[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.

                          ____________________