Participation and fundraising campaign announced for pilot test of National Sustainable Agriculture Standard LEO-4000
MADISON, USA, May 17, 2013: Leonardo Academy announced the launch of a participation and fundraising campaign for the National Sustainable Agriculture Standard LEO-4000. The LEO-4000 standard has reached an important milestone. It is now entering the technical edit phase in order to be published as a draft standard, which will be sent to the Standard Committee for approval of the initiation of the public comment period.
This is a rare opportunity to not only support the development of the only public and transparent agricultural sustainability standard, but donors will be identified in standard materials as a founding sponsor.
Michael Arny, President of Leonardo Academy, said, "At this critical juncture your company is encouraged to participate and/or make a donation to fund the pilot testing and completion of the National Sustainable Agriculture Standard."
As will be demonstrated during pilot testing, LEO-4000 will provide users with a smooth path through the increasingly confusing range of proprietary sustainability information requests and standards for agricultural products. LEO-4000 is a comprehensive sustainability standard which provides a stable and reliable platform for producers to use in documenting compliance to these proprietary sustainability standards.
In addition, the pilot will include documenting how earning USDA Organic certification provides producers a tremendous leg up toward earning LEO-4000 sustainability certification. This equivalency will make it very practical for producers earning Organic certification to also earn LEO-4000 certification.
Leonardo Academy is initiating the technical edit of the draft standard so that it can be released as a draft standard and be presented to the Standard Committee for a vote on initiation of the public comment period. To drive the sustainability benefits of this standard across the marketplace we need your company's financial support and your participation in the pilot testing. Leonardo Academy is looking for participation and sponsorship commitments by July 1, 2013.
Opening Florshop wholesale centre set for April 8
VERONA, Italy, March 31, 2013: Modeled after Dutch fresh flower markets, the new Florshop wholesale centre at Verona’s wholesale food market Verona Mercato is set to open on Monday April 8, 2013. Florshop includes seven cash and carry stores: Cactus Folies (www.cactusmania.it ), Col.Cer. (www.colcer.it ) Floramiata (www.floramiata.it ), Lorenzetto ( www.lorenzetto.com), Maistrello Vivai (www.vivaimaistrello.it) , Valtl Raffeiner (www.raffeiner.net ) and F.lli Di Nino (www.dinino.it).
Florshop provides one stop shopping for indoor plants, garden plants, bedding plants, hardware, packaging and floral supplies under one roof. Conveniently located adjacent to Florshop is C.S. Fiori Verona, a long-time supplier of fresh cut flowers and floral arrangements.
The new cash and carry market finds itself in close proximity of the major motorways, has 24 loading docks and is designed to become and authentic floral emporium.
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday and Friday 6.30 am -13.00 pm / Wednesday and Thursday from 6.30 am -15.30 pm. Saturday from 8.00 am -11.30 pm.
For further information: Ugo Musso +39 3480078396 –
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/www.florshop.it
Lombardy region announces Open Days
MILAN, Italy, March 24, 2013: State-of-the-art technology and the latest varieties in nursery stock will be under the spotlight during at the Open Days of the Alto Lombardo district where nine plant nurseries will open their doors from Friday April 5 to Saturday April 6. The VaiperVivai (from nursery to nursery) event will offer industry professionals the chance to go behind the scenes of the flower and plant nurseries in the Alto Lombardo area.
