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'/1MERI01N /ISBODIAnON OF NURSERYMEN 



1250 I STREET. N.W. / SUITE 500 / WASHINGTON. D.C. 20005 I 202/789-2900 



Statement Before the 



SUBCOMKITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, CREDIT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 

 COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 

 United States House of Representatives 

 March 23, 1994 



Mr. Chairman, the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN) 

 welcomes this opportunity to present the nursery industry's views 

 with respect to wetlands regulations. Specifically, our concern 

 centers on the proper recognition and treatment of nursery fairms 

 as agricultural lands. 



AAN is the national trade organization for the nursery industry. 

 AAN directly represents the interests of 2,200 nursery growers, 

 landscape professionals and garden center retailers. We 

 represent an additional 16,000 family farms and small businesses 

 through the membership of the state/regional nursery and 

 landscape associations. 



ECONOMIC STATURE OF THE NURSERY INDUSTRY 



According to USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) , the nursery 

 and greenhouse industry continues to outpace other major 

 agricultural sectors. Nursery and greenhouse crops totaled an 

 estimated $9 billion in 1993 — representing nearly 11 percent of 

 the total cash receipts for all U.S. farm crops. For comparison 

 purposes, ERS estimated that farmgate cash receipts for nursery 

 and greenhouse crops were just $6 billion seven years ago. 



Nursery and greenhouse crops in 1992 ranked 6th in total grower 

 cash receipts among all farm commodities — ahead of such major 

 crops as wheat, cotton and tobacco. Nursery and greenhouse crop 

 production now ranks in the top 5 agricultural commodities in 2 3 

 states and in the top 10 in 42 states. USDA also finds that 

 nursery and greenhouse farms in 1990 had the highest average net 

 farm income of any agricultural commodity at $53,589. This was 

 four times higher than the average American net farm income of 

 $13,458. 



These impressive figures become even more so when one considers 

 that unlike so many other agricultural sectors, the nursery 

 industry does not receive — nor does it desire — any federal 

 subsidies or price supports. 



TREATMENT OF NURSERY FARMS AS AGRICULTURAL LANDS 



AAN firmly maintains that nursery crop production must be 



Garden Centefs of America/Horticultural Research Institute /Notional Association of Plant Patent Owners/ 

 Natiorral Landscape Associotion/Wtiolesale Nursery Growers of America 



