Latest news from the TGA

News from the Turfgrass Growers Association (6 August 2002)

PACKED PROGRAMME AT TGA's FIRST NATIONAL TURF CONFERENCE

Ten companies have now confirmed their intention to exhibit alongside the Turfgrass Growers Association's first national turf conference, taking place in Cambridgeshire on Thursday 24 October 2002. To be staged at the ICI Conference Centre, East of England Showground, Peterborough, the one-day conference and exhibition will bring together an impressive line-up of speakers, equipment and services designed to appeal to professionals from across the turf industry.

"The TGA's membership includes many of the leading turf growers in the UK and Ireland, as well as companies supplying products and services to those who grow, install or care for quality cultivated turf," explained TGA business development executive, Erica Nicholls. "The turf grown by our members reaches every part of the leisure, amenity and sports industries so the conference has been planned to appeal to as wide a professional audience as possible. Our speakers and exhibitors have certainly helped us achieve that goal."

Among the topics to be addressed during the day by the seven speakers will be turf pests and diseases, Turfgrass establishment, turf quality assessment and the breeding of new high quality amenity grasses. Leading Groundsman, Alan Ferguson, will open up the after-lunch session with a talk on the management and maintenance of premier soccer pitches and there will also be an open forum in the afternoon when members of the audience will be able to put questions to the speakers about their individual papers or any related subject.

Having decided to offer companies and organisations the opportunity to exhibit adjacent to the conference hall, the TGA is delighted that 10 leading suppliers to the industry have already signed up to show off their products and wares at designated times throughout the day. Confirmed exhibitors by early August are:

Advanta Seeds UK The Landscaper

Barenbrug The Scotts Company (UK) Ltd

British Seed Houses Spearhead Machinery

Camp Turf Care Systems Turfmech Machinery

Cebeco Seeds Väderstad UK

A limited amount of stand space is still available for any company or organisation that wishes to reach a specialist professional audience, all of whom will have an interest or involvement in growing, specifying, installing or caring for quality turf used for sports, ornamental or amenity purposes.

Further information on attending or exhibiting at the TGA National Turf Conference 2002 can be obtained from Erica Nicholls, telephone 01449 741638, e-mail: erica@roscomusic.freeserve.co.uk or visit the TGA's website at www.turfgrass.co.uk

For further press information, please contact:

Erica Nicholls, Business Development Executive Turfgrass Growers Association Tel: 01449 741638, Mobile: 07740 356037

or Michael Bird TGA Press Officer Tel: 01453 887999