Research

$7 billion

The trend of buying fresh produce, plants and products from community supported agriculture like local farmers continues to grow. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said sales of locally produced food is expected to generate $7 billion in 2012, up from $4.8 billion in 2008. “Farmers markets are our new backyard veggie gardens and are becoming our local grocery store,” said Susan McCoy of Garden Media Group.

$122 billion

While big corporations may know how to maneuver the tax code, small businesses may be a large evader of taxes. The difference between what the IRS is owed and what it collects grew from $290 billion in 2001 to $385 billion in 2006, according to a report in The Fiscal Times. And businesses that log income on individual returns – mainly small businesses and farms – accounted for the largest portion of that tax: $122 billion.

83%

What organizations or community causes does your company support? And do you publicize how you’re giving back? A Cone Survey found 83% of consumers want to see more brands, products and companies support worthy causes.

73%

How important is plant knowledge to be a landscape architect? A recent survey published in HortTechnology found 73% of landscape architects said the profession has distanced itself from plant materials knowledge compared to previous years. Also, 71% of the respondents said recent landscape architect graduates did not have a sufficient amount of plant materials knowledge. When rating themselves, 48% said they had an average amount of knowledge when it comes to plants.

8 in 10

A majority of small-business executives are fed up with the federal government, according to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce January survey. Eight in 10 respondents said they would prefer Washington to stay out of the way than provide a helping hand. The survey found 86% of the respondents would rather have more certainty from Washington than assistance (6%) to deal with the economy.