NENA Survey 2005

New England Green Industry 2005 Economic Impact Survey

July 1, 2005

Dear Green Industry Member:

Survey enclosed: This online survey (link at bottom of page) is critical to the future of all businesses in New England 's green industry -- nurseries; greenhouses; garden centers; landscape design, installation and maintenance companies; tree care businesses; and florists. We conducted industry-wide surveys in 1999 and 2002. Thanks to all of you, we were able to answer questions such as these: What is the value of New England 's green industry? How many people does this industry employ? What does this industry contribute to New England 's economy? [Answers: According to the last survey, this industry of $4 billion employed more than 131,000 people, and paid $362 million in taxes!]

How important is your response? It's essential! This third survey will update our profile of New England 's green industry. It will strengthen our positions as we face legislative and regulatory challenges, and help us all work together to build a stronger green industry in New England . We can only create an accurate picture of the green industry if we are able to combine data from ALL companies that receive the survey. Anything less than 100% of the data will produce an incomplete and distorted picture, suggesting that the industry is smaller and of a different nature than it really is. This is a great opportunity for everyone in the green industry to work together, for everyone's benefit. Results from the first two surveys influenced legislation, education and research funding.

Please find 20 minutes to fill out and submit this survey. The number on your survey helps us track which businesses respond to the survey, but the information you provide will be completely confidential, and your business will never be identifiable from the compiled data and reports.

Thank you. Your answers will help build a stronger green industry in New England . This survey is supported by funding from the New England Nursery Association, New England Grows and the Horticultural Research Institute. Results of this survey will be distributed at New England Grows 2006 … see you there!

Sincerely,

Dr. Leonard P. Perry
University of Vermont

Dr. Lois Berg Stack
University of Maine

M. Virginia Wood, CMP
New England Nursery Association

Before you start the survey … Please use these definitions as you fill out this survey:

"Green industry":	Nurseries; greenhouses; garden centers; landscape design, installation and maintenance companies; tree care businesses; and florists.
"Gross income":	Your company's total receipts from combined wholesale and retail production, sales and services.
"Green goods":	Plant items, such as live greenhouse and nursery plants, sod, seeds, cut flowers and floral arrangements.
"Hard goods":	Non-plant items such as tools, mulch, pavers, fertilizer and vases.
"Business":	If your business has more than one location, and all of them are part of one business, please complete just one survey for your entire business. If you received postcards at more than one of your locations, with different random codes, please enter any one of the random codes in the first blank on the online survey form, and enter the other(s) in the space that follows it titled “additional 6-figure random codes”.
"Percentage":	Questions 2 - 4 ask you to divide amounts into percentages of the total. Please check your answers to make sure that your percentages add up to 100% for each question!
"Time frame":	The questions on this survey ask for information for the year 2004. If your business uses a different time period than the calendar year for accounting purposes, please use your most recently completed fiscal year in place of "2004."