See the lineup at the 2017 Florida Ag Expo at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research And Education Center.
The 2017 Florida Ag Expo is considered “Florida’s premier event for fruit and vegetable growers.” Set for Wednesday, November 8th, at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, the event is “a can’t-miss opportunity for growers and consultants looking to maximize profitability in fruit and vegetable production,” according to the event’s website. See the agenda below.
Agenda for the 2017 Florida Ag Expo
The website maintains the event will help attendees to “learn the latest on pest and disease management in tomatoes, strawberries, and others – our educational sessions provide practical solutions” attendees can implement right away. The agenda is as follows:
-8:15 – 8:30 am: Welcome and Introductions
Jack Rechcigl, Center Director, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, UF/IFAS
Jack Payne, Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, UF/IFAS
–8:30 – 10:00 am: State of the Industry Panel
Discussing hot topics in Florida’s specialty crop sector
Mike Stuart, President of Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
Reggie Brown, Executive Vice President of Florida Tomato Exchange
Dudley Calfee, President of Florida Blueberry Growers Association
Kenneth Parker,Executive Director of Florida Strawberry Growers Association
–10:00 – 10:30 am: Break / Visit with Exhibitors
Alternative Crops/Disease Control Track
Moderator: Alicia Whidden, UF/IFAS Extension
-10:30 – 10:50 am: Downy mildew on cucurbits: Getting the most out of your fungicide program
Gary Vallad: UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
-10:50 – 11:10 am: Managing watermelon vine decline and other viruses
Scott Adkins, USDA-ARS
-11:10 – 11:30 am: Managing whiteflies in Florida vegetables
Hugh Smith, UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
-11:30 – 11:50 am: Blueberry production and new variety selection
Jeff Williamson, UF/IFAS
-11:50 am – 12:10 pm: How early can we go? A new strawberry for Florida
Vance Whitaker, UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
-12:10 – 12:30 pm: The potential of artichoke and hops production in Florida
Shinsuke Agehara, UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
Farm Automation & Mechanization Track
Moderator: Crystal Snodgrass, UF/IFAS Extension
-10:30 – 11:00 am: New Technologies for Precision Agriculture
Arnold Schumann, UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
-11:00 – 11:20 am: The development and commercialization of a strawberry harvesting robot
Gary Wishnatzki, Co-Founder of Harvest CROO Robotics
-11:20 – 11:40 am: Machine vision and precision herbicide application for vegetable production systems
Nathan Boyd, UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
-11:40 am – 12:00 pm: Breeding compact growth fresh tomato varieties for mechanical harvest.
Sam Hutton, UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center Education Center
-12:00 – 12:30 pm: Speaker panel discussion and attendee Q&A
–12:30 – 1:30 pm: Lunch
–1:30 – 2:45 pm/3:00 – 4:15 pm: Hands-On Pest and Disease ID Laboratory Training
–1:30 – 4:30 pm: Field Tours
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.