US Lavender Group

1. US Lavender Group Organizing Committee

2. 8.1.11 Agenda • Recording • Review of Nominations • Vote on Temporary Board • Guidelines for Temp Board • Mission & Audience • Next Steps

3. Review of Nominations Nominations: • ShawniCook • Justin Cook • Lila Avery-Fuson • Sarah Richards • Mike Neustrom • Kathy Kimbrough • Cindy Jones • Brenda Luetger

4. Temporary Board • Vote • Guidelines • 5 members present • 3 meetings in a row missed

5. Considerations for our mission • Why are we forming an organization • What are our common goals • What is the purpose of this organization • What can we measure each activity against • What will keep us on a clear track of success • What are the values of our future members/audience • Does it inspire our future members/audience • Does it clarify our purpose and direct our energies • Does it address the needs of a non-profit/reflect the needs of filing as one (will need to look into what status to apply for) • Does it support branding and marketing

6. Mission comments • Ex: Our mission is to band together any persons with a genuine interest in lavender and all aspects of its growing, production and marketing for the purpose of mutual protection, and advancement of its members and their businesses. • Ex: To make the American Lavender market competitive in the world market place as producers of high quality lavender products and essential oils. • To support lavender as a crop in the US. • To support networking of lavender growers to help address their issues with growing and marketing.To promote the US lavender market by promoting various uses of lavender in various ways. • To promote the American lavender industry through research, education, networking and marketing.

7. TALGA • To enhance the establishment and viability of Lavender Growers and Processors. • To support the development of Employment opportunities. • To assist the development of marketing strategies for Import replacement and Export enhancement. • To support the development towards world competitive Production and marketing in the Australian Lavender Industry. • To facilitate information exchange in the Lavender Industry. To promote the collection, conservation and preservation of the genus Lavandula in Australia

8. New Zealand • We're here to research, develop and promote high quality New Zealand essential oil and associated products. • To promote production of lavender oil in New Zealand and to provide information to assist its members. • One of the main objectives is to promote the use of New Zealand oil as a high quality product. • An Association above all creates a defined group of people with a common interest. In our particular case, we extended this to ensure there was a sharing of these interests, experiences and the lessons that we learnt. • Above all, the Association creates a base for standards for the oil industry. • The Association holds workshop / conferences every alternate year to educate and upskill its members knowledge on the various aspects of lavender oil production. • Our Vision for the Future • The basic vision is that there should be a defined standard for New Zealand lavender oil that will be the basis of a sustainable industry. • Everyone will benefit from the knowledge that we gain as an Association, and of the skills involved in the successful production of lavender oil.

9. Audience • Primary producers looking for diversification • Small scale farmers • Hobby farmers • Bed and breakfast owners • Tourist attraction operators • Retail outlets • Wholesalers • Manufacturers and producers of lavender essential oil and lavender products • Those planning on retirement • Persons enthusiastic about lavender • If they all are included, we’d have to have differing levels of membership, with the ones who benefit the most bearing a larger cost (and, by extension, a more powerful role).

10. Audience • Will we be allowing retailers, crafters, artisans in the group who do not necessarily grow lavender? • Like to see promoting the uses and the market for lavender – in which case retailers etc would certainly play a big role • One thing I do like is expanding the membership beyond growers; however, the TALGA have different memberships. Also opening it up to Canada and Mexico/Central America is intriguing. • My assumption is that it will be related to the growing, processing and use of lavender. If that is the focus of the group, it will encompass a lot of sub-groups. The reason for including the “use” of lavender is because growers will need to have a market for their crop, and most organizations that lobby or support a particular crop concern themselves with marketing that crop. However, I think it should always return to the issues and support of people who grow lavender, because without their success the rest is moot. Due to the increasing interactions between countries I’m wondering if we should name the organization so that people from Canada and Mexico can be included.

11. Misc • The focus should start form the ground of the growers to the hands of the crafters and then to the retailer. • Historically, farmers/growers have created alliances and or associations with one another for the benefit of industry as a whole. I feel strongly that the farming aspect and its value as a product on the market, be a dialogue among the growers. • Education is a huge part of the program with the association. As said by ‘TALGA’, “These conferences are the ideal forum for networking amongst lavender growers’, committee members and industry representatives.” This same idea would covers the growers, and the marketing aspect of the US lavender industry. • The marketing aspect would largely include the opinions of the crafters, artisans and manufacturers of the group. I’m not sure that retailers should share a role in this area but perhaps in a sub-group for marketing and merchandising. • Our Vision - Our Vision to be a leader among the global Lavender community, • Our Mission Statement to include our non-profit as a trade association responsible for positioning, promoting and enhancing the United States Lavender market. • Our Core Beliefs. • Our distinct characteristics that make the US one of the highest quality Lavender producing regions in the world. • Marketing and promoting the attributes of our diverse lavender regions and how it enhances the value of our products. • Offering leadership and educational resources to give members opportunities to optimize their products and businesses. • To engaging and educate our communities and government leadership encouraging them to preserve and share our Core Beliefs. • To embrace sustainable agricultural practices helping to ensure agriculture’s future viability and conserves the countries natural resources. • Including “Growers” in the name does not preclude a greater spectrum of membership. Many professional groups have several categories of membership, including one for primary members (the growers) and another for companies who serve the growers with products and services (“affiliates”). Other categories are for educators, public agencies, and retired or “honorary” members, even “students.”

12. To support, educate, promote, protect, enhance, advance the Lavender trade, distribution, industry in the US. To support and promote the United States lavender industry through research, education, networking and marketing.

13. Next Steps • Pen Mission • Vote on Mission • Discuss Name