Seeley Summit set for June 22 to 24, 2014

ITHACA, NY — The Board of Cornell University’s Seeley Conference announced that the next Seeley Summit will take place June 22-24, 2014, in Lisle, Ill.

The Board has chosen to tackle the insipient issue of water scarcity for its 2014 focus. The Board believes water availability will be among the greatest challenges facing the floriculture industry in coming years. The water scarcity topic is particularly well suited to the Seeley Summit as floriculture and horticulture’s  major growing regions are in areas of regular water scarcity (arid west) or regions of occasional extreme shortage (southeast) and no region is completely immune (Midwest drought, summer 2012). Ultimately, all sectors of the floriculture supply chain including growers, retailers, landscapers, and the end consumer are, or will be, affected by water scarcity.

The interactive think-tank atmosphere of the Seeley Summit will allow for plenty of interaction with fellow industry leaders and water experts from outside our industry  regarding these timely issues:
•    What if you had to deal with the real cost, including distribution, of water?
•    What if the direct cost of water to grow a pot plant, flat or hanging basket was equal to or exceeded the cost of the plastic or growing medium used?
•    What would this do to your business?
•    How do we make changes in our (your) business to accommodate the current and future ever-increasing costs of water?
•    In drought conditions, how do we convince the legislators (and consumers) to consider and factor in the environmental, social, economic, health/wellnesss benefits of plants, trees and flowers into any water restriction guidelines they’re considering?

For more information regarding the 2104 Seeley Summit visit www.seeleysummit.com.