Products from every corner of the Earth-friendly industry will be featured in the All-Natural Area at H.H. Backer’s 21st Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show and Educational Conference, April 3-5 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore.

More than 6,000 professionals representing pet stores, catalog companies, distributorships and pet-care facilities are expected to shop the show aisles, according to Colette Fairchild, trade show director for H.H. Backer Associates Inc. (Chicago).

After they shop, attendees will have the chance to glean practical ideas for competing in today’s challenging marketplace through a variety of free educational seminars: “Remodeling on a Shoestring Budget” and “25 Merchandising Secrets for Retailers” by Chris Miller; “Networking Skills: Improve Your Bottom Line” by Vicki Lynne Morgan; “The E.A.S.Y. Selling Method” by Anthony Bennie; ““Improving the Health of Your Customers’ Pets” by Thom Somes; “Improving Bird and Small Animal Sales” by Ruth Hanessian; “NexPet, the Pet Retailer Co-Op” by Barry Berman; a panel discussion on “Thriving in a Down Economy” by Barry Berman and Vicki Lynne Morgan; and a terrier grooming demonstration by Sally Hawks.

For aquarium specialty retailers as well as retailers with fish departments, Patrick Donston will present “Aquatics Livestock 101;” and will join Rick Preuss and Tullio Dell Aquila for an aquatics industry panel discussion. Also on tap: one-on-one “Ask the Expert” sessions featuring Donston, Preuss and Dell Aquila as well as Julian Sprung, Jeff Turner, Mark Krupka and Timothy Hovanec, all in the spacious Aquatic Answers lounge on the show floor.

Mary Oquendo and Beth Cristiano, Certified Canine Specialists and Pet Tech Instructors, will present a comprehensive seminar on pet first aid and CPR. The four-hour session, which costs $99, will be held on April 3.

Bravo/Nature’s Variety (Lincoln, Neb.) will sponsor “Bottom Line Raw,” a free luncheon and presentation on raw food diets, on April 4. Seating is limited to the first 100 respondents; RSVP to seminar@bravorawdiet.com.

Trade show attendees also can win some serious shopping money in Backer’s new Royal Flush Contest. Each day, contestants with the three best hands will win prizes from participating sponsors as well as the chance to win $50,000 in Royal Flush finalist round, held daily.

For details or to register for badges, visit www.hhbacker.com. [February 2009 PET AGE]