Seed Your Future, a national movement dedicated to inspiring the next generation of plant professionals, launched its “From Classroom to Career: Growing Green Futures” campaign. Running through December 31, 2025, the effort seeks to raise $50,000 to equip teachers with career-focused horticulture resources, reaching thousands of students across the country.
For just $8.50, donors can underwrite one teacher’s access to free Seed to STEM lessons and horticulture career tools. These materials introduce students to rewarding, purpose-driven careers in plant sciences and the green industry, blending science, sustainability, creativity and technology. One teacher using these lessons can inspire dozens of students to explore green pathways.
$85 equips 10 students with career exploration tools
$250 provides plantable paper for a school career fair
$850 impacts 100 students exploring horticulture careers
$1,700 empowers 200+ students with career pathways
$5,000 covers the cost of one teacher attending the Seed to STEM immersive program
“Every donation helps us cultivate curiosity and career exploration in students while strengthening horticulture’s future workforce,” said Jazmin Albarran, executive director of Seed Your Future. “From classrooms to careers, your support directly enables teachers and students to discover the power and purpose of plants.”
Impact Since 2014:
Seed Your Future has opened doors for students by providing 147 career profiles showcasing diverse horticulture opportunities, a national database of internships and scholarships, the Plant Power Career Quiz, helping students discover their green pathway, engaging videos and a Horticulture STEM Career Documentary Series.
Individuals, companies, and industry partners can contribute through personal donations, corporate giving, or introductions to others passionate about cultivating green talent. Every contribution puts career-focused materials in teachers hands to give students hands-on learning experiences. To donate, visit: https://givebutter.com/SYF_Fundraiser
Wiedenmann North America announced the retirement of Jordy Smith, who served the company as the West Coast territory sales manager for the USA and Canada with exceptional dedication and leadership for more than 23 years.
Throughout his career, Smith has played a key role in promoting Wiedenmann’s full line of turf and grounds maintenance equipment, earning the respect and appreciation of colleagues, dealers, and customers alike. His passion for the industry and commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on the company’s success and reputation across North America.
“Jordy has been an integral part of the Wiedenmann family,” said Will Wolverton, president of Wiedenmann North America. “His professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm for our products have helped strengthen our brand and build enduring relationships throughout the industry. He will truly be missed.”
Smith’s retirement will be effective December 31, 2025. A successor has not yet been named. In the interim, customers and partners are encouraged to contact their territory sales managers or Wiedenmann North America’s headquarters with any questions.
John Deere announced the continued expansion of its strategic partnership with Western Products, a division of Douglas Dynamics, to delivering best-in-class snow and ice control solutions.
Douglas Dynamics remains a cornerstone of the John Deere winter solutions portfolio. Its Western brand of snow and ice control equipment, including snowplows and ice blades, is now integrated across a growing range of John Deere platforms, including Gator utility vehicles, compact utility tractors and construction equipment. This alignment ensures customers have access to high-quality, high-performance snow and ice control equipment through the John Deere dealer network.
As the partnership evolves, both companies are collaborating to push the boundaries of snow and ice control with expanded capabilities and unmatched performance, especially in areas where precision and efficiency are critical. As a result, a newly designed sidewalk machine is in development to meet the needs of municipalities, campuses, and commercial contractors looking for compact, maneuverable and powerful snow and ice control equipment.
“We are confident that our partnership with Douglas Dynamics will continue to exceed the needs of our customers in snow and ice management,” said Luke Gribble, go-to-market manager, John Deere. “Our customers rely on us to deliver game-changing solutions that address demanding weather environments, and therefore, we will continue to collaborate and develop industry-proven solutions that provide enhanced productivity and performance.”
Project EverGreen unveiled a new feature for its Clean Air Calculator (CAC): a mobile drawing tool that allows users to easily map their green spaces and learn the amount of clean air they generate
directly from their smartphones or tablets.
The new “mobile paint brush” makes mapping properties of any size simple and fun. Whether you service or manage a city park, natural grass sports field, corporate campus, residential lawn, or golf course, the CAC is the only platform that measures how much carbon green space sequesters, as well as the amount of clean air it produces.
“Healthy green spaces — grass, trees, and shrubs — are one of the most effective natural ways to capture carbon and improve air quality in our communities,” said Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “With our new mobile drawing tool, anyone can now see the measurable environmental benefits of their green space right at their fingertips.”
Once a property is mapped, users receive a customized environmental impact report detailing:
Clean air produced annually
Miles of emissions offset
Number of people benefiting from the green space
In addition, the CAC can enhance team training by helping crews understand how proper turf, tree, and shrub care contributes to cleaner, healthier communities. The CAC’s data-backed insights position your organization as a trusted partner in environmental stewardship and community well-being.
Getting started with the Clean Air Calculator is quick and simple. In just a few easy steps, you can map your property and discover its environmental impact:
Create a free account at www.ProjectEverGreen.org/CleanAirCalculator
Watch the short tutorial
Enter your property address
Draw your property boundaries using the new mobile-friendly tool
Submit to receive your personalized report
Users are encouraged to share their results on social media and challenge friends and family to see what their properties are doing for the environment.