Cautious Optimism for 2010

By:  George Chase, Chief Executive Officer

In mid-December, Larry Summers, Senior Economic Advisor to President Obama, announced that the most severe recession since the Great Depression is finally over. His proclamation was based on improving job loss numbers and gross domestic product
numbers.

In spite of a 10% unemployment rate, a penchant for insane spending by Congress, and the uncertainty about the Obama political agenda, i.e. Health Care Reform, Cap and Trade, Card Check (the express lane for unionization) etc., the economy is improving.

The good news is that even in the worst economic environment in 80 years, the colored mulch industry showed modest, but positive growth in 2009. Even more encouraging is our expectation that our industry will grow at a double-digit rate in 2010.

So, if our government doesn’t tax, regulate or legislate us to death, our economy will continue to improve. 2010 could be a good year for those of us in the colored mulch business.