February 2005
Happy New Year By Bridget White

Like many, many others, I too think it's important to take stock this time of year and make a list of priorities, goals…resolutions. That's why we asked so many people to help us out this year with our prognostications. Roger Styer lists his New Year resolutions, both personal and business, on page 102, and a distinguished group of your peers weigh in on page 24. Is that enough predicting? I think not.

This year, however, instead of my usual countdown of industry resolutions, I've decided to let my list take the form so often seen this time of year and predict what will be "in" and what will be "out" in 2005 and to give you a little nudge in what I think is the right direction. At the risk of being way over the line, here it goes.

OUT	IN
1,000 new varieties every year Bashing the box stores Draceana spikes Burying your head in the sand Machines Competition Being new Leftovers as mixed containers Branding One-stop shops Cutting chemicals Isolationism Guessing Turnover Clay and gray Paper Depending on the weather Creating a disease frenzy Bankruptcy Pricing by formula Trial and error	Targeted introductions by market Taking responsibility Anything else Getting involved Technology Competition (it's everywhere) Having a purpose Planned mixing Merchandising Doing what you do best IPM Off-shore production Water testing Employee training Real decorative containers Software Planning Sanitation Investors Charging what the market will bear Culture information

That should give us plenty to work on, but before I go the staff of GPN wants to send holiday wishes to everyone. So from Bridget, Carrie, Catherine, Doug, Kelley, Mackenzie, Tami and Tim we wish you and yours a prosperous new year that fulfills all your wishes.