaf August/September 2018 Fortunately, by the time Irma made landfall, the hurricane had decreased to Category 3. Some areas were missed by the most severe winds and damage, but others experienced the full destructive force. When the sun returned to the skies several days later, many buildings had extensive damage and others were a total loss. The impacts were scattered but widespread for Florida’s extensive green industry, which generates more than $21.08 billion in annual sales and directly employs nearly a quarter of a million people. Many factors influenced the ability of each company to weather the storm, continue operations or get back up and running sooner than later. “We are in a market that provides perishable products, not like housing widgets that have block walls to protect them,” said Morning Dew Tropical Plants Buyer Robbin Avery. “You are really open to mother nature and all the issues around it. In our case, what we experienced is that the majority of our customers were very understanding, and worked with us to substitute specific plant varieties with alternatives, or waited until products were available.” Staying Informed & Finding Alternatives Morning Dew Tropical Plants is a wholesale plant brokerage firm, with a main office in Delray Beach and three satellite sales offices in other parts of Florida. The company buys in large volume from 150 suppliers spread around the state and ships throughout North America. After the 2017 hurricane, Morning Dew had to take stock of which growers still had plants readily available and which ones needed time to come back on line as well as how much time was necessary. Some companies were closed down for up to five months, not shipping anything, simply doing repairs and starting new crops. “Some refused to sell for a while, because their plant quality was not as high as their usual standards,” Avery said. “If a grower recovered their irrigation and shade quickly, they had a good chance of maintaining the crops left after the hurricane.” Labor was a big issue. Many laborers left Florida to get away from the storm or went down to the hardest hit Florida Keys to work on the cleanup efforts there. Of course, some staff were unavailable as they were dealing with damage to their homes and neighborhoods. The companies that either planned for these labor issues with backup staffing or were able to get workers back more quickly were able to start supplying plants first. “You never know what the emergency is going to be or when a natural disaster may strike. Having a good line of communication is a basic necessity,” she said. “Communication was the biggest positive we had with our growers. We were able to keep in communication with them to know when they were back on track and their crops were ready. We helped customers find what was available and we made it through together.” Morning Dew supplies customers with upwards of 16,000 different products from its array of growers, and has multiple sources growing the same varieties. The company keeps its inventory system updated with what plants each grower has and the crop stages, said Kingston White, Company President. “Part of our everyday business model is constantly visiting growers to understand their plant quality and availability. Plus, at any given moment, we may have four to five sources for each plant,” White said. “That’s how our business works year-round, and it becomes even more important when our growers are impacted by a hurricane. The day after the hurricane hit, I went down to see our growers to see the impact first hand and talk to them. Even though it was business, I was also visiting because we care about them—they’re our friends.” In September 2017, the nation watched as Hurricane Irma hurtled toward the Florida coast with Category 5 intensity. Most importantly, people were concerned about how the residents would hold up against the fierce storms. At the same time, any company doing business with Florida wondered what the impact would be. continues »

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