Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants
This article shares survey results provided by both consumers and growers regarding the University of Florida Biodiversity Certified Plants for the Rapidly Expanding Urban Landscape Market project conducted at the University of Florida (UF). The overall goal of this project was to develop and test a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | HortTechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ashs.org/horttech/view/journals/horttech/33/5/article-p470.xml |
| _version_ | 1797662215308836864 |
|---|---|
| author | Caroline Nickerson Christine Krebs Laura A. Warner Lauri Baker Jaret Daniels Adam Dale |
| author_facet | Caroline Nickerson Christine Krebs Laura A. Warner Lauri Baker Jaret Daniels Adam Dale |
| author_sort | Caroline Nickerson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article shares survey results provided by both consumers and growers regarding the University of Florida Biodiversity Certified Plants for the Rapidly Expanding Urban Landscape Market project conducted at the University of Florida (UF). The overall goal of this project was to develop and test a scientifically based, UF-trademarked process for the certification of high-quality, commercially available, wildlife-friendly plants for the green industry. The objectives of two surveys that targeted consumers and growers, respectively, were to assess consumer and grower attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors pertaining to wildlife-friendly plants and a proposed certification. The consumer survey results (n = 868) indicated that respondents (consumers) strongly agreed with purchasing wildlife-friendly plants, and that respondents would benefit from the proposed certification. The certification could help consumers gain a better understanding of which plants are wildlife-friendly at the point of purchase. Nearly half of consumers reported an inability to identify wildlife-friendly plants in the store, which hinders them from purchasing. The grower survey results (n = 75) indicated that respondents were willing to offer biodiversity-certified plants. More growers rated themselves as innovators (the most innovative category) in terms of adopting innovations than any other diffusion of innovations category (early adopter, early majority, later majority, hesitant, or none of these), although the perceived cost of obtaining the certification was seen as a potential barrier toward grower adoption of the certification. These findings indicate that the proposed certification would be successful with appropriate and tailored marketing materials for both growers and consumers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:56:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca4c783644514bf395abbb99d0a9a0f3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1943-7714 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:56:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | HortTechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca4c783644514bf395abbb99d0a9a0f32023-10-10T18:48:49ZengAmerican Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)HortTechnology1943-77142023-09-01335https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05230-23Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly PlantsCaroline Nickerson0Christine Krebs1Laura A. Warner2Lauri Baker3Jaret Daniels4Adam Dale5University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaUniversity of FloridaUniversity of FloridaMcGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of FloridaThis article shares survey results provided by both consumers and growers regarding the University of Florida Biodiversity Certified Plants for the Rapidly Expanding Urban Landscape Market project conducted at the University of Florida (UF). The overall goal of this project was to develop and test a scientifically based, UF-trademarked process for the certification of high-quality, commercially available, wildlife-friendly plants for the green industry. The objectives of two surveys that targeted consumers and growers, respectively, were to assess consumer and grower attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors pertaining to wildlife-friendly plants and a proposed certification. The consumer survey results (n = 868) indicated that respondents (consumers) strongly agreed with purchasing wildlife-friendly plants, and that respondents would benefit from the proposed certification. The certification could help consumers gain a better understanding of which plants are wildlife-friendly at the point of purchase. Nearly half of consumers reported an inability to identify wildlife-friendly plants in the store, which hinders them from purchasing. The grower survey results (n = 75) indicated that respondents were willing to offer biodiversity-certified plants. More growers rated themselves as innovators (the most innovative category) in terms of adopting innovations than any other diffusion of innovations category (early adopter, early majority, later majority, hesitant, or none of these), although the perceived cost of obtaining the certification was seen as a potential barrier toward grower adoption of the certification. These findings indicate that the proposed certification would be successful with appropriate and tailored marketing materials for both growers and consumers.https://journals.ashs.org/horttech/view/journals/horttech/33/5/article-p470.xmldiffusion of innovationsnursery cropsperennialspollinator-friendlywoody plants |
| spellingShingle | Caroline Nickerson Christine Krebs Laura A. Warner Lauri Baker Jaret Daniels Adam Dale Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants HortTechnology diffusion of innovations nursery crops perennials pollinator-friendly woody plants |
| title | Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants |
| title_full | Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants |
| title_short | Attitudes Toward and Preferences of Florida Consumers and Growers Regarding a Proposed Scientifically Based University Certification Process for Wildlife-friendly Plants |
| title_sort | attitudes toward and preferences of florida consumers and growers regarding a proposed scientifically based university certification process for wildlife friendly plants |
| topic | diffusion of innovations nursery crops perennials pollinator-friendly woody plants |
| url | https://journals.ashs.org/horttech/view/journals/horttech/33/5/article-p470.xml |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carolinenickerson attitudestowardandpreferencesoffloridaconsumersandgrowersregardingaproposedscientificallybaseduniversitycertificationprocessforwildlifefriendlyplants AT christinekrebs attitudestowardandpreferencesoffloridaconsumersandgrowersregardingaproposedscientificallybaseduniversitycertificationprocessforwildlifefriendlyplants AT lauraawarner attitudestowardandpreferencesoffloridaconsumersandgrowersregardingaproposedscientificallybaseduniversitycertificationprocessforwildlifefriendlyplants AT lauribaker attitudestowardandpreferencesoffloridaconsumersandgrowersregardingaproposedscientificallybaseduniversitycertificationprocessforwildlifefriendlyplants AT jaretdaniels attitudestowardandpreferencesoffloridaconsumersandgrowersregardingaproposedscientificallybaseduniversitycertificationprocessforwildlifefriendlyplants AT adamdale attitudestowardandpreferencesoffloridaconsumersandgrowersregardingaproposedscientificallybaseduniversitycertificationprocessforwildlifefriendlyplants |