QID Maryland Horticulture Survey

2018 MARYLAND HORTICULTURE SURVEY
						OMB No. 0535-0093 Approval Expires: XX/XX/20XX Project Code: XXX SMetaKey: XXXX
									NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
							National Agricultural Statistics Service U.S Department of Agriculture Northeastern Regional Field Office 4050 Crums Mill Road Suite 203 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17112 Phone: 1-717-787-3904 Fax: 1-855-270-2719 E-mail: nassfoner@nass.usda.gov

Please make corrections to name, address and ZIP Code, if necessary.

This survey is being conducted by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to document the current growth, scope and impact of the Maryland Green Industry, including Garden Centers. The survey is being sent to all licensed nursery and landscape operations in Maryland. If you do business at more than one location, please combine the data for all locations on one questionnaire. Include production and sales from Maryland locations only. Please return your report in the enclosed postage paid envelope. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call. We appreciate your help in this important effort.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107–347, and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response to this survey is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number is 0535-0093. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Note: Use 2018 fiscal year if unable to give calendar year data.

SECTION 1 - Type of Operation

1. Did you produce or sell nursery or greenhouse crops or provide landscape services during 2018?
		Yes [Continue Below]							No [skip to page 8, question 48]
2. Which of the following categories BEST describes your primary business activity (check one):
		Grower - wholesale only							Grower - retail and/or wholesale
		Landscaper and/or Interiorscaper (installation only)							Horticulture distributor or re-wholesale
		Landscaper and/or Interiorscaper (maintenance only)							Retail sales
		Landscaper and/or Interiorscaper (installation/ maintenance)							Other (Please specify)

3. How many years has this business been in operation?	200
4. Is this operation a Family Owned Business? (Circle one) YES NO

SECTION 2 - Gross Sales

2017 2018 Projected 2019

5. What were your total gross sales from nursery or greenhouse crops and landscaping? (Including hardscapes e.g. walkways, irrigation systems, decks, snow removal, etc.) Note: use fiscal year values if calendar year values are not available.

300

301

302

6. What PERCENT of your total sales were from:				2018			Projected 2019
	a)	wholesale (plant sales)		400			408
	b)	wholesale (non-plant sales only)		401			409
	c)	retail (plant sales)		402			410
	d)	retail (non-plant sales only)		403			411
	e)	landscape/interiorscape installation		404			412
	f)	landscape/interiorscape maintenance		406			414
	g)	other (please specify)		407			415
		(Percentages should add to 100%)		100 %			100 %
7. What percent of your plant sales were by the following categories? (include plants installed and maintained)						2018		Projected 2019
	a)	Woody plants			450			457
	b)	Herbaceous perennials			451			458
	c)	Annuals			452			459
	d)	Aquatic Plants			453			460
	e)	Specialty greenhouse (house plants and tropicals)			454			461
	f)	Christmas trees			455			462
	g)	Other (e.g. seeds, sod, bulbs, and cut flowers)			456			463
		(Percentages should add to 100%)			100 %			100 %
8. What percent of your sales were by the following methods? (include plants installed and maintained)					2018 Projected 2019
	a)	Field Grown ( include aquatic plants)			500			506
	b)	Containers
		In-ground containers (Pot-in-Pot)			501			507
		Above ground containers In-ground containers (Pot-in-Pot)			502			508
		Greenhouse			503			509
	c)	Cut Flowers			504			510
	d)	Other (please specify)			505			511
		(Percentages should add to 100%)			100 %			100 %

SECTION 3 – Sources of Plant Material

9. Did you produce, purchase or install plants in 2018? Yes [Continue] No (skip to Section 4, question 11)

9. Please enter the percent of your 2018 plant material that you produced or purchased in each category and region identified in the table below.

Source of Plants Columns should sum to 100.	Woody Plants	Herbaceous Perennials	Annuals	Aquatic Plants	Indoor Plants and Tropical Greenhouse	Christmas Trees	Other (e.g. seeds, sod, bulbs)
Grown entirely on your farm/ nursery
Maryland grown: Finished by you
Maryland grown: Already finished
Eastern States grown: Finished by you
Eastern States grown: Already finished
Southern States grown: Finished by you
Southern States grown: Already finished
Central States grown: Finished by you
Central States grown: Already finished
Western States grown: Finished by you
Western States grown: Already finished
Canada grown: Finished by you
Canada grown: Already finished
Other Countries:
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Note: Eastern States include CT, Wash. DC, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, and WV Southern States include AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, Puerto Rico, SC, TN, TX, and VA Central States include IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MO, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI Western states include AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, and WY

SECTION 4 – Destination of Plants – if you are a landscape contractor, go to question 13.

