Steve Harper, sales director at Gardman and formerly of Bord na Mona, Vital Earth and William Sinclair Horticulture, has been elected as the first independent chair of the Garden Media Association (GMA).

Ben Malin of Terraqueous (representing the Somerset Peat Producers) is elected as the vice chair.

Steve Harper said he was delighted to have been elected chair 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,” he added.

Steve will lead the GMA through a busy 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 to help the industry move forwards. The GMA also plan to fully update their website, merging the GMA and John Innes websites to create a useful single resource for 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 at the Horticultural Trade Association (emma.clark@the-hta.org.uk).