Each year, the floral industry converges in Washington, D.C., to advocate for policies that directly impact our ability to grow, import, and sell flowers nationwide. This year, Kristin Gilliland, President of Gardens America, proudly represented our company during the Society of American Florists’ Congressional Action Days—lending her voice to the conversations shaping the future of floriculture.
Why Showing Up Matters
One of the most powerful takeaways from this experience is that personal stories resonate with lawmakers. Data and statistics provide essential context, but nothing is as compelling as real-world experiences. When industry members share how tariffs, labor shortages, and supply chain challenges affect their businesses, they bring these issues to life. Legislators and their staff need to hear directly from those on the ground to fully understand the stakes.
Building Relationships with Staff and Legislators
While meeting directly with senators and representatives is valuable, their staff members often play a key role in shaping policy. These individuals conduct research, draft legislation, and provide insight to lawmakers before key decisions are made. Kristin made it a priority to build those relationships—introducing herself, exchanging contact information, and following up after the event. These connections help ensure that floral industry concerns remain on the radar long after the meetings end.
Staying Engaged Beyond the Event
Advocacy doesn’t end in D.C. The impact continues through follow-up emails, phone calls, and invitations for representatives or staffers to visit industry facilities. Staying engaged keeps these critical issues front and center as policies evolve throughout the year.
Why You Should Get Involved
- Protect Your Business: Policy decisions impact operations and profitability.
- Influence Legislation: Collective voices have the power to shape the future.
- Strengthen Connections: Building relationships with policymakers and peers strengthens the industry.
- Stay Informed: Participation helps you stay current on key industry issues.
The Four Key Issues Addressed
During the meetings, Kristin joined other floral industry leaders in advocating for four top priorities:
- Maintaining APHIS Staffing at Ports of Entry
Miami is the primary entry point for fresh flower imports in the U.S. A proposed reduction in USDA-APHIS staffing could cause significant inspection delays, creating a ripple effect across the national supply chain. Continued funding is essential to prevent bottlenecks. - Ensuring a Stable Agricultural Workforce
The industry relies on seasonal labor. Reforming the H-2A visa program is crucial to ensuring access to a stable, affordable workforce. Soaring labor costs—up nearly 10% in some states—make this an urgent priority. - Preserving Duty-Free Floral Imports
The lapse of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) has increased costs across the industry. Reinstating duty-free imports would help small floral businesses remain competitive in the face of rising expenses. - Sustaining Research Funding for Floriculture
The Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI) funds innovations in breeding, greenhouse production, and technology. Continued investment is vital to maintaining industry progress.
Why These Issues Matter
One of the most pressing challenges facing Gardens America and the entire fresh flower import sector is the timely clearance of shipments at ports of entry. Once flowers arrive by air, they must be inspected by U.S. Customs and USDA-APHIS to ensure they are pest-free. Miami’s infrastructure is uniquely equipped for this task—but that system is threatened by proposed staff reductions.
Kristin used this opportunity to illustrate the potential impact to lawmakers: imagine returning from an international flight and finding just one immigration officer responsible for processing ten planeloads of passengers. That’s the kind of delay the floral industry could face if APHIS staffing is cut.
The stakes are high—not just for the businesses importing flowers, but for the entire floral ecosystem that depends on speed, freshness, and efficiency.
Moving Forward Together
SAF’s Congressional Action Days are exceptionally well-organized. Participants receive training, talking points, meeting schedules, and access to an app with all the details. Appointments are arranged by state, and there’s a hospitality suite for downtime. Whether you’re new or experienced, you’ll be fully supported.
At the end of the day, printed materials help—but real impact comes from human connection. Kristin reminded lawmakers and their staff: This is how these policies affect my business, my employees, and my customers.
Gardens America encourages others in the floral industry to get involved. Show up, speak up, and be part of the change. Your story matters—and your voice can help shape the future of floriculture.