The LOF Winter School is an opportunity to provide updates on recent research results, new pest issues, disease control, new technologies, and fruit supply topics to help growers continue to compete and produce high quality fruit. There are several guest speakers from Cornell faculty, and the team. This is a duplicate school held in Wayne County on Feb. 3, 2015. There is also a concurrent session  for Spanish speaking employees at the same locations.  Lunch is included in the cost of registration. Please click here for complete schedule.  To register by mail, click here.  To register online, click here.  To sponsor winter fruit schools online, click "Sponsorship."

The LOF Winter School is an opportunity to provide updates on recent research results, new pest issues, disease control, new technologies, and fruit supply topics to help growers continue to compete and produce high quality fruit. There are several guest speakers from Cornell faculty, and the team. This is a duplicate school held in Niagara County on Feb. 2, 2015. There is also a concurrent session for Spanish speaking employees at the same locations. Lunch is included in the cost of registration. Please click here for complete schedule. To register by mail, click here. To register online, click here. To sponsor winter fruit schools online, click "Sponsorship."

Are you a farmer interested in produce safety? Are your markets asking for food safety plans or third party verification? Do you want to understand produce safety issues and Good Agricultural Practices as well as the FSMA proposed Produce Rule and third party audits? If so, join us for this multi-day workshop on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and leave with a farm food safety plan for YOUR farm!

Farm Food Safety Training with GAPs
• Tuesday, February 10, 8:30 AM - Wednesday, February 11@ 3:30 PM
Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Cornell Vegetable Program, the Lake Ontario Fruit Team, the Produce Safety Alliance, and the Cornell National GAPs program, with assistance from the New York Department of Agriculture & Markets, will be hosting a training for farm food safety or Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), including Harmonized GAPs.
In recent years, several food borne illness outbreaks in produce have made national news. Both the produce industry and the federal government have stepped up demands for fruit and vegetable farms to meet food safety practice standards. These standards are known as GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices).
A new program, Harmonized GAPs, has been developed to combine several food safety certifications into one program. New York's retail produce buyers are asking growers to adopt Harmonized GAPs certification in many cases. In response, Cornell National GAPs Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension have developed a multi-day workshop.
Tuesday, February 10
• What is GAPs?
• How does GAPs work?
• What does it mean for my farming operation?
Wednesday, February 11
• Write a farm food safety plan for your farm*

*A laptop computer is required for the second day. If you are not computer savvy, please bring a person with you that has computer knowledge and skills. If you need to borrow a computer please indicate so on the registration form.
Optional supplemental session
• Mock audit (at a participant's farm during the growing season)

Learn on-site the concept of precision pruning and get new orchard mechanization ideas for your farm this winter. This second “Winter Pruning and Orchard Mechanization Tour” is an educational activity sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University. 

Wayne County Pre-Exam Training to Become a Certified Pesticide Applicator Offered by LOF and NWNY teams, Wayne CCE, and DEC.
Training Classes:
When: Tues., March 17 & Thur., March 19, 2015
           12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
           Registration begins at 12:00 pm
Where: 1581 Rt 88N, Newark, NY 14513
The Certification Exam is tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2015 @12:30- 4:00pm. Register directly with DEC to take the exam.

DEC Special Permit allows non-certified workers to apply and handle federally restricted use pesticides.
A DEC Special Permit is valid for one year and needs to be renewed every year unless the pesticide applicator becomes certified.

A DEC Special Permit is valid for one year and needs to be renewed every year unless the pesticide applicator becomes certified.  Please bring green "WPS Handler" cards.  Please pre-register your non-certified applicators for this training by April 3 using the registration form (click here). 

DEC Special Permit allows non-certified workers to apply and handle federally restricted use pesticides.
A DEC Special Permit is valid for one year and needs to be renewed every year unless the pesticide applicator becomes certified.