Sustainable certification expanded from growers to garden centers

MPS, an international organization that focuses on encouraging sustainable practices in the horticulture industry, has created a program for garden centers. Starting June 1, a MPS ABC environmental scorecard will be available for garden centers.

For 15 years growers worldwide have been certifying their operations on sustainability with the levels MPS-A, B, or C. Several existing MPS members in the U.S., who have both production facilities and garden centers, had requested the ability to certify their retail operations. Participants can easily add their garden center as an additional registration to their current account. Among the parameters which have to be recorded are use of chemicals, energy, water and the recycling of used plastic and paper.

MPS participant Doug Cole at D.S. Cole Growers in Loudon, N.H., was one of the U.S. growers who requested the expansion for garden centers.

“Since we are certified as an MPS grower, we are able to show our wholesale customers that our products are grown in a sustainable manner,” Cole said. “Our customers can then use this information to show the consumer that they are purchasing sustainably grown. With the new program geared specifically for garden centers, we will be able to add more legitimacy to our actions and to our marketing.”