Save The Date
Now is the time to start making a list of the meeting and conferences you need to attend.
With the 2008 growing season wrapping up in most areas, it's time to start thinking about some of the upcoming meetings you might want to attend. Below is a guide for some of these meetings, with an emphasis on a few of the major highlights from each. There's bound to be at least one session you won't want to miss, so make sure to mark your calendars!
Washington State Horticultural Association (WSHA) Annual Meeting
Date: Dec. 1-3, 2008
Location: Yakima, WA
For More Information: www.wahort.org
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- The annual Batjer Address: "Sustainable Profits in a Global Economy" by Ed Seifried, professor of economics at Lafayette College.
- A panel discussion on the generation gap in farming (addressing the meeting's theme, "Opportunities for the Next Generation") with input from the Allan, Kershaw, McDougall, and Gilbert families.
- Sessions covering the economic and environmental impacts of sustainability, as well as how to grow locally while acting globally.
- A series of presentations on how to be successful while dealing with the phaseout of organophosphates, including a look at the most promising replacements, and managing in a crisis pest situation.
- The annual WSHA Banquet, sponsored by Western Fruit Grower and United Phosphorus Inc.
Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo
Date: Dec. 2-3, 2008
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
For More Information: www.ncvga.com
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- A look at new developments in traceability, food safety, risk management, and country of origin labeling, and how they will impact your operation.
- On-farm trials and current status of methyl bromide alternatives.
- Blackberry opportunities for Southeast growers.
Deep South Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference
Date: Dec. 3-4, 2008
Location: Mobile, AL
For More Information: www.deepsouthfruitveg.com
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- Food safety issues, including preparing for an audit and where food safety is headed in the coming years.
- Energy-wise farming through resource conservation.
- A major focus on marketing and agritourism, with perspectives from growers in the industry.
- A full-day discussion of blueberry production, including pest management and new varieties.
Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market Expo
Date: Dec. 9-11, 2008
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
For More Information: www.glexpo.com
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- Farm marketing presentations, including a Farm Marketers' Roundtable, where growers can discuss what worked, and what didn't work, this year.
- A review of three different cherry harvesting systems by Michigan State University researchers.
- Updates on mechanical thinning of stone fruit and pome fruit.
- A two-day workshop on fruit irrigation systems, held Dec. 11-12, that will focus on the design and use of microirrigation systems.
- Crop-specific educational tracks, as well as entire sessions devoted to "Putting The Farm Bill To Work," "What All Growers Need To Know About GAPs And Third-Party Audits," and "Organic Tree Fruit Production."
Almond Board of California Industry Conference
Date: Dec. 10-11, 2008
Location: Modesto, CA
For More Information: www.almondboard.com
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- A look at hot topics in pollination, including potential bloom conditions in 2009, and how to evaluate your return on investment for pollination costs.
- An update on the current status of environmental regulations, including reducing carbon emissions.
- "What Happens in the Orchards Affects the Shelf," a panel discussion that will explore how almonds may be affected by changing consumer expectations.
- A series of panel discussions covering irrigation, plant nutrition, breeding and variety evaluation, and dealing with new fumigant regulations.
- "Agricultural Labor — An Endangered Species," which will be addressed during a lunch presentation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Illinois Specialty Crops and Agritourism Conference
Date: Jan. 7-10, 2009
Location: Springfield, IL
For More Information: www.specialtygrowers.org
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- Pre-conference seminars on Jan. 7 on "AGR-Lite Crop Insurance" and "Labor and Legal Issues."
- Breakout sessions on peach and apple production, including disease management and controlling growth in the tops of apple trees.
- An agritourism and marketing track with sessions on how to capitalize on consumer trends, how to increase on-farm sales, and how to work with the media.
- The annual Apple Cider Contest and Hard Cider Contest.
Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference/Southeastern Peach Convention
Date: Jan. 9-11, 2009
Location: Savannah, GA
For More Information: www.gfvga.org
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- New peach cultivar and training system developments, including a presentation by American/Western Fruit Grower "Stone Fruit" columnist Desmond Layne.
- An update on mechanical thinning technology for peaches.
- The Food Safety Focus Forum, with a look at what happened in the tomato industry this year, and how you can prevent it from happening to you. Speakers include United Fresh Produce Association president Tom Stenzel and Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Committee.
- An overview of food safety good agricultural practices.
- The Blueberry conference, with a focus on new varieties.
Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association Congress
Date: Jan. 12-14, 2009
Location: Sandusky, OH
For More Information: www.opgma.org
Don't Miss These Highlights:
- "Building Toward a Profitable and Sustainable Future in Fruit Production," a panel discussion which is based on American/Western Fruit Grower's CROP initiative, with input from leading Ohio growers and researchers.
- The Hows and Whys of food safety, and what it means for you.
- An update on sustainability and environmental stewardship programs.
- What worked and what didn't work for Ohio direct marketers this past year.
