The horticulture industry provides significant contributions to society, including healthy foods, economic development, recreation and leisure activities, among others. However, there are critical issues facing the horticulture industry which should be illuminated to ensure ongoing vitality and relevance, particularly within the COVID-19 pandemic context. The present study used the Delphi Technique to identify the most critical issues facing the horticulture industry as perceived by a panel of industry experts. Data were collected from February to October 2020 and thus preceded the initial declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic through the lifting of stay-at-home orders in most states. The expert panel arrived at a consensus on 34 specific issues, five of which were specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the Constant Comparative Method, the issues were thematically analyzed and grouped into five primary categories, including (alphabetically ordered): (1) disease and pest management, (2) education, research, and recruitment, (3) environmental conditions and natural resource availability, (4) labor challenges and considerations, and (5) production challenges and innovations. The results of the study provide a framework for both academic and practitioner audiences to identify critical focus areas for the industry within a COVID-19 context.

Communities in rural America have experienced significant decline over the past century. Professionals working within these communities, such as extension or community development professionals, may leverage their position as trusted sources to decrease negative outcomes associated with novel and emerging societal problems, such as rural stress. This study was grounded in the community capitals framework and sought to examine the importance of capitals relative to the perception of rural stress. A sample of extension agents from a southeastern land-grant university in the United States provided rating and ranking data. A modified Borda Count and weighted ranking score were computed to generate a heuristic ranking of capitals relative to importance to rural stress. Human and natural capital were consistently regarded as highly important, while cultural and built–financial capital were consistently sorted to the bottom. Therefore, human and natural capital may represent critical entry points for professionals to develop programming related to rural stress perceptions and coping mechanisms. Overall, the results of this study support the continued use of the community capitals framework to guide community development strategies that address rural stress concerns and provides evidence to inform rural development policies and interventions. Such strategies should involve community members to facilitate an inside-out approach and develop sustainable solutions based on local knowledge and needs.