Developing a National Strategic Plan for Consumer Horticulture

Abstract

<jats:p>Consumer horticulture encompasses a wide array of activities that are practiced by and of interest to the gardening public, garden-focused nongovernmental organizations, and gardening-related industries. In a previous publication, we described the current lack of funding for research, extension, and education in consumer horticulture and outlined the need for a strategic plan. Here, we describe our process and progress in crafting a plan to guide university efforts in consumer horticulture, and to unite these efforts with stakeholders’ goals. In 2015, a steering committee developed a first draft of a plan, including a mission statement, aspirational vision, core values, goals, and objectives. This draft was subsequently presented to and vetted by stakeholders at the 2015 American Society for Horticultural Science Consumer Horticulture and Master Gardeners (CHMG) working group workshop, a 2015 Extension Master Gardener Coordinators’ webinar, and a 2015 meeting in Washington, DC. Feedback received from these events is being used to refine and focus plan goals and objectives. The most recent working draft of the plan can be found on the website, where stakeholders and other interested parties can register to receive updates and to provide input into the process.</jats:p>

Critical Issues in Consumer Horticulture: Gaps in Research and Public Gardens’ Involvement in Consumer Horticulture

“…To remedy this inequity, the CH and Master Gardener Professional Interest Group (CHMG) met at the 2014 American Society of Horticultural Science annual conference in Orlando, FL, and called for the development of a national strategic plan to create a vision for CH research, education, and extension (Bauske et al, 2015). As a result, the NICH was created to champion the discipline's economic, environmental, health, and community impacts (Bradley et al, 2016). The goal of this consortium is "to unite national research efforts with the goals of the diverse stakeholders in the industry, the public sector, and the gardening public to advance knowledge and increase the benefits and application of horticulture for an improved quality of life."…”

“…Modeled on the successful Specialty Crop Research Initiative, a grants award program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support the critical needs of the specialty crop industry, the NICH consortium is galvanizing the support of a diverse group of stakeholders to advocate CH research funding (Bradley et al, 2016). The NICH effort is unique because it would directly benefit end-users such as home, school, and community gardeners instead of just horticultural crop producers and distributors (Bradley et al, 2017).…”

Consumer Horticulture Advancement: Identifying Critical Research Areas and Cultivating Collaborations

“…The NICH mission is to grow a healthy world through plants, gardens, and landscapes, primarily by increasing the percentage of U.S. households that practice indoor or outdoor gardening (NICH, 2018). NICH is tasked with integrating the efforts of CH scientists, educators, CH commercial enterprises, and experienced ''plant people'' (Bradley et al, 2016). Now is the time to address this gap in consumer awareness and value of CH.…”

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture: Focusing on the Critical Role of Communication and Collaboration to Further Research, Extension, and Industry Goals

“…NICH provides a unified voice promoting the benefits and value of horticulture in cultivating a healthy world through landscapes, gardens, and plants-both indoors and out (Bradley et al, 2017a). The consortium's ''overarching goal'' is to ''unite national research and educational efforts with the goals of the diverse stakeholders in the industry, the public sector, and the gardening public to advance knowledge and increase benefits and application of horticulture for an improved quality of life'' (Bradley et al, 2016).…”