Tammy Lauinger shown with her family. (Submitted photo/Tammy Lauinger)

By Angela Brown

Growing business

Unity business owner named new president of Saskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association

Nov 18, 2020 | 5:42 PM

Unity business owner Tammy Lauinger has been named the new president of the Saskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association.

The owner of Hollyhock’s Greenhouse, who is on the association’s board of directors, was voted into the position Wednesday.

“I have a lot of faith in the board as it is,” she said. “So for me to be the president of [an organization] that I already know is great is very humbling. But also I’m rest assured that I am in the right position.”

She said the board of directors has been working directly with the province on establishing COVID-19 precautions for the sector.

“We were instrumental in greenhouses even being able to open this growing season,” Lauinger said.

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Greenhouses are considered an essential service in the province because they help with food security by supplying people with seeds and starter bedding-plants to grow their own vegetables at home.

“We also provide [people with] a mental health outlet,” Lauinger said.

Families are able to grow vegetables as well as flowers and plants in their own gardens, which helps relieve stress and contributes to positive mental health.

“[Greenhouses] didn’t have to stay within the agricultural guideline,” Lauinger said. “We were able to be distinct from agriculture, and be allowed to stay open as an essential service. Even if [some greenhouse operators] weren’t part of the Greenhouse Growers Association, they were able to reap the benefits.”

There are over 100 greenhouses in Saskatchewan that are part of the association.

The Saskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association aims to educate and provide information to greenhouse operators on a variety of provincial regulations, such as related to pesticide application guidelines, and lobbies on behalf of the industry.

As part of the COVID-19 restrictions, greenhouse owners must adhere to the province’s capacity limitations for admitting people into their facilities at the same time.

Lauinger said online sales for greenhouses are currently growing as a result of the pandemic. The association has been providing information to greenhouse owners about how to sell products from their virtual stores, and establish a presence on the internet.

Lauinger said greenhouses are seeing more sales as more people are staying close to home and taking up gardening, and growing their own vegetables.

“Many of the association members are reporting back huge increases in sales,” she said.

Due to the pandemic, the Saskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association has had to move all its activities online instead, as a result of restrictions for gathering.

“Everything is put on hold right now, as far as face-to-face meetings go,” Lauinger said. “It’s just such a different year.”

The organization is currently preparing for next year, while also staying up-to-date with new procedures.

Lauinger said most greenhouses in the province operate seasonally, and close during the winter due to the high cost to heat facilities in the colder months.

She said through its efforts, the Saskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association continues to offer guidance to greenhouse and garden centre operations across the province, both large and small, to bring them together, and keep everyone up-to-date on regulations for the sector.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW