RECOGNIZING PLANTPEDDLER

On 2025-03-05, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING PLANTPEDDLER" in the Senate.

RECOGNIZING PLANTPEDDLER

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S1577-S1578] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING PLANTPEDDLER Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, as chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Plantpeddler of Cresco, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. On June 28, 1980, newlyweds Mike and Rachel Gooder purchased Cresco Greenhouse, a local, century-old greenhouse that they planned to revitalize. As recent graduates of Iowa State University with degrees in horticulture, the couple updated the existing infrastructure, optimized production methods, and diversified the variety of plants grown. They rebranded to Plantpeddler and grew their small business quickly. In 1984, the couple successfully launched a wholesale division with the support of their second retail location. This new department led the way for the Gooders to serve independent and middle-market retailers with their premium crops, ranging from garden mums to begonias. The Gooders traveled to Europe in an effort to learn longstanding techniques in transportation, horticulture, and genetics. By 2001, Plantpeddler introduced the young plants division, becoming a major producer of vegetative genetics for the floriculture industry. Plantpeddler continued to invest in state-of-the-art greenhouse technology and currently boasts a production space of over 500,000 square feet. Today, the company excels as a global leader in supplying young plants, finished plants, and specialty horticultural products, and its impact is felt far beyond Iowa. Plantpeddler serves 3,200 growers across the U.S. and beyond, shipping plants to all 50 States and another 15 countries worldwide. The Cresco-based powerhouse operates as the United States' No. 1 propagator of begonias and ranks second for poinsettias, shipping over 15 million plants annually. In 2014, Mike and Rachel's son John Gooder joined the company to follow in his parents' footsteps. With a degree in horticulture from Iowa State, John took on a key role in the company to explore advancements in automation and genetic research. A decade later, in 2024, John became a part-owner, helping manage the business and a team of 99 community employees. In 2017, peers in the greenhouse industry selected Mike Gooder for the inaugural class of the Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards. In 2023, [[Page S1578]] Mike and Rachel won the Iowa State University Outstanding Horticulture Alumni of the Year award for their small business success and service to the Cresco community. In 2024, the two received the Iowa Leadership in Agriculture Education Award in recognition of the business' ``Educate the Educators'' program, which trains and mentors teachers on greenhouse production, horticulture genetics, and real-world horticulture practices. Currently, Mike serves as the chairman of the Iowa State Horticulture Advisory Committee. Plantpeddler's excellence remains widely recognized. As an active industry leader, Plantepeddler is a member of the Cresco Chamber of Commerce, Choose Iowa, and several regional and national horticulture industry groups. In 2022, Plantpeddler played an active role in providing funding for a greenhouse project at Mike and John's high school alma mater in Cresco. Additionally, the Gooders founded and host a biannual event with roughly 400 growers and industry leaders to share and learn about best practices in floriculture genetic testing. This June, Plantpeddler looks forward to celebrating its 45th anniversary in Iowa. When I visited Plantpeddler in 2020, I witnessed their entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence that allow them to play such an essential role in the floriculture industry. I want to congratulate the Gooders and the entire Plantpeddler team for their hard work and dedication to providing exceptional products and services to families and businesses across Iowa and beyond. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success. ____________________