11. Did you wholesale and/or re-wholesale plant materials or engage in retail sales in 2018?
			Yes [Continue]					No [skip to Section 4, question 13]
12. Please enter the percent of your 2018 sales by plant material category sold to each region identified in the table below.
Destination Columns should sum to 100.		Woody Plants		Herbaceous Perennials	Annuals	Aquatic Plants			Specialty Greenhouse	Christmas Trees	Other (e.g. seeds, sod, bulbs)
Maryland		701		702	703	704			705	706	707
Eastern States		708		709	710	711			712	713	714
Southern States		715		716	717	718			719	720	721
Central States		722		723	724	725			726	727	728
Western States		729		730	731	732			733	734	735
Canada		736		737	738	739			740	741	742
Other Countries:
________________		743		744	745	746			747	748	749
________________		750		751	752	753			754	755	756
Total		100%		100%	100%	100%			100%	100%	100%

13. Did you install and/or maintain plant materials for customers in 2018?
			Yes [Continue]						No [skip to Section 5, question 15]
14. Please enter the percent of your 2018 sales that you installed by plant material category sold to each region identified in the table below.
States Columns should sum to 100.		Woody Plants			Herbaceous Perennials	Annuals	Aquatic Plants			Specialty Greenhouse	Christmas Trees	Other (e.g. seeds, sod, bulbs)
Maryland		701			702	703	704			705	706	707
Eastern States		708			709	710	711			712	713	714
Southern States		715			716	717	718			719	720	721
Central States		722			723	724	725			726	727	728
Western States		729			730	731	732			733	734	735
Canada		736			737	738	739			740	741	742
Other Countries:
________________		743		744		745	746			747	748	749
________________		750		751		752	753			754	755	756
Total		100%		100%		100%	100%			100%	100%	100%

NOTE: Eastern States include CT, DC, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, WV

Southern States include AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, Puerto Rico, SC, TN, TX, VA

Central States include IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MO, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI

Western states include AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY

Section 5 - Land, Buildings, and Equipment

15. What is your estimate of the current market value of land, structures and equipment used

(owned, leased and/or rented) in your operation as of December 31, 2018?

⁸⁰⁰

16. What was the total acreage your operation owned, leased and/or rented for sales or production

in 2018? (Including all production, sales, and holding areas)

801

17. Please provide the number of acres your operation owned, leased, and/or rented for sales or production in 2018 for each of the categories below:

			Acres
	a) Field Production (in ground)		901
	b) In-ground container production (pot-in pot)		902
	c) Out-of-ground container production (container nursery)		903
	d) Permanent greenhouse (eg. Propagation houses; not overwintering structures)		904
	e) Holding/sales		905
	f) Infrastructure (not otherwise indicated above) …….		906

18. Did your operation have any greenhouses, shade-house or overwintering structures in 2018?

Yes [Continue]

No [skip to question 20]

19. Please indicate type and area of covered space in use in 2018. (Include covered space used for holding, selling, or finishing product.)

Square Feet

Acres

a) Glass greenhouses

⁹⁰⁷

⁵⁰⁰

b) Rigid plastic greenhouses

⁹⁰⁸

⁵⁰¹

⁵⁰⁴

c) Film plastic greenhouses, hoop houses, or over winter poly house (single or multi-layer)

⁹⁰⁹

⁵⁰²

⁵⁰⁵

d) Shade houses

⁹¹⁰

⁵⁰³

⁵⁰⁶

e) Other (please specify)

⁹¹¹

⁵⁰⁴

⁵⁰⁷

20. List the Maryland counties where your operation is located. If your operation is in more than one county, list the total acreage in each county. (report acreage to the nearest whole number)

100 %

100 %

COUNTY

ACREAGE

¹²⁰

¹²¹

¹²²

¹²³

¹²⁴

¹²⁵

SECTION 6 - Labor Domestic Foreign

			21			How many workers were paid for working 149 days or less?							131				xxx
			22			How many workers were paid for working 150 days or more?							132				xxx
		23			How many workers were from the H2A program?							233					xxx
		24			How many workers were from the H2B program?							333					xxx
		25			How many workers were from other programs?							433					xxx
	SECTION 6 – Labor (continued)
	26. What were the total gross wages paid by your operation during 2018? (Include employer’s cost for social security, worker’s compensation, insurance premiums and any other benefits provided).
															134
	27. Of the total gross wages paid (item 26) how much was for:									28. During 2018, what was the average hourly wage for:
				a) Labor overhead			139 .				a) Inexperienced Laborers			135 .		.__ __
				(e.g. payroll taxes, workers’ comp, benefits, other costs of hiring and processing foreign labor)							b) Experienced Laborers			136 .		.__ __
											c) Managers			137 .		.__ __
											d) Supervisors……………………..			138
	29. How many UNPAID workers were on this operation in 2018? (Include family members, operators, and partners not paid a salary)
															140

SECTION 7 – Stewardship – Only answer questions that apply to your operation

30. Do you have a current conservation plan with the local Soil Conservation District? Y N

31. Please estimate how many acres you have in long term buffer strips, permanent grass isles and other buffer areas?

1. None b. 0-10 c. 11-25 d. 26-50 e. Greater than 50

32. How many acres do you have in temporary buffer strips, grass isles and other buffer areas?

1. None b. 0-10 c. 11-25 d. 26-50 e. Greater than 50

33. If you do have conservation zones, do you employ any of the following conservation practices….? (Choose all that apply)

