White Paper
Introduction
In February of 2003, the Indian River County Extension CED/Environmental Horticulture Agent resigned. When the vacancy was advertised, it was as a CED/Agriculture Agent rather than a CED/Environmental Horticulture Agent as it had been for the past 9 years. Consequently, the Extension service has not had an agent to assist the county’s nursery and landscape professionals.

We believe there is a strong need for an Environmental Horticulture Agent in this county and, having reviewed current Extension staffing and programs, do not feel this need can be met with existing staff. We feel that the creation of a new position is necessary and in the county’s best interest both economically and environmentally.

Ideally, the new position would be a tenured staff position partially funded by the University of Florida. The-current county extension director, Christine Kelly-Begazo, has had conversations with UF/IFAS extension administration and although they cannot promise that they would have their share of funding such a position, it does look favorable given the current WAS budget.

In the following pages, you will find documentation, which will support the need for an Environmental Horticulture agent for Indian River County.

State and Regional Agricultural Economics
Environmental Horticulture is the art and science of “breeding, propagating, installing and maintaining plants that are used to enhance and improve the human quality of life” and is significant factor in the economic and ecological well being of Indian River County. These impacts are going to become more important as the county grows toward a more urban population as opposed to a more rural one. Plants are a significant factor in amenity-based development and studies suggest a well-landscaped property gains a seven percent premium.

From 2000 to 2010, county population is projected to grow about 23% to 139,100. Increases anticipated for the municipalities are:
	Unincorporated County	+ 15 %
	Fellsmere	+ 45 %
	Indian River Shores	+ 33 %
	Orchid	+216 %
	Sebastian	+35%
Vero Beach		        + 2%

The combined impacts of increased population and the increases in agriculture land values will likely result in a decrease in large-scale, traditional agriculture and an increase in environmental horticulture as economic drivers in the county.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2002 Census of Agriculture reports that Indian River County had 480 farms and sold products with a market value of $116,913,000.

	Fruits, Nuts, Berries (mostly citrus and grapefruit)	$ 87,821,000
	All Livestock and Poultry	     6,688,000
All Other Crops (includes vegetables, melons,
potatoes, nursery and green house crops)                                       22,404,000 
	Market value of Products Sold                                                        $116,913,000

The 2002 Census of Agriculture showed 36 nurseries and greenhouses in the county. In November 2004, there were 60 registered nurseries and 94 stock dealers in the county. This shows a significant increase in just 2 years and it is projected to continue to grow based upon the fact that a higher profit margin can be gained with ornamental crops on less land than with traditional agriculture. As land becomes a limiting factor throughout the county, based upon decreased availability and increased cost, more and more producers will turn to ornamental nurseries as a means to make a living.

The 2004 Florida Land Value Survey (see EDIS document FE545) defines transition land as “agricultural land that is being converted or likely to be converted to nonagricultural uses as sites for homes, subdivisions, and commercial uses”. In 2004, Indian River County was designated the Vero Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area and Indian River County is included in the South region which includes the following counties: Collier, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry, Glades, Manatee, Sarasota, De Soto, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, Martin and St. Lucie. The strongest gains in land value in the State were for transition lands in the South region. For lands within 5 miles of a major town, one year increases were 52% and for land more than 5 miles to a major town increases were 72%. Within the South region, the largest increases were in the Indian River area, Okeechobee County, and the Gulf Coast counties.

In comparing the ornamental plant industry to other segments of Florida agriculture, EDIS document FE 374 covering the period 1997 -2001 states the “ornamental plant industry has continued to grow in spite of the many pressures of urban expansion, land conversion, and environmental issues that have adversely impacted other segments of Florida agriculture that require a large land area. Because the value per acre of nursery crops is typically many times higher than any other kind of agricultural crop, these crops are able to compete for scarce land resources with other land uses”.

