PORTLAND, OR — The virtual stoppage of home building and construction activity across the United States these past 18 months has had a domino effect and has hurt many industries, including the grass seed and plant nursery industries in Oregon.
It’s easy to see how — fewer new homes and commercial buildings, less demand for nursery plants and grass seed.
Both grass seed and nursery production are incredibly important to that state’s economy. The nursery industry in the state is estimated at almost $1 billion annually.
A recent article in The Oregonian says the state’s nursery industry is responding to the downturn by developing greener business practices and incorporating “sustainable growing techniques” into their operations. Some of these include:
• restoring regional riparian areas to bolster salmon runs in areas streams
• creating retention ponds to capture rainwater runoff and
• initiating composting programs.
The efforts, which are being supported by both the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Association of Nurseries, are aimed at developing a set of best and sustainable practices that will prepare the state’s growers for the eventual (and anticipated greener) improvement in the U.S. economy, according to the article.
“Oregon nurseries turn to sustainable growing techniques,” by Dana Tims, The Oregonian, July 16
