PGTA Annual Meeting and
Eco-Product Showcase
According to a November 2009 survey of the Garden Writers Association, over 41 million U.S. households planted an edibles garden in 2009. Almost 8 million of those households were first-timers.
For 2010, only 1% of survey participants said they would plant less than they did last year and 39% said they would plant more.
While the mainstream garden market is experiencing unprecedented growth, changes in federal and state policies on medicinal herbs have created booming growth in 15 state markets. These changes have also brought significant controversy and issues for retailers and manufacturers.
2010 Annual Meeting - April 10th & 11th, 2010
Hyatt Regency Riverwalk
San Antonio, Texas
This year's PGTA Annual Meeting and Eco-Product Showcase will be held April 10th and 11th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas. Our exciting educational program focuses on the drastic changes occurring throughout the industry and across all major markets including:
Legal Issues
Where are retailers and manufacturers in the newly emerging legal issues over medicinal herbs? What is the probability of another major policy shift and its impact? How can we protect our businesses, our image, and our markets in a volatile political environment?
Regulatory Issues
Local zoning laws have recently sprouted as a method for municipalities to control medicinal herb operations. How proposed ordinances and zoning regulations could potentially impact you and what you should know to protect your business.
Internet Competition
Is the internet helping or hurting your business? Virtually anyone can open a hydroponic store online and run it out of their garage. Cheap knock-off products of inferior quality abound on auction and affiliate sites for a fraction of what the original sells for. How you can use your website to fight back, grow your online sales, and increase walk-in traffic to your retail stores.
These are just a few of the critical topics that will draw today's best progressive gardening retailers to San Antonio for the 13th Annual Meeting of the Progressive Gardening Trade Association. This is where the movers and shakers in the industry will be and why your company needs to exhibit. For complete exhibitor information, see the links for the exhibitors package and applications further down this page.
Today, we have a booming market. In April, we have an extremely exciting program to attract the industry. San Antonio is a new, very cool destination with loads of fun opportunities to unwind for a spring break.
Educational Seminars
Our program chair for 2010, PGTA Vice-President Evan Folds of Progressive Gardens in Wilmington, North Carolina, is developing an awesome lineup of educational seminars with an influential array of presenters covering many topics of interest to progressive gardening retailers. Confirmed speakers to date include:
- Tom Szaky, Founder & CEO of TerraCycle, Inc.
- Bevan Suits, Founder of the Sustainable Design Group
Author of Access to Aquaponics - Bill Rittenberg of Rittenberg, Samuel & Phillips Law Practice
- Jeff Edwards of Home Harvest Garden Supply
- Evan Folds of Progressive Gardens, Inc.
Tom Szaky is founder and Chief Executive Officer of TerraCycle, Inc. TerraCycle enables consumers to collect waste which it then upcycles into thousands of various consumer products that are sold at the world's biggest retailers from Wal-Mart to Whole Foods. TerraCycle has been named the producer of most eco-friendly products in America, has won over 100 environmental and social awards, received the Home Depot Environmental stewardship award twice, been featured in Wal-Mart's sustainability report and been repeatedly named the ultimate eco-friendly brand.
As a freshman, Tom left Princeton University to found TerraCycle, building a company that has doubled in size every year since inception becoming the 233rd fastest growing company in America. Tom has won over 50 awards for entrepreneurship, blogs for Treehugger and Inc. Magazine, has recently published a book called "Revolution in a Bottle" and is the star of National Geogrphic Channels hit TV show, "Garbage Moguls."
Today TerraCycle, through partnerships with virtually all major CPG companies from Unilever to Kraft, operates in over 5 countries, has over 10 million people engaged in its waste collection programs, has collected over 2 billion pieces of garbage and donated over $500,000 to charities to collect that waste. In addition, TerraCycle products are not only made from waste but are also available at over 20,000 big box stores globally sustaining sales of over 20 million dollars. TerraCycle has been featured in virtually every major media outlet from "60 Minutes" to the Wall Street Journal (5 times) and is on its way to help eliminate in the idea of waste!
Bevan Suits is an industrial designer, writer, and video producer with nearly 25 years of exploration of this idea known as "sustainable". He is the founder of the Sustainable Design Group, which is a multidisciplined team covering design, engineering, communication, science, and construction, with a focus on aquaponics.
Why? Aquaponics will bring a lot of value to our culture and our economy. It's the most sustainable way to grow food efficiently while saving and even purifying water. The efforts of his team have been responsible for the development of millions of square feet of new properties that define the cutting edge of sustainable development.
Our Host Hotel
Hyatt Regency San Antonio
Our host hotel for the 2010 PGTA Annual Meeting and New Product Showcase is the Hyatt Regency San Antonio, where you can experience the heart of the Riverwalk in San Antonio. The Hyatt Regency is the only San Antonio Riverwalk hotel directly overlooking the historic Alamo and directly on the Riverwalk, connecting two of San Antonio's top destinations through their 16 story atrium lobby. Be the center of Hyatt's attention while you are in the center of the action by taking advantage of this unequaled location in the heart of dining and entertainment venues surrounding the Hyatt Riverwalk hotel in San Antonio. This four-diamond hotel includes contemporary guestrooms, the city's premier meeting and event space, Chaps restaurant, rooftop pool, Stay-Fit gym and a relaxing Spa. An experienced staff adds a genuine touch to world-class amenities, making Hyatt the preferred choice for San Antonio Texas Riverwalk hotels.
We have negotiated a special room rate for PGTA Annual Meeting attendees of $149.00 per night. To reserve at these rates through our dedicated Hyatt Regency of San Antonio room reservation web page, click here.
PGTA 2010 Media Awards
The PGTA will be announcing the requirements for the 2010 Media Awards Program in the near future. The purpose of the program is to recognize member efforts to create superior advertising, writing, web sites and other projects and materials aimed at promoting the image and understanding of earth-friendly, water-wise and organic gardening. Open to all PGTA members in good standing, the PGTA Media Awards Program highlights the efforts of your team, so be sure to submit your entries early.
Click here to see the winners and winning entries of the 2009 Media Awards Program
Sponsors
Sponsor opportunities are one of the best ways for manufacturers and distributors to get their name in front of potential buyers. More information on sponsorships available for the 2010 meeting can be found by clicking here (or save to your computer by right-clicking and choosing Save Link As...).
Who Should Attend?
Garden supply retailers, garden center, and nurseries; eco-friendly product manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors; and those considering starting a business in the progressive gardening niche of the multi-billion dollar lawn and garden industry, especially those who are interested in expanding the knowledge and use of organic and water-wise gardening products and practices are welcome to attend and participate. By educating and building our own community, we hope to chart a course for a better, more prosperous progressive gardening industry and market for the future.
PGTA members receive special discounts for attendance, but both members and non-members are invited.
Our well attended and highly rated educational sessions cover a variety of important topics and issues relating to sustainable gardening practices and technologies, as well as topics that help you run your small business.
2010 Eco-Product Exhibition Information
The PGTA Eco-Product Showcase will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio on April 10th and 11th, 2010.
Consumer interest in organic products and home gardening continues to grow, fueled at least in part by tough economic times. Water restrictions and drought are creating greater demand for new technologies. PGTA members are specialty retailers focused on solutions to these leading edge market issues. They are eager for the latest information and are the main point of contact with the end user market.
Exhibitors receive maximum exposure to this exclusive market of specialized gardening retailers featuring eco-friendly, water-wise and organic products for indoor, patio, backyard and hobby greenhouse gardening. Each member company full booth display comes with two (2) full meeting registrations and tabletop displays include one (1) full meeting registration, enabling exhibitors access to all program events to build personal relationships with key PGTA retailers.
No other meeting offers manufacturers a greater opportunity to build their business with such an exclusive and leading-edge market of retailers dedicated to promoting the latest in environmental gardening.
Click here for the complete Exhibitors Guide for the 2010 Progressive Gardening Trade Association Annual Meeting & Eco-Product Showcase. Or to save to your computer, right-click the link and choose (Save Link as...).
Click here for the Application for the 2010 Progressive Gardening Trade Association Annual Meeting & Eco-Product Showcase. Or to save to your computer, right-click the link and choose (Save Link as...).
2010 Exhibitors
The following exhibitors have been confirmed for the 2010 PGTA Annual Meeting and Eco-Friendly Product Showcase!
CF Group Inc.
