 Deeply rooted in Green Industry / Continues to grow for betterment of industry’s future
Advance the economic, lifestyle and environmental benefits of Georgia horticulture
The Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA) is a statewide trade association whose mission is to promote and advance the economic, lifestyle and environmental benefits of Georgia horticulture for our members, our families and our communities. Through education, legislative monitoring, certification exams, trade shows, and conferences to the horticulture-related industries in the State, the GGIA is deeply rooted in the industry and continues to grow for the betterment of the industry’s future. With members from the landscape trade, irrigation contractors, wholesale nursery growers, greenhouse operators, retail garden centers and allied sales companies, GGIA serves as an umbrella association for the entire horticulture industry.
|
Our Vision: United Advocacy, Education, Networking, and Communication for Georgia's Horticulture Industry.
Our Values: Integrity, Stewardship, and Outreach.
Our Mission: Promote and advance the economic, lifestyle, and environmental benefits of Georgia horticulture for our members, our families, and our communities.
Some of Our Major Achievements: GGIA has made numerous contributions to promote the welfare and growth of the green industry. Our association worked to ensure that horticulture is defined in the Georgia code as "agriculture." We led the charge on regulatory efforts to ensure consistency and quality control in growing media. We were instrumental in creating and implementing the 2010 Water Stewardship Act, which protects the industry in times of drought—and more. We pushed to safeguard that agricultural inputs, like propane, were not double taxed when being used to produce crops. We worked to secure GATE sales tax exemption for crop inputs like soils, plastics, and plugs. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were victorious in securing our industry's essential designation state-wide for every industry sector, thus keeping our industry up and going while the rest of the world shut down. Most recently, we worked to ensure that every grower, rural or urban, maintains the freedom to farm without the constant threat of nuisance lawsuits from a growing population that does not understand agricultural practices.
Why It Matters: Ornamental Horticulture is a leading agriculture segment that remains the state's primary economic engine. Georgia's green industry accounts for $9.97 billion in annual economic impact and employs over 104,000 Georgians. With members from all areas of the industry in all corners of the state, you can rest assured that we are looking out for your interests and have the right connections to keep a finger on the pulse of the issues that can impact your business. Our strength as an organization is derived from that unity. And that unity makes finding a colleague, a customer, or a supplier that much easier among your fellow members.
Who We Are: Through our advocacy efforts, educational opportunities, legislative monitoring, certification exams, trade shows, and conferences for the horticulture-related industries in the state, the GGIA is deeply rooted in the industry. GGIA is composed of six divisions that provide representation to the entire industry. Each division is equally represented on our board of directors, ensuring that each industry sector directly influences our policies and initiatives. Our members include landscape professionals, irrigation contractors, wholesale nursery growers, retail garden centers, floriculture and greenhouse growers, and companies that provide allied products and services. GGIA serves as the umbrella association for the entire ornamental horticulture industry, and our membership reflects the rich diversity of the industry in Georgia.