Aug 13, 2004
OFA Joins Industry Leaders in EducationSource: OFA

OFA – an Association of Floriculture Professionals is bringing education to the industry by partnering with several organizations this fall to offer informational learning opportunities for growers and their staffs. The following is a list of the educational sessions that will be taking place.

Technology, Automation, & Greenhouse Efficiency – For the Rest of Us
This session will be offered twice: Wednesday, October 27 at the Holiday Inn in Stillwater, Okla., in cooperation with the Oklahoma Greenhouse Growers Association and Wednesday, November 3 at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Mich., in cooperation with the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo.

Peter Konjoian, Konjoian’s Floriculture Education Services, Andover, Mass., and Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm, Kintnersville, Pa., developed this program to address the challenges small- and medium-sized growers face in incorporating technology and automation into their ranges to improve efficiency and profitability.

Topics to be addressed include economics of greenhouse production; product and business life cycle stages and required management strategies, technology for today’s greenhouse; why to buy, what to buy and how to decide; payback calculations; and benefits.

Retail Sales Pro Workshop
With today’s competition for the consumer’s money and loyalty, the role and importance of the retail salesperson is more crucial than ever. In this workshop, geared toward front-line sales staff, Ian Baldwin will show businesses how to make more money.

From this intense, hands-on workshop, businesses will learn how to: