By Maggie Lawrence, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Commercial fruit and vegetable production continues to expand in the Southeast.The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association's annual conference and trade show offers producers access to the newest information and research affecting their operations. AFVGA's annual conference is set for Feb. 6-7, 2015 at the Marriott Grand National Hotel and Conference Center in Opelika, Alabama.
Dr. Ayanava Majumdar, an entomologist and commercial horticulture program coordinator with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, said it is a great opportunity for networking. "Producers will get to meet experts outside of the state of Alabama that they wouldn't normally get the chance to meet."
Majumdar added that while the conference is geared toward professionals, anyone interested in learning more about fruit and vegetable growing would benefit from attending. "We are targeting fruit and vegetable producers, gardeners, educators, community leaders and conservation agencies as well as the specialty crop industry by offering a range of educational topics," Majumdar said.
The first day of the conference is filled with key note speakers, hands-on workshops, educational sessions and grower networking sessions for major fruit and vegetable crops. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 6 and is followed by a general session at 8:30 a.m. and guest speakers at 8:45 a.m.
The workshops begin at 10 a.m. and feature topics ranging from vegetable grafting and transplant production to marketing your farm and beekeeping. The remainder of the day will be filled with educational sessions with breaks so attendees can visit the trade show and network. Some new educational sessions include training for commercial greenhouse and high tunnel crop producers.
"It is an excellent educational opportunity for producers to interact with industry and state leaders in agriculture," Majumdar said.
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