60 years of support

Think back, if you will, to 1962:

• John Glenn became the first human to orbit the Earth

• President John F. Kennedy was dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis

• Rachel Carson published her landmark book, "Silent Spring"

And in September 1962, a small group of forward-thinking nursery professionals established the Horticultural Research Institute to provide funds that would support industry-driven, targeted research. Starting from a combined donation of $1,300 in the early 1960s to having supported a total of $9.5 in research grants and scholarships by its 60th year, HRI continues to grow—and to grow the industry.

"It's remarkable to imagine that 60 years ago, HRI was merely an idea. Today, that idea has grown into an incredible organization singularly focused on the research needs of the green industry," says Alan Jones, current president of the Horticultural Research Institute and president of Manor View Farms in Monkton, MD. "Sixty years later, on the shoulders of those who started the work, HRI is a strong, thriving organization with hundreds of volunteers, thousands of donors, and millions of dollars invested in research."

The roots of the organization actually go back to the early 1950s, when the American Association of Nurserymen Board of Directors proposed a program to solicit financial contributions to support industry research. That early attempt laid the foundation, but it wasn't until a few years later that the AAN Board formally established HRI as an organization separate from, but related to, AAN. 

Beginning in those early days in the 1960s, through AAN's change to the American Nursery and Landscape Association, and then AmericanHort, the Horticultural Research Institute has been committed to prioritizing and funding research that addresses specific problems and challenges identified by industry professionals. 

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Image Courtesy of Horticultural Research Institute

Source: Greenhouse Management