Growing the team - Growing media Europe reinforces technical expertise

Mr Gerald Schmilewski recently joined the Growing Media Europe (GME) team as a highly experienced technical expert with deep knowledge of the European growing media sector and a track record in developing European standards (ENs) for growing media and soil improvers.

Amongst other tasks, Mr Schmilewski supports GME in dealing with the technical aspects of implementing the new Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR). As GME was recently acknowledged as an official liaison organization to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), he will be representing the interests of the European growing media producers in the CEN Technical Committee 223 ‘Soil improvers and growing media’, in charge of the standards linked to the FPR.

Mr Schmilewski has worked for one of the GME company members for 20 years in Research & Development before he retired in 2018. Prior to that he was a long-time research associate with the German Peat Research Institute. He was strongly engaged in activities of GME´s predecessor association EPAGMA over several years and was involved in the early stages of the legislative procedure leading to the new Fertilising Products Regulation. His educational background is horticulture which he first studied at the University of Osnabrück and then at the University of Minnesota as a scholar of the Carl Duisberg Society. In 2018 Gerald’s on-line book on growing media (in German) was published by the GME associate member IVG.

As a welcomed side effect, this new cooperation also strengthens the link between GME and the International Peatland Society (IPS), whose presidency is held by Gerald Schmilewski since 2016.

Read more:

A test field of around 3,000 m² at Macfrut 2024

23 April 2024

At Macfrut, the sector’s innovations will be on display in an area of around 3,000 square metres, divided into two halls: one dedicated to fruit growing (Hall C1 - Agri Field Solution) and the other to soilless production techniques, commercial and industrial horticulture, and mechanisation (Hall A1 – Machinery Solutions). ‘Both of these areas allow visitors to see for themselves what they can put into practice on their own farm,’ says Luciano Trentini, an experienced agronomist. »

The first edition of Fruit Attraction in Brazil reflects the potential of the Brazilian fruit and vegetable sector

22 April 2024

Fruit Attraction, one of the world's leading international trade fairs for the fruit and vegetable sector, has closed its first edition in Brazil, at the São Paulo Expo. The three-day event brought together the entire production chain of the sector, with the presence of 45 countries and 8 Brazilian states (São Paulo, Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Pará, Espírito Santo and Paraná) and 12,000 visitors. »

What happened in the food industry this past month?

15 April 2024

Innovation is of key importance at SIAL Paris – and nowhere is this more the case than at the SIAL Start-up Village, which is run in partnership with Sesamers. Present in 24 countries, Sesamers is a global network of tech events that was launched in 2015 by specialists in innovation and business events. “With 10 years of experience, we help innovative businesses to shine on stage, build better events and scale their influence strategy,” the network, also known as Start-up Sesame, says. »