1. Maintain perennial grass aisles between planting beds or rows

2. Maintain perennial grass buffers around fields

3. Use in-row cover crops

4. Use soil moisture sensors to management irrigation

5. Managed beneficial insect habitats (pollinators, etc)

6. Release beneficial insects

7. Conserve beneficial insects by adjusting herbicide, fungicide, pesticide selection

8. Conserve beneficial insects by adjusting chemical application times and techniques

9. Conduct regular crop pest scouting

10. Grow plants under USDA Organic certification

11. Use compost as a nutrient source

12. Practice crop rotation

13. Utilize alternative energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, etc)

14. Other

34. If you do have conservation zones like buffer strips, did you employ them because…? (Choose all that apply)

1. Cost share/ incentives

2. Required by regulations

3. a best management practice to protect the environment

4. To improve profitability

5. Because of consumer demand / for the marketing value of sustainability

6. Pressure from non-governmental organizations

SECTION 7 – Stewardship (continued)

35. Were you able to fully implement your nutrient management plan Y N

36. If answer to 35 was yes, move to question 37; if no, what are some reasons?

1. Lack of time

2. Lack of labor

3. Some BMPs were too restrictive

4. Costs to implement were too high

5. Other

37. Since implementing all or parts of your nutrient management plan, what savings in dollars do you think you have experienced?

1. no savings

2. $1-$500

3. $501-$1000

4. $1001-$5000

5. greater than $5000

6. Other

38. Please estimate in pounds per acre your reduction of the use of nitrogen since implementing all or part of your nutrient management plan?

1. no reduction

2. 0-50

3. 50-100

4. 101-200

5. over 200

39. Please estimate in pounds per acre your reduction of the use phosphorus since implementing all or part of your nutrient management plan?

.

1. no reduction

2. 0-50

3. 50-100

4. 101-200

5. over 200

40. If your nutrient management plan increased your operational efficiencies please indicate in what way:

1. More efficient nutrient use

2. More efficient water use

3. More efficient labor use

4. Better understanding of your overall operation

5. Other

41. Do you capture and re-use irrigation water? Y N

42. Do you use precision, micro or drip irrigation? Y N

43. Do you use water management strategies or monitoring equipment? Y N

44. If you maintain buffer areas along streams please indicate the width of buffer areas (circle all that apply)

1. 10’

2. 20’

3. 35’

4. Greater than 35’

SECTION 7 – Stewardship (continued)

45. Please identify the watershed(s) your operation(s) is/are located? Choose any that apply

1. Blackwater (Buttins Creek, Chicamcomico and Transquaking Rivers)

2. Chester-Sassafrass (Little Northeast and Elk Creeks , Bohemian and Wye Rivers)

3. Chincoteague (St. Martin River and Trapp Creek)

4. Choptank (Tuckahoe River)

5. Gunpowder-Patapsco (Patapsco and Gunpowder Falls, Gywnns Falls, Winters, Carson and Bynum Runs)

6. Nanticoke (Marshy Hope, Broad and Quantico Creeks)

7. Monocacy River and its tributaries

8. Patuxent and its tributaries

9. Potomac, Lower (Mattawoman, Najemoy and St. Clement Creeks, and Port Tabaco River)

10. Potomac, Middle (Catoctin Creek, and Seneca Creeks, Muddy Branch and Watts Branch, Rock Creek, Henson Creek, Tinkers Creek and Piscataway Creek, Anacostia River)

11. Potomac, Upper (Savage River and Braddock, Jacobs, Collier Mill Runs; Town Creek, Fifteen Mile and Sideling Hill Creek; Licking, Tonoloway Conococheauge and Antietam Creeks)

12. Pocomoke (Nassawongo and Dividing and Marumsco Creek)

13. Severn River (South River)

14. Susquehanna, Lower (Deer, Broad, Conowingo and Octoraro Creeks)

15. Wicomico

SECTION 8 - Industry Factors

46. Please list the 3 most important factors that are limiting growth or are problematic for your business.
			OFFICE USE
			160
			161
			162

47. Is any of your land in a land preservation/conservation program? (Circle one) YES NO

If Yes: How many acres did you have total in preservation/conservation programs in 2018?
	162

SECTION 9 - Conclusion

Please share with us any comments on issues affecting your industry:

5. Respondent Name:			9911 Phone: ( )		9910 MM DD YY Date: __ __ __ __ 18

Survey Results: To receive the complete results of this survey on the release date, go to www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/ Would you rather have a brief summary mailed to you at a later date? YES – (Enter code 1.) NO – (Enter code 3.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Code
	9990
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION

Response		Respondent		Mode		Enum.	Eval.	R. Unit	Change	Office Use for POID
1-Comp 2-R 3-Inac 4-Office Hold 5-R – Est 6-Inac – Est 7-Off Hold – Est 8-Known Zero	9901	1-Op/Mgr 2-Sp 3-Acct/Bkpr 4-Partner 9-Oth	9902	1-PASI (Mail) 2-PATI (Tel) 3-PAPI (Face to-Face) 6-e-mail 7-Fax 19-Other	9903	9998	9900	9921	9985	9989 __ __ __ - __ __ __ - __ __ __
										Optional Use
										9907	9908		9906	9916
S/E Name

14