For Immediate Release
April 3, 2008

Ontario's Greenhouse Floriculture Producers
Vote to be Represented by Flowers Canada (Ontario)

GUELPH - The majority of Ontario's greenhouse floriculture growers who participated in a recent vote support Flowers Canada (Ontario) being designated as their representative association and paying a mandatory licence fee to fund the organization.

A total of 78.4 per cent of greenhouse floriculture growers representing 90.7 per cent of the square footage of those casting valid ballots voted in favour of the following question:

"Are you in favour of Flowers Canada (Ontario) being designated as the representative association for all greenhouse floriculture growers in Ontario of cut flowers, potted plants, annual bedding plants and propagative plant materials, and paying an annual licence fee of 2 cents per sq. ft. of greenhouse area to a maximum annual fee payable of $13,000 (650,000 sq. ft.) to finance the association's activities to stimulate, increase and improve the producing or marketing of greenhouse floriculture products in Ontario?"

"The Commission needed to see a clear majority of growers supporting such a request before we could confidently proceed with a recommendation to the Minister, and that is reflected in this outcome," said Dave Hope, Chair of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.

The mail-in expression of opinion vote was conducted by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission between January 10 and January 23, 2008.

Only greenhouse floriculture growers growing 20,000 sq. ft. or more of cut flowers, potted plants, annual bedding plants and/or propagative plant materials were eligible to vote on the question. Growers growing less than 20,000 sq. ft. would be exempt from paying the mandatory fee.

A total of 51.7 per cent of the 356 known eligible greenhouse floriculture growers who received a ballot participated in the vote.

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Contacts:
Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission:
Gloria Marco Borys (519) 826-3395
Susan Leuty (519) 826-3401