Meet the Nursery and Landscape Industry - An Industry of Small Family Businesses
The nursery and landscape industry is made up of thousands of small family businesses that grow, retail, install, and care for plants and landscapes.
As community-based small businesses, owners and principals are deeply involved in their communities, as employers, taxpayers, and leaders.
A Growing Industry
According to the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the nursery and greenhouse industry comprises the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture. For example:
- While the number of U.S. farms of all types has declined over the last two decades, the number of nursery and greenhouse farms has increased.
- Grower cash receipts from nursery and greenhouse sales (on sales of plants to retail and distribution businesses) have grown steadily over the last two decades and are increasing at approximately $500 million per year.
- Of the estimated $45 billion in U.S. horticulture sales in 2003, floral and nursery crops contributed a third, or $15 billion.
A Leading Agricultural Producer
The U.S. is the world's largest producer and market for nursery and greenhouse crops and these crops represent an important and unique segment of agriculture whose impact is felt on the national, state, and community level.
- In terms of economic output, nursery and greenhouse crops represent the third most important sector in US crop agriculture, ranking seventh among all commodities in cash receipts, and among the highest in net farm income.
- Nursery and greenhouse crops are the top five commodities in 27 states, and the top 10 commodities in 42 states.
- Seven states account for almost two-thirds of all nursery-crop output in the United States: California (24%), Texas (11%), Florida (9%), North Carolina (9%), Oregon (7%), Ohio (4%) and Maryland (3%).
A Major Provider of Jobs
The nursery and landscape industry employs over 600,000 workers during peak seasons.
- Growers employ at least 45,000 workers year-round and 105,000 during peak seasons. Net farm income is the highest of any production specialty in U.S. agriculture. At an annual average of $53,589, nursery and greenhouse income is four times higher than the U.S. average ($13,458).
- Landscape and retail firms employ nearly 500,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers.
An Economic Force In Communities
Eighty-five million U.S. households spent $39.6 billion at lawn and garden retail outlets in 2002, according to the National Gardening Association and Harris Interactive. A recent survey completed with the assistance of the American Nursery & Landscape Association reports that in 2003, consumers spent a total of $37.9 billion on professional landscape, lawn and tree care services (PDF format 74KB) as opposed to the $28.9 billion in 2002, an increase of more than 30%
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