Cultivate'25 kicked off yesterday in Columbus, Ohio. The first day saw relatively light foot traffic—a quiet start that's not unusual for the show's Sunday opening. As in previous years, exhibitors are expecting a significantly busier day on Monday. However, the day offered more than enough opportunities to talk about what's happening in the industry - from peat to LED and from tariffs to how to avoid them.
So, what's top of mind for exhibitors this year? Market challenges were a recurring topic throughout the halls. One of the concerns is raw material availability. Peat shortages, caused by persistent rainfall in the Baltic states, are creating uncertainty and tightening supply, especially given the ongoing pressure on the coco market and the rising demand for organic substrates. Quite some alternatives, mainly based on wood fiber, were shown at the tradeshow.
Adding to the pressure, tariffs became the talk of the day. Just days ago, President Donald Trump announced a 30% tariff on all goods from Europe and Mexico, set to take effect on August 1. For Canadian suppliers, tariffs are also a concern, though the impact varies per sector and there's serious doubt if the tariffs will happen as they've been postponed approximately 1581475 times by now - but the insecurity and instability do not make a good ground for growing or investing.
Despite these challenges, the outlook on the flower market remains upbeat. European companies see continued growth potential in the North American market. That may explain why we ran into many fellow Dutchies at the show.
But enough about these serious topics - we also have a lot of great news to share. Find our sneak peak below!
© Elvira Oosterbaan | HortiDaily.com
DON'T FORGET TO CONGRATULATE CONNIE AND RICK (AMA HORT) TODAY AS IT'S THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY <3
© Elvira Oosterbaan | HortiDaily.com
This evening, Phormium is hosting its event. Drop by their booth 2810 for an invite!
© Elvira Oosterbaan | HortiDaily.com
At the Philips booth the Total Energy Group was celebrated for being a certified Philips LED horticulture partner for 10 years!
© Elvira Oosterbaan | HortiDaily.comHi Hydrofarm!
Our FloralDaily and HortiDaily team is also at the show to make our photo report. So if you see us walking by, get ready to smile!
