Winter Production Meetings, Fruit and Vegetable
A list of production meetings in early 2018 for commercial fruit and vegetable growers.
I hope everyone had a good season and is enjoying some slower days. It looks like our first batch of very cold weather is headed for the state this week.
It is a good time to start planning for next year and thinking about attending winter meetings to learn something new, connect with other growers and make sure you have all in information you need to be successful in the coming year.
Here is a list of meetings (state and national) that are coming up in early 2018.
Meetings In Arkansas:
Food Safety Trainings for Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). 2018.
Dec 11th, Fayetteville, AR
January 9th, 2018. Monticello, AR
January 16th, 2018 Hope, AR
If you are a commercial producer of fruit and vegetables for fresh market and gross over $25,000 it is likely you are required by federal law to attend one of these trainings. Need more info on the specifics? See website below.
Information and Registration: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/crops-commercial-horticulture/horticulture/arkansas-produce-safety.aspx
Sponsored by The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
Tree Fruit and Small Fruit Pruning Workshop. Fruit Research Station Clarksville, AR.
February 15th, 2018
1-4pm.
Registration is $10. Registration closes Feb 5th.
We will have a short indoor class session and then go out and demonstrate the pruning of blueberries, blackberries, grapes, peaches and apples.
Online Registration: https://courses.uada.edu/course/view.php?id=655
Please register online to help us know how many to expect. It will ask you to create an account.
Sponsored by The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
Pecan School 2018
Three part course, all classes 9am-3pm
February 6th
April 5th
June 7th
Classes will be held at the Lonoke County Extension Office, Lonoke AR
Contact Jackie Lee (jalee@uada.edu) or Mike Brown (mjbrown@uada.edu) for more information.
Sponsored by The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
MidAmerican Strawberry Growers Association, Winter Meeting
March 2-3rd , 2018
Location TBD.
This is the regional strawberry growers assocation.
Contact Cathie Greene for more information, farmercathie@gmail.com
Regional Meetings
Horticulture Industries Show (HIS). Tulsa, OK.
January 5-6th. 2018
This is a meeting convened by Arkansas and Oklahoma. This year it is in Tulsa, next year it will be in Arkansas. There are sections on commercial fruit, and vegetable production as well as sections on ornamentals and Christmas trees. We are hoping to grow attendance at this meeting in coming years to provide educational resources specifically to commercial fruit and vegetable growers.
Registration and information here: https://www.hortindustriesshow.org/2017-show
Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, Savannah, GA.
Jan 11th-14th, 2018.
This is probably the largest fruit and vegetable conference in the Southeastern region. They have educational tracks on several different crops, including, blueberries, watermelon, peaches, caneberries, roadside market growers and organic vegetable production. It is a worthwhile meeting and has an impressive trade show.
Information: 4
National Meetings
North American Strawberry Growers Association (NASGA), New Orleans.
January 21-24th. 2018
NARBA is the strawberry association for Canada, Mexico and the US. The meetings are very grower oriented and it is a good place to meet growers from across the country. They have farm tours in conjunction with this meeting.
Information: http://www.nasga.org/n-american-strawberry-growers-conference.htm
North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association (NARBA), Ventura, California
February 21-24, 2018
NARBA is the national association of blackberry growers. They have very informative meetings and do a farm tour as a part of the meeting.
Information: http://www.raspberryblackberry.com/north-american-raspberry-blackberry-conference-2018/
Focus on Sustainable or Organic Production:
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG). Chattanooga, TN
Jan 17th-201th, 2018
Practical tools and grower speakers from across the SE. A good place to network and learn the basics.
Information: http://www.ssawg.org/conference-.html
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE). St. Louis, MO
April 3-5th, 2018
This is a once per decade event, hosted by SSARE and ATTRA. Grower speakers, extension speakers and networking. There are farm tours planned around the event.
Information: http://ofof.sare.org/
