Past Conference Meeting Materials Available Here

We are looking forward to bringing you another multi-day tree fruit conference this winter! Again, this replaces our traditional "LOF Fruit Schools" and our participation in the Empire Producers Expo in Syracuse. The program will run all day on Thursday (Feb 8) and Friday morning (Feb 9).

DEC Credit Eligible Sessions are on Thursday- 1.5 credits in the late morning session, and 0.25 in the early afternoon session.

Thursday, early AM, Session 1 - "Current Status of US Production & Grower Challenges",

Chaired by Craig Kahlke

7:30-8:30 AM Registration

 8:30 Welcome & Housekeeping, Craig (5min)

 8:35  Sponsor Spots (10mins)

 8:45  Chris Gerlach, US Apple Association (45 minutes)

- talk on production trends, holdings, etc.  

9:30 Grower Challenges Panel (40 minutes)

            Jim Bittner, Bittner-Singer Orchards & NYS Hort Society

            John Teeple, Executive Director, Premier Apple Co-op

            Mike Zingler, Zingler Farms

10:10-10:30 Break (20 minutes), DEC Credit Sign-in

Thursday, late AM, Session 2 - "IPM",

Chaired by Janet van Zoeren

10:30 Welcome, DEC reminder, Sponsor Spots  (10 minutes)

10:40 Adjuvants in agriculture. A black box of chemicals that we need to use more effectively - Christophe Duplais (25 minutes)

11:05 Fire blight and other updates - Kerik Cox (25 minutes)

11:30 Refining IPM Programs for woolly apple aphid management - Monique Rivera (25 minutes)

11:55 Tree Fruit IPM Monitoring and Scouting:  Upcoming Opportunities - Anna Wallis (10 minutes)

12:05-1:15 PM  Lunch & Visit Sponsors, DEC Credit Sign-in (70 minutes)

Thursday, early PM, Session 3 - "IPM/Horticulture",

Chaired by Mario Miranda Sazo

1:15  Welcome, Sponsor Spots  (10 minutes)

1:25 The EPA's Draft Herbicide Strategy: What it Means for You - Lynn Sosnoskie (20 minutes)

1:45pm Hort talks (60 minutes)

           Trends for Orchard Mechanization & Adoption of Precision Ag Technologies

                 Mark Hermenet, Hermenet Farms

                 Kristen DeMarree, Donald DeMarree Fruit Farm
                  

2:45-3:15 Break (30 minutes)

Thursday, late PM, Session 4 - "Labor & PGRs",

Chaired by Craig Kahlke

3:15  Welcome, Sponsor Spots (10 minutes)

3:25    Labor Update - Bonnie Nelsen (15 minutes)

3:40    TracCrops upgrade of TracApple Software - Julie Carroll (20 minutes)

4:00    Plant Growth Regulator Panel

          Options for Use of ReTain and Harvista with an eye to improved post-storage results-Terence Robinson (15 minutes)

           Panel of growers & consultants  (40 minutes)

                 Kevin Bittner, Bittner-Singer Orchards

                 Bobby Brown, Orchard Dale Fruit Farm

                 Jim Eve, Jim Eve Consulting

                 Brett Kast, Kast Farms

                 John King, Niagara Fresh Fruit Company

 

    4:55 PM ADJOURN, Hotel Check-in, Informal Cocktail Hour, Dinner Own Your Own

Friday, early AM, Session 5 - "Marketing & Fruit Quality",

Chaired by Bonnie Nelsen

8:30  Welcome (5 minutes)

8:35  NY Apple Association Update - Cynthia Haskins (20 minutes)

8:55  Harvest Maturity of High-Value Varieties for CA storage, Craig Kahlke (35 minutes)

9:30  Packer Panel - Bonnie moderating (45 minutes)

                    Brett Baker - HH Dobbins & United Apple Sales

                    Scott Henning - Lake Ontario Fruit Inc. & New York Apple Sales

                    Tim Mansfield - Sun Orchard Fruit Company

                    Doug Ricketts - Northeastern Juice Cooperative, Inc.

10:15-10:35 Break (20 minutes)

Friday, late AM, Session 6 - "Putting it All Together",

Chaired by the Lake Ontario Fruit Team

10:35-11:15    Panel of experts, summarizing what we've learned next steps, and suggestions and Q & A from the audience

11:40 AM - Lunch & Adjourn  

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!      

Look for conference registration, room reservation, and more session details in January at https://blogs.cornell.edu/nystreefruitconference/.

A block of rooms has been reserved for this event, be sure to ask for the "Cornell Cooperative rate" when making reservations using the link or phone number below:

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Rochester
1111 Jefferson Road
Rochester, NY 14623
Booking Link: https://group.doubletree.com/tq8yn7
Ph: 585-475-1510 press (1) for reservations, ask for the "Cornell Cooperative rate"

Reserve by January 28 for discount rate,

Program (PDF; 4935KB)