Alto Lombardo is one of Italy’s epicentres of ornamental plant production with a special focus on Acer, Prunus laurocerasus, Viburnum, gourmet vegetables, broad-leaved trees and shrubs and turf. The following companies provide farm tours: Vivai Nord (Lurago d’Erba – Como) www.vivainord.it, Nespoli Vivai (Carugo – Como) www.nespolivivai.it, Tagliabue Luca (Erba – Como) www.erbainzolle.it, F.lli Cappellini (Mariano Comense – Como) www.cappellinipiante.it, Radice Giancarlo (Mariano Comense – Como) www.vivairadice.com, Floricoltura Mondelli (Montorfano – Como) www.floriculturamondelli.it, Vivai Gilardelli (Agrate Brianza – Monza Brianza) www.gilardelli.it, Stile Verde (Agrate Brianza – Monza Brianza) www.stileverderosablu.it
Floricoltura Pironi (Vertemate – Como) www.floricolturapironi.it
The Alto Lombardo district enjoys a geographical, functional and central position in Europe, being at the crossroads of the axis that runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the eastern countries of Europe and the axis connecting northern Europe with the Mediterranean area. It is located in the north of Italy, to the south of Switzerland, and it is bordered by the Italian regions of Trentino-Alto Adige - Südtirol and Veneto (east), Emilia Romagna (south) and Piedmont (west).
The entire Lombardy region ranks fourth among the 20 Italian Regions for area covered, equal to 23,863 Km2 (ISTAT, 2008a) and first for population.
UK's HTA call for change on Easter Sunday trading
THEALE, UK, March 19, 2013: With Easter fast approaching the HTA continues to lobby government to change the Sunday Trading Laws which prevent garden centres from opening at all on Easter Sunday. Garden centres, with over 3,000 square feet of selling space, are subject to the Sunday Trading Act 1994 which prohibits large shops in England and Wales from opening on Easter Sunday and limits them to a maximum of six hours trading on other Sundays during the year.
HTA Director General, Carol Paris, comments, “The Sunday Trading laws cause a high amount of confusion for gardeners and garden centres alike. It is time for change and we will work with the Garden Centre Association and other stakeholders, to influence government to amend this outdated and unnecessary legislation.”
She adds, “For many people the weekend is the only time available both to garden and to shop for the garden, and the long Easter weekend, during a peak gardening time, is clearly a premium time for this. Furthermore, garden centres play important roles as leisure destinations and as a focus for families and others within their communities. More fundamentally, the existing laws increasingly look out of place in an era of 24 hour internet trading.”
Gary Scroby, HTA Policy Manager, adds, “We recently cited the problem of Sunday Trading restrictions as an example of barriers to economic growth in a paper submitted by the Institute of Directors to No10 Downing Street. We have also suggested lifting the restrictions with Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury as an easy way to provide the national economy with a significant boost. We hope the Chancellor has taken note and he has some positive news for us in Wednesday’s Budget statement.”
The HTA is urging the millions of gardeners wanting to celebrate the arrival of spring and work in their gardens over the long Easter weekend to check opening hours before leaving home. The association is emphasising that the Sunday Trading Act covers only England and Wales and does not apply on the other days over the Easter weekend when garden centres are able to trade without restriction, including on the Bank Holiday Monday.
Momentum for industry wide campaign to promote gardens and gardening
THEALE, UK, March 16, 2013: Initial discussions between key players from across the garden industry have shown overwhelmingly support to come together to develop a campaign to promote gardens and gardening in 2014 and beyond. HTA Director general Carol Paris who chaired the meeting held at HTA office in Theale this week, commented, “There was wide support from across the industry to really get behind a single campaign which will reach out to those people with a garden who are not yet engaged with gardening. We really need to work together to grow the garden market. Many individual organisations are running good campaigns but there is potential to reach a much greater audience by combining our marketing spend and messaging.”
She adds, “We need to get people to start thinking about their garden environment or their outside room. Recognising that whilst many people want to have a usable and attractive garden they do not have the time to focus on this. They need to be inspired and provided with solutions that help them to achieve this.”
Companies and organisations represented at the meeting were Bransford Webbs Plant Company, Floramedia, Garden & Leisure, GIMA, HTA, Scotsdales Garden Centre, Gardman, RHS and Westland Horticulture. The GCA, Hillview Group, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Stewarts, Suttons Seeds are also engaged with the project.
A follow up meeting will take place this month where further details will be discussed. If you would like to be involved please contact
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