Yes, summer has just started but IFPA is a seasonal industry and that means it’s always looking forward to the next season. For this month’s update, there are a few important details to mark on calendars:

When: July 25 – 2:00 p.m. Eastern/ 11:00 a.m. Pacific

What: “What’s Up Your Sleeve?” An IFPA Floral Sustainable Packaging Solutions Webinar

IFPA's Tamara Muruetagoiena, director of sustainability, will host a lightning learning, fast-paced showcase webinar featuring companies that offer new and innovative sustainable packaging solutions to enhance your sustainable offerings.

When: Aug. 2

Black Tulip Flowers is one of the largest floral companies in the Middle East, Africa and southeast Asia, with over 30 years of experience in growing, export, import, retail and wholesale of fresh flowers in the region. They are capable of supplying over 2900 tonnes of fresh cut flowers annually, sourced directly from their own 14 farms spread across over 1800 acres in two countries (Kenya and Ethiopia), and over 100 contract farming entities in more than 25 countries.

Black Tulip Flowers has taken the initiative to lead the way in implementation of eco-friendly practices that not only

The International Fresh Produce Association is committed to empowering people who can lead from wherever they are – in their current roles and the roles they aspire to. The Leadership Path offers progressive leadership development programs – from entry-level staff to next-gen leaders to the C-suite. Three of nearly a dozen programs opened in early June for applications. Others open later this year or are on-demand online.

“At IFPA, we’re committed to growing members’ prosperity and this leadership development suite of programs is an important component of that commitment,” said Doug Bohr

The Board and Staff of CalFlowers are excited to have you join them Friday, Aug. 18, at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront, for a series of presentations outlining the Association’s most important industry support initiatives, along with round table discussions!

Board President Ivor Van Wingerden will kick the meeting off with commentary on CalFlowers’ current activities, and our positioning in the ever-changing floriculture industry.

J Schwanke will give update on the tremendous growth of Life In Bloom television show and explain what’s next for this exciting project.

And Executive Director

PortMiami and Miami-Dade County continue to be the port of entry for flowers for all mothers on this special holiday.

For this Mother’s Day PortMiami received 943 shipments of fresh flowers during the six weeks before the holiday. This was 30 percent more than the 725 shipments received in the same period a year before. In 2020 during the same period, PortMiami received a total of 188 shipments, as a highlight of our continued growth.

In total, PortMiami received a total of 71,316,329 flower stems during this period. In terms of volume, Colombia led with the importation of chrysanthemums

CosMic Plants orchid grower receives MPS-ABC certificate. Having only started in 2022 with MPS-ABC environmental certification, CosMic Plants obtained MPS-A as their first qualification.

The company was founded by brothers Mike and Neil van Steekelenburg 19 years ago when they immigrated from Westland, The Netherlands to Niagara, Canada. Now, with a devoted team of employees, they established a name and reputation for quality Orchids in two pot sizes and in various product categories and concepts.

To start with MPS-ABC, the company did not have to change their processes much. They had a gut