Booth #38
2722 Hwy 3A
Nelson BC V1L 6L6 Canada
Phone: 250.825.2722 Fax: 250.825.2723
Web: www.canfilters.com
Ventilation experts - CFG provides the hydroponic industry with the best and most efficient carbon air filters and inline fans - made in North America, the Max-fan delivers the most FMS for the least amount of energy!.
Botanicare
Booths #16 & 17
6858 W Chicago St., Suite 3
Chandler, AZ 85226 USA
Phone: 480.777.2000 Fax: 480.777.2015
Web: www.botanicare.net
The future of hydroponics is available with the latest technological advancements developed by Botanicare. Our innovative and environmentally conscious products are extremely practical for both organic home gardening and people with busy lifestyles. We are excited to add CNS17 Coco and CNS17 Ripe; Botanicare Biologicals; and Organicare to our comprehensive collection of premium gardening products.
Greenstar Plant Products / Grotek Canada
Booth #31
9430 198th Street
Langley, BC Canada
Phone: 604.882.7699 Fax: 604.882.7640
Web: www.greenstar.com
Greenstar Plant Products distributes quality products internationally and manufactures its own ISO certifief products branded as Grotek, Earthsafe™, Agrotek and their new import and giftware division, GardenStar. Greenstar is sectored into two primary markets: lawn and garden and indoor hydroponic gardening. We are 100% Canadian owned and wholesale a broad range of 125 brands and 1700 products.
High Caliper Growing
Booth #18
115 NW 44th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73118 USA
Phone: 405.606.2400 Fax: 405.606.2401
Web: www.smartpots.com
High Caliper Growing produces the SmartPot™ aeration container. It has a unique ability to air-prune and enhance and enhance a plants root structure. A highly branched, fibrous root structure is the key to growing a better plant with more flowers and fruits, and more resistance to insects and diseases.
Hydrodynamics International, Inc.
Booths #28 & 15
5711 Enterprise Dr.
Lansing MI 48911 USA
Phone: 517.887.2007 Fax: 517.887.2008
Web: www.hydrodynamicsintl.com
Hydroponics has become a global phenomenon. Innovation and technical progress are happening everywhere. Hydrodynamics International has trading offices in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, being uniquely situated to evaluate new products and emerging technologies. Our mission is to select the best and most suitable products for the U.S. market. Manufacturers of Clonex® Rooting Products, MotherPlant® Nutrients, Ionic® Premium Plant Nutrients, Nitrozime™, and many other fine horticultural products.
Hydrofarm, Inc.
Booths #13 & 14
2249 S McDowell Boulevard Ext
Petaluma CA 94954 USA
Phone: 707.765.9990 x 111 Fax: 707.765.3399
Web: www.hydrofarm.com
Hydrofarm is the nation's oldest and largest manufacturer of hydroponics equipment and grow lights. You can find our products in hundreds of stores and catalogs across North America. On the market since 1977, Hydrofarm brand products are the choice of more indoor gardeners and gardening retailers than all other brands combined. Hydrofarm products are available everywhere with 4 Distribution Locations to Serve You! (CA, TX, PA and FL)
Milwaukee Instruments, Inc.
Booth #30
2950 Business Park Dr.
Rocky Mt. NC 27804 USA
Phone: 252.443.3630 Fax: 252.443.1937
Web: www.milwaukeetesters.com
Milwaukee Instruments manufactures affordable, easy to use, precision meters, testers, monitors and controllers covering pH, EC, TDS, Brix, LUX, DO, and all types of photometers. With Milwaukee products you get fast, knowledgeable service, the highest quality of diagnostic equipment available and an excellent warranty/customer support support program all at competitive prices.
Spray-N-Grow
Booth #29
20 Highway 35 South
Rockport, TX 78382 USA
Phone: 361.790.9033 Fax: 361.790.9313
Web: www.spray-n-grow.com
Spray-N-Grow is a leading manufacturer of organic-based hydroponic nutrients. We specialize in foliar nutrition, and are most well known for our micro nutrient complex Spray-N-Grow. Our other products include Bill's Perfect Fertilizer and Coco-Wet, an organic wetting agent. Spray-N-Grow products are widely available through hydroponics distributors and retail stores.
More to come!