Knox Nursery, a top 100 young plant producer and finished annual grower,
recently received Veriflora Certification for its sustainable growing practices.
The 150 million young plants and 6 million 4-inch annuals the company produces
each year are now Veriflora certified.
"Knox Nursery is pleased to join the Veriflora program as a continuation of
our commitment to environmental sustainability," said Bruce Knox, President of
Knox Nursery. "We started down this path over 8 years ago when we realized our
industry needed a solution to the significant problem of what to do with empty
plastic pots. There were simply no environmentally friendly options for
disposal, so we switched the bulk of our landscape business to production in
Ellepots, a Veriflora Approved Input Material paper pot that quickly breaks down
when planted in the soil. The Ellepot provides our customers a plant with a
healthier root system that results in faster growth after transplant. We were
one of the first operators to incorporate Ellepots into our production."
Landscapers have long complained about the number of plastic pots going into
their dumpsters. Eight years ago Knox made the switch from plastic pots to
eco-friendly paper-based Ellepots. Since switching to the Ellepot Knox has
stopped 40 million plastic pots going into the landfills. The Ellepot has also
increased landscape installation productivity.
Veriflora certification is conducted by Scientific Certification Systems
(SCS), a global third-party certifier of environmental, sustainability and
agricultural product quality claims. Certification requires growers to meet
strict environmental practices addressing water resource conservation, energy
efficiency, ecosystem protection, and integrated waste management, as well as
fair labor practices that ensure a safe, equitable and healthy work
environment. In addition, Veriflora establishes industry-leading product
quality requirements.
"We are excited to welcome Knox Nurseries to the Veriflora program," said Dr.
Michael Keyes, SCS' Senior Agriculture and Natural Resource Specialist. "Their
young plant production lines, RFID coding, and care for the environment
exemplify the type of grower Veriflora stands behind."
Knox Nursery, Founded in 1962, in Orlando, Florida, is
celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It is located on a 25 acre site in
Winter Garden, Florida, and employs over 100 people. The facility includes over
700,000 square feet of environmentally-controlled greenhouses space, placing
Knox on the list of the top 100 greenhouse growers in the country. Key crops
include Gerbera, Begonia, Impatiens, Petunia, Pentas, Coleus and Vinca. For
additional information, visit www.knoxnursery.com, or call
800-441-5669.
Veriflora® is an agricultural sustainability certification
and eco-labeling program of Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a global
leader in third-party auditing, certification and standards development. To
learn more, visit www.veriflora.com or
www.scscertified.com.
Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1e5if)