Serious issues face a major, little known industry in the county.
When Judy Bessinger of West St. Paul Minnesota receives a bouquet from her honey, she might know the orchids are from Hawaii, the roses from Ecuador, or the tulips from Holland. She probably does not know or care about the origins of these lovely blossoms as long as they are from Mr. Right. It is even less likely that she, or even her florist at Evergreen Floral and Gift, knows anything about the source of the floral greens that form the backbone of her arrangement. But there is a good chance that this greenery comes from the state of Washington, and very possibly from Mason County. They pass through many hands before reaching the desk of a secretary in Spain or the room of a hospital patient in Greece.