2019 National Floriculture Forum to meet February 16-17, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois

CHICAGO – The National Floriculture Forum (NFF) will meet February 16-17, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. The NFF continues an annual tradition dating back to the early 1990s, with an educational meeting for industry leaders, university faculty, graduate students and government scientists from academic institutions, governmental agencies and the greenhouse industry.

The NFF brings together diverse floricultural communities with the objectives to 1) address issues of importance to the floriculture industry, 2) form collaborative relationships, and 3) improve communication within the American floriculture industry to share and disseminate information.

The 2019 NFF will open with an optional tour on Saturday morning to the Chicago Botanic Garden for those arriving early.

Chicago Botanic Garden's Director of Ornamental Plant Research Dr. James Ault will lead a tour of the newly renovated greenhouses and speak about the scientific endeavors of the garden, which includes the breeding and introduction program associated with Chicagoland Grows. There will also be a tour of the gardens.

Following the tour and the provided lunch on Saturday, events begin in the afternoon with a business meeting featuring presentations from various speakers on research funding opportunities, industry trends, and the like.

Faculty members and graduate students will also be asked to update the group on their universities’ programs including enrollments, and teaching, research and extension programs. This will continue into Sunday morning’s session. On Saturday evening, Dr. Charlie Hall, holder of the Ellison Chair in International Floriculture at Texas A&M University, will address the group on “Incorporating the Value of Plants and Our Industry into Curricula.”

Registration for the NFF is only $150, thanks to financial support from the American Floral Endowment. This fee includes the tour to the Chicago Botanic Garden, including bus transportation on Saturday morning, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and refreshments at breaks. To register for the Forum and arrange your hotel reservation, go to endowment.org and click on the National Floriculture Forum link, followed by the Registration link.

The NFF’s host hotel is the Crowne Plaza O'Hare Hotel and Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Free shuttle transportation will be provided to and from O’Hare International Airport only (Attendees may fly through Chicago’s Midway Airport, but transportation to the hotel will be at your own expense). Complimentary hotel shuttle to and from O’Hare International Airport, Wi-Fi in the guest room and breakfast are included in the $119 per night (plus tax) hotel rate. Parking is extra. Registration for this discounted hotel rate is due by January 15, 2019; hotel guest rooms are limited.