Two Rose Parade Floats Honored For Choosing “California Grown”

Before the floats made their debut down Colorado Boulevard, California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, in partnership with the Buy California Marketing Agreement (BCMA), recognized Kit-Cat®Clock and the students of Cal Poly Universities in a special ceremony for committing their floats to be the first “California Grown” ever certified “CA Grown” in this 123 year-old parade. More than 85 percent of the flowers adorning each organization’s float were sourced from California flower farmers.

“To the Rescue!” Cal Poly University’s Float - was the ONLY Float to actually GROW some of the Flowers used on the Float… in the Horticulture Fields… NO other Float boasts this Achievement!

Kit-Cat Clock 80th Anniversary Float - had More Varieties of Flowers than any other float to date… The Diversity of CA Grown Flowers… truly Displayed the BOUNTY of California Flowers!

“From San Diego to the Oregon border, more than 250 California flower farmers account for 75 percent of all domestically grown cut flowers in the United States, making California the top flower producer in the country,” said Secretary Ross. “And there is no better event to celebrate the bounty of California’s majestic flower industry than the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. Certifying two of the floats this year is just the beginning of what I believe to be a return to sourcing CA Grown floral and non-floral materials for the Rose Parade, we hope to double the number of certifiable “CA Grown” floats each year.”

It was wonderful to see all the beautiful California Grown Flowers on these Floats – what a great way to start the New Year – 2012! A Historic Event… Creating an Opportunity to bring the Rose Parade Full Circle and speak to the Bounty of America’s Flowers grown in the USA… right in California!