Often overlooked are agricultural products that enhance the quality of life either through their aesthetic properties or environmental enhancing properties. The U.S. leads the world in the production and marketing of these floriculture and nursery crops. This "green industry"' is the second most important sector in U.S. agriculture in terms of economic output. In an increasingly competitive market, financial risks, especially controlling costs, becomes a key issue in the green industry. To help greenhouse owners make managerial decisions: we developed an Excel spreadsheet entitled "Greenhouse Cost Accounting" that allows greenhouse managers to allocate costs to specific crops. It enables users to easily determine profitability of specific greenhouse crops and explore full cost accounting. Producers can analyze incremental production costs and track financial categories. 2222The results show total costs and net returns per unit. The program can assist owners and managers in making decision on pricing, identifying and reducing unprofitable crops, and increasing sales of profitable crops. We developed hands-own workshops targeted at greenhouse owners using the Greenhouse Cost Accounting Program to do full cost accounting, calculate costs, and determine which crops were their winners and losers.
