PestBusiness.com Announces Seminar Focusing on Non-Crop Ag Sectors

GLASGOW, Scotland — PestBusiness.com through Active Solutions and Xenex Associates, announced a seminar title “Beyond Agriculture – Opportunities to Diversify” will take place Oct. 16, at the prestigious Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.

This half-day seminar for directors and senior managers offers an insight into the world beyond agriculture taking in the non-crop sectors including amenity, consumer, ornamentals and public health pest management.

The event is being held in association with the XVI International Plant Protection Congress organised by BCPC (British Crop Production Council) and IAPPS (the International Association for Plant Protection Sciences). Delegates will be able to combine the seminar with a visit to the Congress exhibition at no extra charge.

The organisers have pulled together some top class speakers. The morning will begin with Rod Parker, managing director of AIS, who will outline the size and scope of the global non-crop market. London-based AIS is the only company focused on providing market research and proprietary consulting in the area of non-crop pesticides. Parker will draw on new 2006 data to reveal the key changes since the last survey in 2001. How fast is the non-crop market growing? Which countries are leading that growth? Which market sectors are the rising stars? Where are tomorrow’s opportunities?

Rob Fryatt, senior consultant, Xenex Associates, will then look at the key players in the non-crop market. Who are they? How do they operate? What do they expect from pesticide manufacturers? In particular he will highlight the different channels to market prevalent in the non-crop arena. Fryatt is one of the most recognized personalities in the non-crop sector. For more than 15 years he has been a regularly invited event speaker sharing his extensive views and experience of the global non-crop industry.

The data requirements for agriculture and non-crop markets do differ, often significantly. Dr Mark Lynch, a consultant for EuroChemLink, has first-hand experience of the regulatory differences between the crop and non-crop sectors. He recently retired from the Irish Department of Agriculture and Food where he was responsible for the development and management of the regulatory system for plant protection and biocidal products. However, he is most well known for his involvement in the development of Directive 91/414/EEC and his chairmanship of the OECD Registration Steering Group.

Globalization in the pest management industry will be addressed by Ted Brown, senior consultant, Cophall Associates. Brown is one of the most experienced pest control managers in the sector having run businesses, both large and small, in all parts of the world. Now an independent consultant, he will offer his audience an insight into a sector which contrasts widely with the crop protection market.

Finally, Martin Brown, managing director of Exosect, will share his experiences covering the highs and lows of making the transition from an agriculture company to one operating beyond agriculture. Exosect now specialises in environmentally acceptable pest control and operates in many markets including forestry and amenity landscape, public health, animal health and the consumer sectors as well as crop protection.

Further information on the programme and speakers can be found at www.pestbusiness.com where delegates can also register online. Alternatively call +44 (0) 1664 822678 or email: moira@pestbusiness.com for details.