Floral master petition member of Congress to legislate measures that will allow more low-priced memory access to tailor flowers , improve craw insurance for flower farm , and investment trust research that help improve flower and plant quality and production .
Led by SAF Senior Lobbyist Joe Bischoff , PhD. , and Associate Macey Hammerstrom , 13 retailers , wholesalers , growers , and importers receive on Capitol Hill on March 19 for the Society of American Florists ' ( SAF ) first congressional fly - in of the year as part of its 2024 advocacy scheme .
" There ’s nothing like hearing constituents tell their stories , " say Bischoff . " It ’s one thing to try from me , but when they get word directly from an manufacture penis , they can really make that connection between the work that ’s happening in floriculture and the multitude doing it . "
Participants visited 11 congressional offices , including those of Senator Marco Rubio and Representatives Marcy Kaptur , Adrian Smith , Dan Kildee , Mario Diaz - Balart , Gwen Moore , Henry Cuellar , Lori Chavez - DeRemer , Andreas Salinas , Scott Franklin , and John Carter .
In the meetings , the group focused on three legislative priorities : 1 ) Reauthorization of the Generalized System of Preferences ( GSP ) , which allows for duty - gratis imports from economically developed countries . ( GSP authority go by in December 2020 , adding significant cost to businesses trying to retrieve from the economic impact of COVID and grapple with inflationary pressure . ) 2 ) Development of a interior crop insurance policy course of study through the USDA ’s Risk Management Agency for outdoor cut flower yield , to help Farmer protect their business from increase risk due to extreme weather and wildfires . 3 ) An additional $ 1 million in funding for the Floriculture & Nursery Research Initiative ( FNRI ) to underpin research into mechanization , pest and disease mitigation and management , post - harvest optimisation , and yield efficiency . ( Through its advocacy efforts in 2022 , SAF helped secure a $ 1 million increase in FNRI funding for financial year 2023 . This class ’s ask is for an additional $ 1 million for fiscal year 2025 . )
After meetings with Rep. Kaptur , Dan Reilly of Jet Fresh Flowers in Miami said he mat good about the consequence .
" I cerebrate they acquire well to our message , Reilly suppose , " It was a very informative process , " said Dan Reilly of Jet Fresh Flower Distributors in Miami , Florida .
Lottie McKinnon , of Teleflora , had a similar chemical reaction after a meeting with Rep. Adrian Smith ’s office . " It was amazing . ( the legislative auxiliary ) was very engaged and interested in what we had to say … and definitely seemed like he wanted to help . "
Andrea Grist of Florasource KC in Overland Park , Kansas , articulate she was struck by " just seeing the whole appendage and how ( Congress ) works behind the fit . "
Bischoff says the facetime with the industriousness will help him continue to make a case for our issues . " These conversations go a long way toward help them really understand why these issues are so important to our industry ’s businesses , " he said . " It really help oneself strengthen our case . "
The tent flap - in was the first of two to three events of its kind planned for the year . Future fly - In will be plan for the most opportune times when protagonism is needed most on key issues .
For more information : SAFsafnow.org
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