Nursery Owners and Managers

Many associations connected with the nursery and greenhouse industry are local, but the following organizations have national as well as local ties: the Education section of AmericanHort's Web site offers webinars, workshops, reports, and other helpful information. The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has outreach coordinators and state coordinators for all states and territories who focus on underserved farm populations including beginning farmers and youth. Other USDA projects include the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, designed to increase the number of young farmers, and the USDA Pathways Programs, which provide career exploration opportunities. The National FFA Organization has special programs for students including supervised agricultural experiments and farm apprenticeships. As the largest retail trade association in the world, with members from across the United States as well as other countries, the National Retail Federation also maintains on its Web site an active posting service for employers and job seekers where you will find leads on jobs that may yield valuable retail experience.