2024 Western NY Fruit Conference - Meeting the Challenges Ahead
Event Details
Date
February 8 - February 9, 2024
Time
Thursday - Full Day; Friday - Half Day
Location
DoubleTree by Hilton
1111 Jefferson Rd
Rochester, NY 14623
Cost
Full Conference after January 31st : $175.00
(addl attendee $175.00 ea.)
Thursday included AM, PM breaks and Lunch, Dinner on own. Friday included AM break & Lunch
Thursday only (full day 8th Feb) after January 31st : $105.00
(addl attendee $105.00 ea.)
Thursday included AM, PM breaks and Lunch, Dinner on own.
Friday only (1/2 day, morning only 9th Feb) after January 31st : $60.00
(addl attendee $60.00 ea.)
Friday included AM break & Lunch
Full Conference - Early Bird by January 31st : $160.00
(addl attendee $160.00 ea.)
Thursday included AM, PM breaks and Lunch, Dinner on own. Friday included AM break & Lunch
Thursday only (full day, 8th Feb) - Early Bird by January 31st : $95.00
(addl attendee $95.00 ea.)
Thursday included AM, PM breaks and Lunch, Dinner on own
Friday only (1/2 day, morning only 9th Feb) - Early Bird by January 31st : $55.00
(addl attendee $55.00 ea.)
Friday included AM break & Lunch
Host
Lake Ontario Fruit ProgramPast 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,
Upcoming Events
Save the Date - Western NY Fruit Conference - February 4-5, 2025
February 4 - February 5, 2025 : Western NY Fruit Conference
Rochester, NY
For the 2nd year in a row, we'll be having the Western NY Fruit Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Rochester! It will be another 1 1/2 day conference. Stay tuned for program and registration info as we get closer.