Patented process helps Mo. nursery grow internationally

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- An Elsberry nursery that is sending as many as half a million trees to China each year has earned bragging rights as Missouri's top exporter.

Forrest Keeling Nursery recently received the Missouri Exporter of the Year Award at the Governor's Conference on Economic Development.

"We were very honored," said Kim Lovelace-Young, the nursery's vice president and general manager. "I think they were looking for an increase, and we have greatly increased our export sales, especially to China."

China became interested in Forrest Keeling Nursery because of a growing process it developed and patented that increases transplant success and accelerates growth. The system was developed in Elsberry by nursery president and CEO Wayne Lovelace.