Wisconsin’s Floriculture Industry Worth $231 Million

The 2019 Census of Horticultural Specialties report, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), shows that horticulture operations in the United States sold a total of $13.8 billion in floriculture, nursery and specialty crops in 2019, down slightly from 2014. The number of horticulture operations decreased 11% during this time to 20,655.

Sales value of Wisconsin cut Christmas trees ranked forth in the nation, composing 6.5% of the total U.S. cut Christmas tree sales, with $23.3 million in sales. The 181 operations in Wisconsin sold 785 thousand Christmas trees in 2019. As of January 1, 2020, there were 7.26 million Christmas trees on Wisconsin horticulture operations to be cut and sold in future years.

Wisconsin’s total floriculture, nursery and specialty crops generated $231 million in sales in 2019, up slightly from 2014. This accounts for 1.7% of all U.S. horticulture sales in 2019. Wisconsin producers decreased in number from 833 in 2014 to 789 in 2019, a 5.3% decrease. Of the 789 horticultural specialty operations, family- or individually-owned operations were the most common, accounting for 53.1% of all operations, but corporately owned operations accounted for 66.8% of all sales ($154 million). Partnerships had an increased share of revenues, composing 18.5% of total sales in 2019, compared with 16.5% in 2014. Total industry expenses in Wisconsin totaled $183 million, down 2.7% since 2014. Hired labor costs, at $67.0 million, were the largest expense, accounting for 36.7% of total expenses in 2019.

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