	Ornamentals	+ 4.1 %
	All Farm Products	- 0.8 %
	Citrus	- 7.1%
	Vegetables & Melons	- 0.8 %
	Field Crops	- 0.5 %
	Sugar Cane	+ 2.9%
	Livestock Products	+ 1.3 %

Impacts on Professional Client Groups
Since the departure of the Environmental Horticulture agent, there has been limited professional expertise available to assist and inform the businesses engaged in Environmental Horticulture. Based on data from unincorporated Indian River County, Sebastian, and the City of Vero Beach, county businesses that would benefit from the services of an Environmental Horticulture agent include:
	Irrigation and sprinkler contractors	57
	Golf courses	9
	Landscape and lawn maintenance companies	609
	Wholesale and retail plant nurseries	118
	Sod installers	5
	Tree services	67
	Total	865

In addition, the Environmental Horticulture agent could provide valuable expertise and assistance to the many property management and condominium organizations as well as to the homeowner associations in the county.

At the present time, routine requests for services from professional horticulture clientele are limited to pesticide training. Other time consuming activities, such as site visits and educational outreach has been kept to a minimum based upon the fact that there is no agent available to do this type of programming.

Impacts on Individual Residents
Gardening is America’s most popular pastime. Even residents who don’t want to do it themselves appreciated the beauty and sense of peace and contentment a well maintained landscape can produce. Thousands choose to move to Indian River County each year attracted by the beauty and quality of life. Most are unfamiliar with subtropical gardening or with the management practices needed to create an aesthetically pleasing yet environmentally friendly landscape, which protects the valuable and often unique natural resources of the county.

Creation of an Environmental Horticulture Agent position would enable the UF Indian River County Extension Service to, once again, provide unbiased, research based programming and expertise on best management practices for Florida yards to homeowners and professionals alike.

Conclusion
Due to the changing urban-rural interface, a strong Environmental Horticulture program is essential to the quality of life currently enjoyed in Indian River County. It is in the county’s best environmental and economic interests to support this type of extension programming due to the many factors involved with increasing population and its changing dynamics. The current staffing and technical makeup of the UF Indian River County Extension Service is limited in how they can address these factors and how they can assist in the area of environmental horticulture. It is hoped that with the statements and data that we have provided in this white paper, the county will be able to address this situation and help us find a solution to this challenge.

Resources
What is Environmental Horticulture 
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/aboutus/whatis.htm

Indian River Planning Department

Indian River Chamber of Commerce

Nonagricultural Demand Causes A2ricultural Land Values to Increase. EDIS document
FE545, Published April 2005, Dept. Of Food and Resource Economics. Author: John E.
Reynolds, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FE545

Commodity Outlook 2003: U.S. and Florida Plant Markets, EDIS document FE374, Published February 2003, Department of Food and Agricultural Resources Economics. 
Authors: Alan W. Hodges and John J Haydu. 
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edulpdffiles/FE/FE37400.pdf

Economic Impacts of the Florida Environmental Horticulture Industry, 2000 
Economic Information Report El 02-3. Alan W. Hodges and John J. Haydu. 
http://hortbusiness.ifas.ufl.edu/EIRO2-3.pdf

  Notes:  -The University requires a; Extension agents to assume 5-10% assistance to the 4-H program within their area of competency and subject
  Matter.
  -Horticulture program positions are in bold face.
  -CED = County Extension Director; Ag = Agriculture; FYN = Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (Environmental Horticulture); 
  EH = Environmental Horticulture (synonymous with Urban Horticulture).

					Homeowner and Commercial Horticulture Agent	4-H Agent	Family and Consumer Science Agent	CED. Agriculture Agent	Putnam County
2000 Population
70,423	  Extension Staffing Comparisons
	
					Family & Consumer Science/Family Nutrition Agent	Horticulture Agent	4-H Extension Agent	CED/Aquatic Agent	Monroe County
2000 Population
79,589		
					Citrus Agent	Horticulture Agent	4-H Agent	CED/Livestock Agent	Highlands County
2000 Population
87,366		
	Regional Citrus Agent					Water Quality Agent	4-H/ Family & Consumer Science Agent	  CED/Ag Agent
MG coordination	Indian River
2000 Population
112,947		
		Marine Science Agent	4-H Agent	Family & Consumer Science Agent	Ag/Livestock Agent	Commercial Horticulture/ Vegetable Agent	EH Agent	CED/Ag Agent	Santa Rosa
2000 Population
117,743		
	Regional Citrus Agent		4-H Agent	Family & Consumer Science Agent	FYN Assistant	Master Gardener Coordinator and 4-H Program Agent	FYN Agent (EH)	CED/Ag/EH Agent vacant	Martin
2000 Population
126,731