Membership FAQs
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Any cut flower, cut foliage or potted plant farm in any size can apply for membership.
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This is the cut flower, cut foliage or potted product product you grow and sell in the last 12-month period.
If you have an event or retail business on your farm and use your own flowers and foliage for any designs/arrangements, please also include the sales of those flowers to yourself at wholesale value.
FOR CERTIFIED MEMBERS: If you use feeder farms, this also includes any product you bring in from feeder farms. It does not include packaging, delivery and other overhead selling costs such as labor. It is calculated for the previous twelve months.
If you bring in product from another Certified American Grown farm, you do not need to report those sales as those were accounted for at the first point of sale by that farm.
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No. Any farm can be a member as long as they are growing in the United States.
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ONLY APPLICABLE FOR CERTIFIED FARMS: A feeder farm is a farm that you buy product in for the purposes of selling it under your brand/logo. Feeder farms require supporting documentation and validation of origin. If you bring in product from other Certified American Grown farms, supporting documentation is not required.
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1. As a member, you will have representation by a national organization whose ONLY focus is on our American farmers.
2. Be part of an organization that works to preserve and protect America’s floriculture heritage, farmland and the communities that support them through a unified promotional and advocacy effort.
3. Support having an organization that works to establish a fair marketplace in regards to trade, labeling and more. In 2019, imports accounted for 78% of the U.S. cut flower and foliage market, with U.S. production accounting for only 22%.
4. Connect and unite with farms producing over 50% of the nation’s cut flower & foliage and the industry suppliers that support them. Amongst all of our members there is a wealth of information and best practices. While competitors on the marketplace, they are collaborators in the industry.
5. Gain national attention by hosting an American Grown Field to Vase Dinner at your farm. This nationally recognized and award winning dinner tour shines a spotlight on your farm, connecting consumers with the source of their floral products and emphasizing the importance of supporting American farms.
6. Certified American Grown regularly highlights our members on multiple social media platforms. This is a great way to increase your visibility and build momentum for the American grown movement.
7. Our network of associate members offer a wide variety of supply and service discounts and programs. Connect directly with farm and associate members through our Members Only login area on the website. Working together will increase efficiency, financial savings and innovation!
8. Website profile and listing on a filterable online farm directory.
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Becoming certified is a value added membership which includes origin certificates, license to use the seal in the public marketplace and communicate your commitment to American grown product.
Certification is a powerful tool to link America’s farms with customers who care. Whether you are an emerging micro farm or an established large farm, you will benefit by adding the Certified American Grown logo to your marketing, packaging and messaging. Our unique seal will speak directly to the hearts of your consumers and offer a certification guarantee of origin. Your customers will be confident in their floral, foliage and potted purchases and know that they are supporting 100% American grown.
Certified members have the opportunity for increased exposure and access to listing their products on the CAG e-commerce marketplace (coming soon).
General members are restricted in the use of the logo. Their logo differentiates with the “Certified” replaced with “Member.” The logo cannot be used on end user packaging, sleeves, boxes and on all things that “touch” the product and move with the product. However, general members are encouraged to use their member logo on the farm website, social media, emails, invoices, banners and signs.
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THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS – IT’S EASY!
- Complete this form.
- Make sure to provide supporting documents by attaching them to the form or emailing them to info@americangrownflowers.org.
- Pay the initial non-refundable one-time application fee and annual dues.
- Receive approval for certification after review of documents.
- Receive your Certificate, Logo with Unique Identifier Number and Welcome Packet.
- Start enjoying the benefits of being a Certified American Grown farm!
- Review your farm’s information annually to renew.
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In order to verify growing capacity for varieties grown by a farm, Certified American Grown requires supporting documents to verify origin and complete the certification process. ANY of the supporting document examples below must be provided for each variety your farm grows to best of your ability.
Examples of Production Records
Seeds, bulbs, cuttings, tissue cultures, plugs/seedling purchases
Rotational growing records
Planting records/maps of beds
Number of stems soldExamples of Sales & Supply Records
Itemized sale record
Boxes or Sleeves purchased
Shipping receipts
Inventory records
Cold chain records
Any federal, state or county surveys
