The International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) and Garden Centers of America (GCA) announced this week that GCA will be the United States representative to the IGCA. 

The IGCA is an association made up of more than 15 different countries to provide a forum for the mutual exchange of information and for the benefit of similar-minded independent garden retailers on a world-wide basis. Members of the IGCA network with other national garden center associations to exchange best practices, ideas, methods and experiences.  Previously the United States had been represented by the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA).

Each year the IGCA conducts an Annual Congress held for one week in the fall in a different host country. In 2010 the Congress will be in Japan. The Congress includes a business meeting, which elects officers and administers the affairs of the association, a concentrated business study tour including individual garden center study tours organized by the hosting national association.

David Williams, president of Garden Centers of America, said, “Our organization is very pleased to be the U.S. representative to IGCA, and we look forward to offering our members the opportunity to learn and benefit from this international educational relationship.”  Williams said a key interest of the GCA Board in accepting the U.S. representation was to encourage more U.S. participation in the Annual Congress and the exchange of best practices from around the world with GCA retailers.

IGCA Executive Director Victor Santacruz added, “We look forward to having GCA as the U.S. representative, and we are very excited by the enthusiasm in which the GCA Board of Directors expressed in accepting this position.”  According to Mr. Santacruz all garden center members of GCA will automatically become recognized as members of IGCA.