Farwest Show calls for 2022 New Varieties Showcase entries

PORTLAND, USA: The 2022 Farwest Show is now accepting submissions of new plant introductions for the upcoming New Varieties Showcase.

Sponsored by Hip Labels, the showcase is an annual highlight at Farwest, the biggest green industry show in the West, which will be held August 24–26, 2022 at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon.

Each year, the New Varieties Showcase is one of the industry’s most-watched events for previewing new plant introductions that will raise the bar in the marketplace. The showcase display on the expo floor gives prominence to cutting-edge plant varieties from around the world. All accepted entries are judged by a jury of industry experts, as well as the 5,000-plus show attendees. The top vote-getters have the chance to win a Judge’s Award or a People’s Choice Award.

For 2022, two tiers of entry are being offered: Tier 1 entries will be featured online at www.FarwestShow.com and displayed in the New Varieties Showcase on the floor with Hip Labels plant tag labels. Added-value incentives for Tier 1 entries include presentation in the July issue of Digger magazine ($750 value) and Hip Labels plant tag giveaways for attendees. Each Tier 1 submission costs $235 and the registration deadline is March 31.

Tier 2 entries will be featured online at www.FarwestShow.com and displayed in the New Varieties Showcase on the floor with Hip Labels plant tag labels. Each Tier 2 submission costs $75 and the registration deadline is June 30.

To be considered for inclusion in the showcase, all entrants must submit the New Varieties Showcase online entry form by the March 31 deadline for Tier 1, or the June 30 deadline for Tier 2. The online form is available at https://farwestshow.com/new-varieties-showcase-submissions/.

To qualify for approved entry, plants must exhibit qualities of greater hardiness, increased bloom time, more vibrant colour, improved habit and/or better disease resistance. Entries must be new market introductions for 2022 or 2023, and they must be available for purchase from at least one designated grower or supplier exhibiting at the 2022 Farwest Show. At the 2021 show, 79 impressive varieties were on display, including annuals, grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees.

The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN), based in Wilsonville, represents nearly 700 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon’s ornamental horticulture industry is one of the state’s largest agricultural commodities, with annual sales of $1.1 billion. Oregon’s nursery industry is a traded sector; nearly 80 per cent of the nursery plants grown in Oregon are shipped out of state. For information, visit www.oan.org

The Farwest Show, the biggest green industry trade show in the West, is produced by the OAN, a nonprofit organization that represents and serves the interests of Oregon’s nursery, retail and greenhouse industries. Any revenue realised by the OAN is reinvested into the industry through education, research, marketing support and government relations. For more information about the 2022 Farwest Show, visit www.FarwestShow.com