Aug 19, 2011

Educational sessions, special events on tap for EXPO

This year’s Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO will offer a variety of educational sessions and special events. There should be something of interest for everyone attending. The 2011 EXPO is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 6 through Thursday, Dec. 8. Here’s just some of what is being planned.

Education sessions

As usual, a number of commodity sessions will be offered, including pumpkins and other Halloween crops on Tuesday, hoop houses and tunnels on Wednesday and biological pest control on Thursday morning. An organic vegetable production session is planned for Thursday as part of a full-day program for organic growers.

A special session on soil fumigation and fumigation management plans will be offered on Thursday morning. Hear from EPA officials on what the current Phase Two plan is and its required buffer zones, and what is in their ‘tool box’ to help you comply. You also can listen to a consultant who has written plans, and how he is dealing with the EPA. A large applicator business that is trying to abide by the newly developed rules will also present on its challenges. This will be an opportunity for us who apply fumigants, or have them applied on our farms, to hear from the experts and ask questions.

For growers with farm markets, morning and afternoon farm market sessions will be offered on Tuesday and Wednesday. These sessions will offer a number of interesting and informative presentations, including several “show and tell” discussions by successful farm marketers. A farm marketers’ roundtable session to share successful marketing ideas will be held Tuesday evening. On Thursday, four in-depth workshops are being planned. One workshop will feature John Stanley, who specializes in helping perishable retail businesses to grow their bottom line and expand their market base. This year’s bakery workshop will include Joy Grose, bakery consultant for farm markets from Sparland, Ill., who will be giving a demonstration on bread baking. A third workshop will provide information on direct marketing beef. The fourth workshop is yet to be determined.

A pre-conference bus tour of farm markets is being planned for Monday, Dec. 5. The markets visited in 2011 will all be different from those visited previous years and will be centered in the South Haven, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph area.

Special events

Industry Luncheon, Tuesday, Dec. 6 – This event brings together grower leaders and others with an interest in issues important to agriculture. It will feature a presentation by a prominent leader from government, academia or industry. Last year’s speaker was Dr. J. Ian Gray, Michigan State University’s Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. This year’s speaker will be announced when confirmed.

Meet the Buyers Reception, Tuesday, Dec. 6 – Vegetable and fruit growers will have an opportunity to connect with retail and wholesale buyers at this event. The reception is hosted by Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), MSU Product Center and the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

Michigan Farm Marketing & Agri-Tourism Association Gathering, Tuesday, Dec. 6 – This gathering is for all Michigan farm market and agritourism operators who wish to learn more about the Michigan Farm Marketing & Agri-Tourism Association. The gathering provides an enjoyable social time and an opportunity for informal discussion about the work of this organization.
Prayer Breakfast, Wednesday, Dec. 7.

EXPO Banquet, Wednesday, Dec. 7 – John Stanley will be the featured speaker for this year’s banquet program. He is a coach, consultant, author, speaker and trainer, and is considered one of the leading horticultural marketing consultants. The banquet program also includes recognition of this year’s industry-sponsored scholarship recipients, growers and others who have made outstanding contributions to Michigan’s fruit and vegetable industries.

For more information, go the Great Lakes EXPO website.