The 2004 Upper Midwest Regional Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference and Trade Show will be Feb. 5-6 at the St. Cloud Civic Center in St. Cloud. This conference is the educational highlight of the year for commercial fruit and vegetable producers in the upper Midwest. There will be something for all commercial growers, those who are well established, new growers, and those thinking about commercial horticultural production. In addition to outstanding educational opportunities, more than 50 vendors will showcase their products at the trade show. Highlights of the Thursday and Friday sessions include three presentations on high tunnel production by Dr. William J. Lamont, Jr., from Penn State. Lamont is a leading expert on plasticulture and high tunnel production and will discuss high tunnels for organic production, tomato and pepper production in high tunnels, and high tunnel production of berry crops. Organic sessions have been added to the 2004 program and include an overview of organic production, a presentation on cover crops and a grower showcase. If you are considering starting a commercial horticultural operation, or are a market grower, we have sessions on what you should consider before you plant your first seed, and tips on maintaining the quality of your produce and effective display techniques. Berry production topics include how to avoid winter injury in strawberries, black root rot (definitions and basic information as well as options for control), variety updates, bumble bee pollination in blueberries, recent research on the Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetle and information on the recent Special Local Needs Registration for Stinger use in Minnesota strawberries to control thistle. More than 70 educational sessions will be offered on a variety of topics including sweet corn, pumpkins and other cucurbits, tomatoes and peppers, berry production, apples and tree fruit, cole crops, specialty crops, direct marketing and business and risk management. In addition, there will be sessions on weed management, postharvest considerations plus much more. Marketing sessions include merchandising for the market grower, considerations for determining who will be your customer, cash management strategies for direct marketers, and grower showcases. The educational conference is sponsored by the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association in cooperation with the U of M Extension Service, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the North Dakota State University Extension Service, the USDA Risk Management Agency and the RMA Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program. For a copy of the entire program, contact the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association at (763) 434-0400, your local extension office, or the U of M Extension Service at (218) 281-8690. Additional information can also be found on the MFVGA Web site at www.mfvga.org.
