FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008

CONTACT: Ross Williams, assistant director
NCDA&CS Marketing Division
(919) 733-7887, ext. 237

NCDA&CS, nursery/landscape industry team up to promote water-wise gardening, landscaping

Grant from Golden LEAF helps fund public information campaign

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the state’s nursery and landscape industry have launched a campaign to educate the public about how they can successfully grow plants in the home landscape even during periods of drought and water restrictions, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced today.

The Water-Wise Works! media campaign is a partnership between the department, the N.C. Green Industry Council and N.C. State University’s Department of Horticultural Science. The campaign emphasizes ways that will help homeowners maintain an attractive landscape with less water.

“Drought and water restrictions across North Carolina have severely reduced demand for nursery and greenhouse plants and related services,” Troxler said. “Many of these businesses report that sales have declined as much as 40 percent, and employee layoffs have approached 30 percent. This campaign will help people understand that even during a drought, you can still enjoy beautiful North Carolina-grown plants if you practice water-wise gardening.

“These tips make sense even as we return to more normal rainfall patterns,” he said. “They focus on making the best use of the resources we have and not being wasteful. They’re good principles to live by.”

The statewide campaign is using public service advertisements on radio and television to tout the importance of water-wise landscaping and gardening. They feature NCSU horticulture expert Bryce Lane, host of UNC-TV’s “In the Garden.” The ads refer consumers to the Web site www.TarHeelGardening.com for tips and other information. The site was developed by the N.C. Nursery and Landscape Association and NCDA&CS.

The campaign is supported by a $215,475 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation and funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

TV spots are slated to run across the state from now through May. Radio ads have been running since late March. Ads also will be running in Our State magazine.

“Golden LEAF is pleased to support this project as the green industry is such an important sector of the agricultural economy in North Carolina,” said Valeria Lee, president of Golden LEAF. “In addition, the whole state benefits as we adopt these practices for wise water use.”

A report released last year estimated that the green industry contributes $8.6 billion to North Carolina’s economy and employs more than 151,000 people. The industry comprises growers of greenhouse/nursery stock, Christmas trees and flowers, sod producers, and related businesses such as landscape and irrigation contractors, lawn care professionals, arborists and retail lawn and garden centers.

-bal 2,3,4-

The Green Industry Council is on the Charlotte City Council meeting agenda Monday, March 24th to again ask them to ease the current water restrictions. Stage 3 restrictions are still currently in place. We need everyone to show their support and attend the Monday night meeting.

The meeting will be held at: Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center
600 East Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC

This is a government facility, so please ensure all attendees dress and act professionally, and remain quiet and respectful.

Parking is available in the Government Center Parking Deck at the corner of Davidson Street and 3rd Street and also at the Baptist Church next to the Government Center after 5:30 p.m.

Thank you again,
Buddy Murrow

For Immediate Release:

***Horticulture Experts Discuss /Water-Wise/ Landscaping
MEDIA BRIEFING
*

*Media contact: Dave Caldwell, 919-513-3127 or dave_caldwell@ncsu.edu (for Tuesday event only), after Tuesday, contact Dr. Barbara Fair, 919-513-2804 or barbara_fair@ncsu.edu

WHAT: Dr. Fair to Discuss /Water-Wise/ Landscaping
WHEN: Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Live satellite feed, webcast and phone bridge
*
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Landscape Specialist Dr. Barbara Fair will hold a media briefing. Joining her are Bryce Lane, North Carolina State University Professor and host of UNC-TV’s gardening show /In the Garden/ /with Bryce Lane/, Dr. Charles Peacock, Professor, Crop Science, N.C. State University, and Mr. Doug Berlin, Green Industry Council President.

Reporters will be briefed on the current drought’s effect on landscaping and efforts to educate the public concerning responsible water usage.

Fair, Lane, Berlin and Peacock will take the media’s questions regarding the maintenance and installation of healthy landscapes capable of surviving not only the drought but other challenges associated with urban growth.

There will be no on-screen graphics, so television stations can receive a clean feed of the briefing.

Reporters can ask questions via phone or email. The actual briefing will be kept to a minimum, so that reporters have lots of time to get their questions answered.

It is suggested that reporters/editors check the satellite and webcast feeds at least 15 minutes early to ensure that they have no technical difficulties.

*/***A clean B-Roll Video feed will occur during the test window and at the end of the briefing and as time permits***
/*
*
TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR ACCESSING THE BRIEFING
*
*_Webcast:
_*Go to: www. * ncgreenindustrycouncil* .org . and click on the “Water-Wise Works!” link.

*_Satellite Information:
_Test*: 9:15 - 9:30 a.m.
*Program:* 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

*C Band
GALAXY 26 (C)
*Location: 93 Degrees West
Downlink: 3940 Horizontal
Audio: 6.2 / 6.8
Bandwidth: 36 MHz

*Technical assistance:* Microspace Communications: (919) 850-4565
_Reference:_ NCSU– Green Council

*_Phone Bridge information:
(This is to listen to the broadcast, if you don’t have web or satellite capacity. You cannot ask questions on this line; it is output only)
_*Participant Instructions:

1. Dial the Reservationless Conferencing access number: 1 866 427 0083

2. Dial the Reservationless Conferencing room number: *8528560*
*
*** (Note: the star key must be pressed before and after your room number) ***
*
3. Wait to be added to the conference

*_INFORMATION FOR ASKING QUESTIONS:
_*Email questions on /_Tuesday before 8:00 a.m.:
_/barbara_fair@ncsu.edu

_Email questions during the briefing:
_OPEN@ncmail.net

_Phone questions during the briefing:
_Toll Free Call-in Number: 1-888-228-6736 / 1-888-228–OPEN

_Fax questions the day of and during the briefing:
_919-715–3569
###

Download a copy of the Press Release.

The NC Green Industry Council is mobilizing its forces to save the industry.

Press Release - 01/30/2008