Community excited about growing plants, flowers and workforce

WAKEFIELD, NEB. (June 3, 2008) — Community leaders turned shovelfuls of earth today to mark the future location of Bonnie Plants new greenhouses—its first plant and flower-growing facility in Nebraska, and a venture that’s expected to create five full-time and 20 part-time positions in the community with a population just peaking 1,400.

Gov. Heineman attended the groundbreaking saying, “We celebrate with Wakefield today as Bonnie Plants makes prepares to make new investments in this community, and I congratulate everyone involved for helping create new jobs in this community. I hope this new growing operation will be the start of a productive relationship now and for many years to come.”

The event took place on the new 40-acre Wakefield Industrial Park, south and east of the town limits. Joining the spade brigade were Joe Stuart, National Sales Manager with Bonnie Plants, Dan Curran, Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s (DED) Business Development Division, Nebraska State Senator Pat Engle, Dist. 17, Wakefield Mayor Tom Henderson, Jim Litchfield, Wakefield City Administrator, Tina Englebart, Deputy Director of Northeast Nebraska Development District, and Nancy Schulz, Economic Development Consultant with the Nebraska Public Power District.

The wholesale plant and herb company started in a patch of Bonnie Paulk’s backyard in 1918. Today, the company oversees growing locations in 33 states nationwide. Seventy percent of the products grown here will be shipped to adjoining states’ retailers with the remaining distributed throughout the state.

On behalf of the state, Gov. Heineman presented a Breaking New Ground plaque, to recognize the community’s and company’s successful partnership endeavors. This past April, DED awarded Wakefield with $130,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to build a street leading to and from the greenhouses. Wakefield contributed an additional $125,000 match.

Bonnie Plants, of Union Springs, Ala., is a subsidiary of the nation’s largest commercial plant and flower production company, Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Inc., whose products are sold through K-Mart, Menards, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT
Patty Wood at 800-426-6505, 402-471-1559 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it