Pubdate: Tue, 03 May 2005
Source: Business In Vancouver (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 BIV Publications Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.biv.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2458
Author: Glenn Drexhage
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

INDOOR GARDENING EXPO BEARS SOME BITTER FRUIT

Self-Proclaimed Abbotsford Medical Marijuana Producer Clashes With Event's 
Organizers In Hydroponics Debate

A rift centred on an upcoming local expo highlights the sensitivities 
surrounding the indoor gardening technique of hydroponics.

One B.C. company that pitches itself as a medical marijuana leader said it 
is boycotting the fifth annual International Indoor Gardening Expo, which 
takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition 
Centre.

Yet others are keen to distance themselves from the use of hydroponics for 
growing marijuana and focus on its applications for other areas, such as 
gardening and food production.

Abbotsford's Advanced Nutrients Inc., which calls itself "the world's 
largest hydroponics nutrient manufacturer and leader in medical marijuana 
research, technology and advocacy," recently sent BIV a copy of an ad in 
which it said it is boycotting this year's indoor gardening expo.

"We're sending them a message. I trust they get this message loud and 
clear," said Advanced Nutrients president Robert Higgins.

Higgins added that the company was the biggest exhibitor at the expo last 
year. Advanced Nutrients, which began in 1997, has revenues approaching $30 
million and has close to 100 employees, he said.

Its ad features a lengthy list of claims. For example, it stated that "Our 
company policy of helping medical marijuana patients has not been well 
received by the hydroponics expo show promoters and by most of the 
attending exhibitors that have booth space at this years [sic] Indoor 
Gardening Expo," adding that "There has been extreme pressure by fellow 
exhibitors to not allow Advanced Nutrients to exhibit at the hydroponics 
expo this year and in years past."

Higgins said the advertisement was scheduled to be in an ad listings 
magazine last week, noting that he had further plans for magazine, 
newspaper, Internet and radio advertising.

Jim Jesson, the Nanaimo-based publisher of Maximum Yield magazine - a main 
exhibition sponsor and organizer - said he knew that Advanced Nutrients was 
not exhibiting this year but was not aware of a boycott. He said Advanced 
Nutrients wanted more floor space than was available.

Higgins said Advanced Nutrients had invested $250,000 in a huge booth. "The 
space that we absolutely expected was trimmed back to almost one-tenth of 
what we hoped for."

Space issues aside, Jesson stressed that the expo is not a forum for cannabis.

"Every year we have a zero tolerance policy for the show, which means we 
don't allow cannabis in there, because it's illegal," he said.

Dave Nelmes, an inspector with the Vancouver Police Department, estimated 
the police come across hydroponics systems in busts of marijuana "grow ops" 
about 20 per cent of the time.

"Do some people use our products for growing personal quantities without a 
permit? I'm sure they do," Higgins said. "Do they grow vast quantities 
illegally? I would imagine they would, you know; we are the leader in what 
we do. But that I can't control nor do we condone."

The local indoor gardening expo began in 2001.

"It's grown a lot - dramatically," Jesson said, adding that exhibitors from 
around the world would be at the event. "Our show is actually a gear show. 
It's not a politically motivated show to promote or have anything to do 
with cannabis actually. We don't want to challenge the grey areas of the 
law. We aren't involved in hydroponics for cannabis, we're involved [in] 
hydroponics for food production."

Another expo participant had a similar view.

"I definitely want to get the message out there that hydroponics is not 
only for marijuana," said Fonda Betts, president and co-founder of the 
Allie's Group of Companies in Langley.

Two Allie's companies - Allie's Wholesale Garden Supplies Ltd. and Grotek 
Manufacturing Inc. - have sponsored the Vancouver expo since its inception.

"It gives us an opportunity to go direct to the end user. We are creating 
brand awareness," Betts said. "We are a very professional industry, and as 
the years go by, the industry gets more and more professional."

Betts said about 75 staffers are at Allie's Group, which has revenues 
exceeding $25 million. It supplies hydroponics and horticultural products 
in about 21 countries, including Canada, the U.S. and Australia. Customers 
include vineyards, landscapers and greenhouses.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom