BCPC has been forced to cancel its annual Congress due to be held in Glasgow later this year. The move follows a particularly disappointing commercial uptake for both exhibition space and hospitality facilities which show no signs of recovery.
Despite its best efforts, BCPC has been unable to find ways of continuing to fund this year’s Congress and associated commercial events. In recent years Congress has become a loss-making activity for the charity, as industry contraction has led to reduced numbers of delegates and sales of exhibition space and hospitality areas.
In particular, BCPC has been unable to recoup the large losses it incurred following the 2001 Brighton Congress, which, coming shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, suffered a very low attendance from overseas delegates. Meanwhile, BCPC’s funds, which have been used to make up the shortfall, have been eroded significantly by recent falls in its investment portfolio.
Consequently, BCPC, as a preferential creditor, has put its commercial arm, BCPE Ltd., into receivership. BCPC is now exploring ways of continuing as a publisher of its range of more than 12 titles which include The Pesticide Manual, The UK Pesticide Guide and The Manual of Bio Control Agents.
Notes for editors:
The British Crop Production Council (BCPC) is a UK registered charity and is a non-profit making organisation. Over 50 years it has developed an international reputation for sound science in the fields of agriculture, food and the environment. Its conferences, publications and working groups bring together basic and applied scientists to share information on key issues. Its website www.bcpc.org attracts more than 12,000 visitors a month seeking its opinions, products and services. Its commercial arm, BCPE, is a leading technical publisher and events organiser.
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