Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Logo

Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Effective Date: September 23, 2025

PRIVACY POLICY

WHO WE ARE

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers ("ASCFG," "we," "us," or "our") is a trade association dedicated to educating, uniting, and supporting commercial cut flower growers. Our website address is: ascfg.org and localflowers.org

You can contact us at:

  • Email: membership@ascfg.org
  • Website: ascfg.org & localflowers.org
  • Mailing Address: MPO Box 268. Oberlin, OH 44074, USA.
  • Phone: 440-774-2887

The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to inform our website users and our members about information that may be posted and shared on our website so that users will hopefully limit the use of personally-identifiable information.  We will use commercially reasonable measures to maintain privacy, but we cannot and do not warrant that privacy can always be maintained.  Therefore, it is incumbent on you to notify us immediately of any suspected breach or concern.

Changes to This Policy: We will notify you of material changes to this Privacy Policy by posting a notice on our homepage and/or sending an email to registered users. Since policy change notices may only appear for a limited time, please check this Privacy Policy regularly. You can always find our current Privacy Policy at ascfg.org/privacy-policy.

DATA WE COLLECT AND HOW WE USE IT

Personal Information We Collect

Member Information: We may collect personal information from ASCFG members including, without limitation:

  • Full name and business name/farm name;
  • Business address and mailing address (if different);
  • Business phone and fax numbers;
  • Email addresses;
  • Job title and business descriptions;
  • Membership type and renewal information; and
  • Payment information (processed through our payment providers).

Website Visitor Information: In addition to the information we may collect from our members, we may also collect the following from all website visitors:

  • Email addresses (if you contact us or subscribe);
  • Information you provide voluntarily through forms, surveys, or communications; and
  • Comments and feedback you submit to our website.

AI Knowledge Base Interactions: When you use our AI-powered knowledge base and discovery tools, the following information may be divulged or generated:

  • Search queries and interaction patterns;
  • Topics of interest and resource usage;
  • Session data to improve AI recommendations; and
  • Feedback on AI-generated responses.

How We May Use Your Information

For Members:

  • Membership Services: Managing your membership, processing registrations & renewals, and providing member benefits;
  • Directory Services: Including your business information in our member directory and with your consent a listing on localflowers.org;
  • Communications: Sending membership updates, industry news, educational content, and event notifications; and
  • Digital Archive Access: Providing access to our 30+ years of quarterly magazine archives.

For All Users:

  • Website Functionality: Responding to inquiries, improving our website and services, and customizing user experience;
  • Educational Mission: Advancing cut flower growing knowledge and industry best practices; and
  • Research and Analytics: Understanding user preferences and improving our educational offerings.

Disclosure: ASCFG may disclose information, at its sole discretion, where required by law or to comply with valid legal process (such as a search warrant, subpoena, or court order), or to protect ASCFG's rights or property, including during emergencies; for safety concerns; or in connection with a transfer of control of ASCFG or substantially all of its assets.

MEMBER DIRECTORY AND DATA SHARING

Member Directory

ASCFG maintains a member directory that is available to all current members. The directory includes, but may not be limited to the following:

  • Member names and business names;
  • Business addresses;
  • Phone and fax numbers;
  • Email addresses; and
  • Business descriptions and specialties

Directory Opt-Out: Members may request to be excluded from the directory or limit the information included by contacting membership@ascfg.org.

Third-Party Data Sharing

With members' approval, ASCFG may occasionally provide, sell, or rent limited data to third parties, including companies that offer products and services relevant to cut flower growers. This limited data includes, but may not be limited to:

  • Names and job titles;
  • Company/farm names; and
  • Business addresses.

What We DON'T Share: We do not share phone numbers, fax numbers, or email addresses with third parties without consent.

Opt-Out Rights: Members may opt out of third-party data sharing at any time by contacting info@ascfg.org or updating their member preferences online.

COOKIES AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Cookies

Our website uses minimal cookies for essential functions, such as:

  • Session Management: Temporary cookies to maintain your login session and website functionality; and
  • User Preferences: Cookies to remember your display preferences and settings.

Cookie Duration:

  • Login cookies: 14 days (if "Remember Me" is selected) or until you log out
  • Preference cookies: 1 year
  • Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser.

Automatically Collected Information

Our web server automatically collects:

  • Internet Protocol (IP) address;
  • Browser type and operating system;
  • Pages visited and time spent on each page;
  • Referring website (if you arrived via a link); and
  • Date and time of visits.

