历史沿革
俄勒冈州苗圃协会（Oregon Association of Nurseries，简称 OAN）的渊源可追溯至 19 世纪中叶的俄勒冈州苗圃业。1847 年，Henderson Luelling 携家人带着 500 余株幼苗、树木和种子乘大篷车抵达俄勒冈，定居于如今的 Milwaukie 市；翌年邻居 William Meek 又从艾奥瓦带来 20 种嫁接树木，二人共同创办了太平洋海岸第一座嫁接苗木苗圃 Luelling and Meek Nursery。1893 年，俄勒冈州约十二家苗圃经营者联合成立了 Oregon Nurserymen’s Association，这是 OAN 的直接前身。20 世纪初，俄勒冈州苗圃面积约 1000 英亩，作物价值刚过 15 万美元；十年间面积翻倍，温室花卉业同步兴起，奠定了 OAN 长期代表行业发声的组织基础。
组织使命与愿景
作为一家非营利行业协会，OAN 代表 600 余家苗圃生产者、零售商、景观服务商及上下游配套企业，是俄勒冈州苗木与温室产业最主要的行业代表。组织以”致力于俄勒冈州苗圃与温室产业的长期成功、盈利与卓越”为使命，并提出四大愿景：让采购方持续偏好俄勒冈产苗木；让政府决策者依赖 OAN 的政策输入；让会员采纳带来长期成功的实践；让公众理解俄勒冈植物对社区与环境福祉的贡献。OAN 由志愿者理事会与七人执行委员会治理，由执行总监带领一支全职专业团队负责日常运营。
行业体量与会员服务
据 2017 年俄勒冈州农业部统计，俄勒冈州苗圃与温室是全州农业第一大板块，年产值约 9.47 亿美元，其中约 75% 产品销往外州，将贸易部门收入带回本州。OAN 围绕会员搭建了多类服务平台：拥有 58.9 万年度页面浏览量与 7000 份印刷发行量的 Nursery Guide 与 NurseryGuide.com 在线采购指南；Farwest Show 是西海岸最重要的苗木行业展会之一，2024 年于 8 月 21–23 日举办；Digs 杂志提供行业资讯；Legal Access Program 为会员提供每月 30 分钟免费法律咨询；并设有 Scholarships、First Aid & CPR Training、Trucks to Trade Shows、Guest Worker Services 等专项支持。
政策倡导与社会贡献
OAN 在州与联邦层面代表行业推动政策，被业界称为”我们更团结”（We Are Stronger Together）的倡导力量。倡导原则包括跨党派协作、议题与解决方案导向、战略性资源配置、跨界联盟建设以及长周期视野。OAN 强调植物与绿化产品在改善环境、提供生态系统服务、提升房产价值、降低建筑能耗、改善身心健康等方面的多重公共价值，鼓励会员主动联系民选官员反映行业诉求。同时，OAN 长期资助 Oregon Nursery Foundation 奖学金项目，培养未来园艺人才。
家庭园丁栏目与公众参与
除服务专业会员外，OAN 借助 NurseryGuide.com 搜索工具与 Digs 杂志专栏向家庭园丁提供找苗、选购、养护等方面的实用信息。公众可通过 Nursery Guide 检索本地零售商与批发商，了解植物习性、区域适宜品种与季节性栽培建议。OAN 还通过年度 Farwest Show 等活动向公众开放展区与教育讲座，把行业协会积累的产业知识下沉到社区层面，与 Plants Make Life Better 等公益倡导联动，鼓励俄勒冈居民在自家庭院和阳台种植多样化植物，逐步把行业级资源转化为面向家庭园艺爱好者的可用入口。
Historical Evolution
The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) traces its roots to the mid-19th century Oregon nursery industry. In 1847, Henderson Luelling arrived in Oregon with his family and a wagonload of more than 500 young plants, trees and seeds, settling near present-day Milwaukie. A year later, his neighbor William Meek brought another 20 varieties of grafted trees from Iowa, and the two founded Luelling and Meek Nursery, the first nursery of grafted plant material on the Pacific Coast. In 1893, about a dozen growers organized the Oregon Nurserymen’s Association, the direct predecessor of OAN. By the early 1900s Oregon’s nursery industry covered roughly 1,000 acres with a crop value of just over $150,000; within a decade acreage had more than doubled and a fledgling greenhouse/florist sector had emerged, setting the stage for OAN’s long-standing role as the industry’s unified voice.
Mission and Vision
OAN is a non-profit trade association representing more than 600 individual nursery stock producers, retailers, landscapers and related companies serving Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry. Its mission is to be the community dedicated to the long-term success, profitability and excellence of Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry. OAN’s vision rests on four pillars: plant buyers should have an enduring preference for Oregon product; government leaders should rely on OAN’s input in policy decisions; members should adopt practices leading to their long-term success; and government and the public should understand the contribution of Oregon plants to community well-being and the environment. The association is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with oversight by a seven-member Executive Committee, and is operated day-to-day by an executive director and a paid professional staff.
Industry Scale and Member Services
According to the 2017 Oregon Department of Agriculture, nurseries and greenhouses are the number one segment in Oregon agriculture, producing an estimated $947 million of products annually, with about 75 percent shipped out of state, bringing traded-sector dollars back to Oregon. OAN supports members through a portfolio of programs: the Nursery Guide and NurseryGuide.com online buyers’ guide, which records more than 589,000 page views a year and 7,000 print copies in circulation across the U.S.; the Farwest Show, one of the West Coast’s leading nursery trade events held August 21–23, 2024; the Digs magazine; the Legal Access Program offering 30 minutes per month of free legal advice; and additional services such as Scholarships, First Aid & CPR Training, Trucks to Trade Shows, and Guest Worker Services.
Advocacy and Public Contribution
OAN represents the industry at both state and federal levels under the banner “We Are Stronger Together.” Its advocacy principles emphasize cross-party collaboration, issue- and solution-oriented engagement, strategic resource deployment, creative coalition-building, and forward-looking horizon scanning. The association highlights the multiple public benefits of plants and landscape products—from environmental improvement and ecosystem services to higher property values, reduced building energy costs, and improved human health and well-being—and encourages members to contact elected officials directly. OAN also supports the Oregon Nursery Foundation scholarship program to develop the next generation of horticulture professionals.
Home Gardener Resources and Public Engagement
Beyond its professional membership, OAN extends its industry resources to home gardeners through the NurseryGuide.com search tool and Digs magazine columns, helping consumers locate local retailers and wholesale growers, learn about plant characteristics, identify regionally appropriate species, and pick up seasonal cultivation tips. Through the annual Farwest Show and related education programs, OAN opens portions of its trade expertise to the general public, working alongside initiatives such as Plants Make Life Better to encourage Oregon residents to plant diverse species in their own yards and balconies, gradually converting industry-grade knowledge into accessible entry points for the home gardening community.
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