5 Reasons Your Business Should Use Plant Sentry™

So chances are that if you’re reading this blog, you probably have read our other blogs. Yet, despite all our writing we’re still looking to expand our reach and increase our clients. That’s why today we’re talking to you about the 5 Reasons That Your Business Should Use Plant Sentry™!

1. We’re One-Of-A-Kind

In the Garden Industry, there is truly no one else like us. We’re the ONLY us!! The benefit of Plant Sentry™ is that we uniquely and expertly identify pathways to ship plants from point A to point B while remaining fully compliant with Federal & State Regulations.

2. Knowledge is power!

Unlike any other service in our industry, we have compiled a database full of regulatory information exclusive to our clients. While businesses can often fall victim to pitfalls from a lack of knowledge, Plant Sentry™ can fill your business’ regulation “holes” and open up pathways for sales that may not have been there before. All because our information provides you with the full scope of effort for your needs.

3. We Understand The Industry

Perhaps the most important reason your business should work with Plant Sentry™™ is that we KNOW the industry! Listen, at the end of the day we know that while 2020 provided a great opportunity to many of the growers and sellers in our industry, we know that this wasn’t the case for everyone. The bottom line at the end of the day is the Bottom Line. We know that affordability is a big deal in our industry, that’s why we offer fair and competitive pricing for our services. Whether you’re looking for just a consultation or for help regulating year-round, we can help you!

4. We have over 30 years of experience under our belt!

Believe it or not, we have been in this industry for quite a while. Our Chief Compliance Officer has not only dedicated the time to gain the necessary experience to make Plant Sentry™ the best but also goes the extra mile by sitting on various invasive species councils. Expertise is fundamental in our business, so we persistently pursue the latest regulatory insights throughout the nation. When it comes to tracking regulations that may be coming down the pipeline, Plant Sentry™™ can see what’s coming and help you and your business prepare for any necessary changes.

5. We’re really fun to work with!

You can talk to our clients, or simply take our word for it, but there isn’t another team out there quite us! While we may be small, we are most certainly mighty, and incredibly dedicated. We prioritize both the positive change that our business can create and help our friends in the industry. We know business isn’t always a walk in the park, but we do our best to keep things as fun, and professionally optimistic as possible while keeping you informed and up-to-date.

We know that invasive pests, invasive diseases, and invasive plants happen, but we also know that every problem has a solution. Here at Plant Sentry™, we know we can’t always solve the problem before it starts. But, we know that consistent, stringent solution-based efforts can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your business. That’s why we take the initiative from the start to target compliance efforts and protocols to decrease the damage and harm that these invasive species can have on your business and to your customers.

When considering your next steps in managing your regulatory compliance, reach out to us here at Plant Sentry™ and let us show you how our efforts can save you time and money!

Are you an AmericanHort member? Did you miss Cultivate ’21? Check out our educational session at AmericanHort’s Cultivate ’21 On Demand!

5 Important Topics For The Garden Industry In 2021

It’s officially a new year and the highly anticipated Spring season is just around the corner! Here at Plant Sentry™ this new year means a fresh start, full of new opportunities. That’s why we’re diving into the new year head first to look at the “5 Important Topics For the Garden Industry In 2021”.

1. Integrated Pest Management Plans:

We wouldn’t be who we are today, if this wasn’t the first conversation that we asked you to have with your teams. Integrated Pest Management plans are the backbone of a grow operations pest management efforts. The efforts are both effective and environmentally sensitive. [1] They consider the life cycle of pests that threaten their stock, and how to best combat them.

Every growing season brings new challenges, and this year will be no different. Before and after the grow season sit down with your team that manages your IPM. Ask them how effective and efficient their efforts were before the big growing season, and what changes could be made now that it’s over.

Having a strong plan in place is how the best IPMs succeed!

2. Regulatory Compliance:

Not to be outdone by the importance of a quality IPM, Regulatory Compliance comes in at number two. While it may appear second ranked in this article, it could arguably have been number one. Regulatory compliance efforts are essential for any business in the green and garden industry.

Whether or not most buyers realize it, regulatory compliance is set out as rules and guidelines from the Federal and State governments [2]. Each of these regulatory bodies monitor and regulate invasive plant, pest, and disease movement throughout their lifetime within the U.S. As time passes they’ll pass rulings that can ban certain plants from moving from one place to another based upon their vulnerability.

Each part of the country belongs to a different ecoregion. Sometimes, the ecoregion will also be determined by government bodies as to what plants will do best in those areas. All of these tools guide and tell growers where their plants can and cannot be shipped or sold. However, it is the responsibility of the growers and sellers to seek out and apply these regulations.

Proper following of these regulations can have HUGE impacts on a company’s bottom line. If plants are shipped or sold by someone and they have rulings around them that say otherwise, officials will burn and destroy the entire lot of those plants. These damages can result in the loss of thousands to millions of dollars.

This is why Plant Sentry™ [3] is so important! We’ve developed a database with consistently maintained regulations for compliance to help growers and sellers from losing their plants.

3. Scalability:

Coming in at number three is the topic of Scalability. While the previous two topics were more focused on management systems for a business, we know that both of them play a bigger part in how successfully your business can grow.

2020 was a mad dash to pivot and create increased success from a booming opportunity within the green and garden industry. With a little bit more time for preparation this year, scalability should be easier to achieve for the expected influx of business.

But, the pivots and foresight for growth shouldn’t end with the Spring 2021 season. Scaling your business can continue to grow well after the season has ended as you put together the pieces for the next growing season. Topics that you might want to focus more closely on, if you haven’t already, are going to be E-Commerce developments, curbside pick-up and shipping opportunities, and increased labor to pace the growth of your business.

4. Sustainability:

If Sustainability wasn’t on your radar before, it most certainly should be in 2021. Across every sector and industry of the economy, businesses are pivoting in a greener direction. For much of the green and garden industry this idea of sustainable development has already been a large part of their practice.

But there are still many who haven’t quite made it that far. If you’re one of the many businesses looking to buff up the sustainability of your business, there’s a few things to consider.

While much of the efforts towards a more sustainable future focus solely on greener actions, that’s not the only part of being sustainable. When developing ideas that might be best adapted for your practices you should consider the longevity of your business as well. Greener efforts within your business should contribute to higher returns long-term.

Some sustainable ideas worth adapting might include container recycling programs, selling more native plants, using more compostable materials, and many more. We recommend you take some time to chat with your team, ask their ideas, and then see what could work best for your business.

5. Trade Shows and Conferences

With the exciting arrival of vaccines for COVID-19 it’s starting to look like there very well could be some Trade Shows and Conferences this year. We’re not sure about you, but we’re pretty excited about possibly seeing our colleagues again!

Trade show season is always fun, but can also be a little overwhelming if you’re new to the business. There’s so many!

Determining how many trade shows your business will attend should be a part of your business and marketing strategy for the year. If not every trade show will be feasible or possible due to other attendance barriers, look at attending trade shows that are going to have a maximum return for your attendance.

Things you’ll want to consider are the demographics of the show and ask if they’re your target audience. Look at how many people will be attending for the best brand visibility possible. Work with what is going to be the best price with the best quality to really make your trip worthwhile.

While this year is almost guaranteed to be better, let’s not hedge our bets! Consider these important topics throughout the year to help improve your practices and your business.

Citations:

[1] https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles

[2] https://www.usda.gov/topics/plants

[3] https://www.plantsentry.com