BPOA is working closely with HDC to organise a week-long study tour to the east coast of North America in February 2015. The focus will be on visiting well respected nurseries producing bedding plants and a range of other seasonal plants.
HDC will fund internal transport and organisational costs for the study tour and further sponsorship will be soughtfor other elements of the study tour, but it is envisaged that each attendee will need to fund flights, accommodation and meals for at least six days.
The BPOAsee this as a great opportunity to enable some younger growers to visit these nurseries for the first time and spend quality time with their peers in the industry. Chris Beytes, editor of the US publication ‘GrowerTalks’, has already lent his support to the project and we plan to turn this into a real flagship event for UK growers.
If you are interested in joining the study tour then please contact either Mike Smith, W.D. Smith and Sons at bWpzNzc3MUBhb2wuY29t or Chris Need, Roundstone Nurseries and current BPOA technical committee chairman at Q2hyaXNfTmVlZEByb3VuZHN0b25lLmNvLnVr.
If there is sufficient initial interest in the study tour a detailed agenda and invite will be circulated by HDC and BPOA later on in the year.