New chair elected for Growing Media Association

Steve Harper (Sales Director of Gardman and previously of Bord na Mona, Vital Earth and William Sinclair Horticulture) has been elected as the first Independent Chair of the GMA. Ben Malin of Terraqueous (representing the Somerset Peat Producers) is elected as the Vice Chair.
 
Commenting on his appointment, Steve Harper says, “I am delighted to have been elected to Chair the GMA for the next two years. Having recently moved to Gardman after working directly for growing media manufacturers for the past 15 years and being involved in the project to responsibly source and manufacture Growing Media I’m in a great position to be independent and yet fully understand the demands of the industry.”
 
Steve will lead the GMA through an exciting period of change. Working together with partner organisations, Projects 4 (Responsible Sourcing and Manufacture of Growing Media) and 7 (Performance Standards for Amateur Products) of the Growing Media Taskforce will be completed and turned into practical tools for the industry to move forwards. The GMA also plans to fully update its website incorporating both the GMA and John Innes websites into one, creating a useful resource for both retailers and consumers.
 
Steve explains: “We plan to present the workings of Project 4 at a seminar at the end of June to all manufacturers, retailers, NGOs and other interested parties, with various manufacturers showing their findings.”
 
For further information about GMA please contact:
Emma Clark, Horticultural Trade Association Email: emma.clark@the-hta.org.uk
Phone: 0118 930 3132