How We Use Technical Data:

We may use data as follows:

  • System maintenance and security;
  • Understanding user behavior to improve website functionality;
  • Generating aggregate statistics (never personally identifiable); and
  • Troubleshooting technical issues.

AI KNOWLEDGE BASE DATA PRACTICES

AI Interaction Data

When you use our AI-powered knowledge base tools, we may collect:

  • Questions asked and topics searched;
  • Time and duration of AI tool usage;
  • Feedback on AI response quality; and
  • Pattern data to improve future recommendations.

Data Use for AI Improvement

We may use data for AI Improvement as follows:

  • Service Enhancement: Improving AI response accuracy and relevance;
  • Content Curation: Identifying frequently requested topics for future content development;
  • User Experience: Personalizing AI recommendations based on your interests; and
  • Quality Assurance: Monitoring AI performance and addressing any issues

AI Data Protection

  • AI interaction data is kept confidential and used only for service improvement
  • No personally identifiable information is shared with AI technology providers
  • AI training data is anonymized and aggregated
  • Members can request deletion of their AI interaction history

CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

ASCFG's website is intended for adults involved in commercial cut flower growing. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we are made aware that we have personally identifiable information about a child under 13 in our files, we will delete that information promptly.

DATA SECURITY AND INTEGRITY

Security Measures

We implement security measures to protect your personal information, some of which may include the following:

  • Secure Servers: SSL encryption for data transmission;
  • Access Controls: Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis;
  • Vendor Contracts: Privacy protection agreements with all service providers; and
  • Regular Audits: Periodic security assessments and updates.

Employee Training

All ASCFG employees are trained on and must abide by our Privacy Policy. Only authorized employees have access to personally identifiable data, and access is limited to what is reasonably needed for their job responsibilities. Employees who violate our privacy policies are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Data Retention

We may retain the following data:

  • Member Data: Retained while membership is active and for 7 years after termination for business and legal purposes;
  • Website Data: Comments and submissions retained indefinitely unless deletion is requested;
  • Technical Data: Server logs and analytics data retained for 2 years; and
  • AI Interaction Data: Retained for 3 years to improve service quality.

YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES

Access and Control

You have the right to:

  • View Your Data: Request a copy of all personal information we hold about you;
  • Update Information: Correct or update your contact and membership information;
  • Delete Data: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal and business record requirements);
  • Limit Use: Opt out of directory inclusion and third-party data sharing; and
  • Portability: Receive your data in a portable format.

Communication Preferences

You may choose to:

  • Unsubscribe: Remove yourself from email communications at any time;
  • Update Preferences: Choose which types of communications you receive; and
  • Directory Opt-Out: Remove your information from member directory services.

How to Exercise Your Rights

Contact us at membership@ascfg.org to:

  • Update your contact information;
  • Request access to your personal data;
  • Request deletion of your information;
  • Modify your communication preferences; or
  • Opt out of data sharing.

Response Time: We will respond to your requests within 30 days.

THIRD-PARTY SERVICES AND LINKS

External Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources. ASCFG is not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We may not have control over the security of said websites, services, or resources.
Therefore, we strongly encourage you to review the privacy policies of any website before providing personal information.

Service Providers

Some of the Service Providers We work with are for matters that may include:

  • Payment Processing: Secure handling of membership fees and payments;
  • Email Services: Delivery of newsletters and member communications;
  • Web Hosting: Secure hosting of our website and member data; and
  • AI Technology: Powering our knowledge base and discovery tools.

All service providers are contractually required to protect your personal information and use it only for the services they provide to ASCFG.  However, we cannot warrant the acts and omissions of any of our service providers. 

INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

ASCFG is based in the United States. If you are accessing our website from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated.

CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

CCPA Rights

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

  • Right to Know: Detailed information about personal information collection and use;
  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information;
  • Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of sale of personal information (Note: ASCFG does not sell personal information); and
  • Right to Non-Discrimination: Equal service regardless of privacy choices.

How to Exercise CCPA Rights

California residents may contact us at membership@ascfg.org with subject line "California Privacy Rights" to exercise these rights.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Privacy Questions

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact:

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers
Email: info@ascfg.org
Website: ascfg.org
Subject Line: "Privacy Policy Inquiry"

Data Protection (Office of the Executive Director)

For formal privacy complaints or data protection matters: director@ascfg.org

Last Updated: September 25, 2025

This Privacy Policy is effective as of the date listed above and supersedes all previous versions. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.