United States Department of Agriculture

Charts and Maps:

Methodology and Quality Measures

Aug. 16, 2024

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

July 19, 2023

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

July 27, 2022

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

April 26, 2016

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

June 4, 2015

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

June 19, 2014

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

April 25, 2013

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

May 31, 2012

• Methodology and Quality Measures
• Report Form

Program Contents

This survey is a census of commercial floriculture operations that annually produce and sell at least $10,000 of fresh cut flowers, potted flowering plants, foliage plants, annual bedding and garden plants, potted herbaceous perennials, cut cultivated florist greens, and propagative (unfinished) floriculture material. Annual sales include retail and wholesale sales of items surveyed.

A data series for five cut flowers began in 1956 in five states, and today the survey covers six floriculture categories plus propagative material for each category in all 50 states. The 28 main producing states are published individually.

Uses

Commercial floriculture estimates are used by all segments of the industry to plan for the future. Technology has changed production practices and tissue culture propagation has accelerated production. New products are being developed every year. To keep abreast of the rapidly changing industry, growers and suppliers need data. Individual growers can compare their own operation to other operations to help identify state and national trends as they plan the future of their business. These estimates are also used to support industry claims in cases involving unfair trade practices and in trade negotiations.

Government uses the data collected by this survey to measure the economic impact of the industry. The value of sales of floriculture crops has exceeded $5 billion annually, a significant contribution to farm income and the Gross Domestic Product.

Frequency

The Commercial Floriculture Survey is conducted annually during the winter.

Methods

List building is a significant requirement for a census project. All state offices in the program conduct significant list building efforts to identify all floriculture operations. Once list building is complete, all potential operations are screened for eligibility but only those with $10,000 or more in floriculture sales complete the questionnaire. Data collection usually begins around the end of December and concludes in early April. The reference period is the preceding year. The floriculture industry is widely varied from large corporate operations to small local greenhouses. All are contacted and considerable work is done to tailor the mode of data collection to the type of operation. Data collection methods include mail, phone, online, and personal interview.

Special Features

This project garners significant industry support from many organizations.

Related Programs

Census of Horticultural Specialties