Vegetable Press

Vol. 00 No. 01 January 29, 2000

Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Meeting and Trade Show

You are invited to attend the 2nd Annual AR/LA/MS Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Meeting and Trade Show on Thursday February 17 and Friday February 18, 2000 at the Holiday Inn, 3330 Clay Street, Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Last year's tri-state meeting was a huge success with more than 200 growers attending the meeting and 25 vendors exhibiting at the trade show. This year's program promises to be just as informative with presentations from university personnel on research projects and other aspects of fruit and vegetable production, seed company representatives on new varieties, a drip irrigation school presented by industry representatives and farmers discussing their experiences in vegetable production.

This year's keynote speakers will be Darbie Granberry, Terry Kelley and Gerard Krewer from the University of Georgia at Tifton. Darbie and Terry will talk on new developments in the Georgia vegetable industry while Gerard will speak on Georgia's fruit industry. These presentations will expose growers to the new technology employed by our competition.

The meeting and trade show will start at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, February 17 and continue to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 18. All programs are set up in concurrent sessions to allow growers to choose the programs they are interested in or visit the trade show.

Registration fee for the meeting is $20 for one day or $30 for both days. The fee includes a buffet lunch on Thursday and a reception on Thursday evening. Dues ($10/year) for the Mississippi Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association will be collected at the meeting or can be paid in advance.

A block of rooms have been reserved for this meeting at the Holiday Inn in Vicksburg (1-800-847-0372). Rates are $60/night. Be sure to identify yourself as attending the fruit and vegetable growers meeting when making reservations.

Remember to mark your calendar for February 17 and 18 and join us for the 2nd Annual AR/LA/MS Meeting and Trade Show at the Holiday Inn Vicksburg. Look forward to seeing you!

The Agenda for the conference is included in this newsletter.

Arkansas/Louisiana/Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Conference
Thursday, February 17 and Friday February 18, 2000
Holiday Inn Vicksburg, 3330 Clay Street
Vicksburg, MS 39180
1-800-847-0372

Wednesday February 16, 2000
Afternoon 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.-Vendors Set Up Booths for Trade Show
Evening 5:00- 7:30 p.m.-AR LA MS Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association Hospitality Hour

Thursday February 17, 2000
8:00 a.m. Trade Show Opens

9:30- 10:00 a.m. General Session
Bud Benton, President LVGA
Bob Odom, La. Commissioner of Agriculture LDA&F
Dr. Lester Spells, Miss. Commissioner of Agriculture, MDA&C

10:00-10:30 a.m Coffee break and visit trade show

10:30- 11:00 a.m. The Bee Situation
Dr Dale Pollet, LSU
Baton Rouge, LA

11:00-11:30 a.m. What To Do When Damaged by Spray Drift
Dr Dearl Sanders, LSU Idlewild Research Station, Clinton, LA

11:30 -12:00 p.m. Simple Sprayer Calibration
Dr. Jimmy Boudreaux, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA

12:00 -1:00 p.m. Lunch and visit trade show

Concurrent Sessions:

Vegetable Production
1:00-1:30 p.m. How We Got A Pickle Contract
Ben Burkett
Indian Springs Farmers' Association, Petal, MS

1:30 -2:30 p.m. New Vegetable Varieties
Seed Company Representatives
Fruit Production

1:00- 1:30 p.m. Fig Production
Dr. Ed O'Rourke, Professor Emeritus
LSU Department of Horticulture, Baton Rouge, LA

1:30 -2:30 p.m. The Georgia Fruit Industry
Dr. Gerard Krewer, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA

2:30- 3:00 p.m. Coffee break and visit trade show

3:00- 4:30 p.m. The Georgia Vegetable Industry
Dr. Darbie Granberry, Dr. Terry Kelley
University of Georgia , Tifton, GA

4:30-5:00 p.m. Cantaloupe Varieties
Dr. David Nagel, MSU
Mississippi State, MS

3:00- 3:30 p.m. Growing Oriental Persimmons
Gloria & Jack Reese
Sessums , MS

3:30- 4:00 p.m. Rest, Dormancy and Bloom Delay in Fruit Trees
Dr Frank Matta, Professor
Mississippi State University

4:00- 4:30 p.m. Muscadine Production for Fresh Fruit
Dr. Keith Streigler and Dr. Justin Morris
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

4:30- 5:00 p.m.
Apple Tree Training System
Andy Allen, University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR

Rootstock for Apple and Peach Production
Dr. Curt Rome, University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR

5:00- 6:30 p.m. Reception and Cash Bar in Trade Show Area
Sponsored by Louisiana and Mississippi and Farm Bureau

7:00 -9:00 p.m.
Drip Irrigation School (Section 1)
Bill Branch, LSU
Scott Research/Extension and Education Center
Winnsboro, LA

Jackie Robbins, Irrigation Mart and Mike Gore, Poly Drip
Ruston, LA Baton Rouge, LA

Friday, February 18, 2000

8:00 -8:30 a.m. State Associations Meetings

8:30 -9:30 a.m. Using Computers on the Farm
Stan Ruggiero, Exec. Vice President,Kirkey and Associates
Longwood, FL

8:30-9:30 a.m.
Drip Irrigation School (Section 2)
Bill Branch, LSU
Scott Research/ Extension and Educational Center
Winnsboro, LA

Mike Gore, Poly Drip, Baton Rouge, LA and Jackie Robbins, Irrigation Mart, Ruston, La

9:30 - 10:00 a.m. Coffee break and visit trade show

10:00-11:00 a.m. Panel Discussion
Organic Fruit and Vegetable Production
Kyle Moppert, LDA&F, Baton Rouge, LA
Guy Feltenstein, MDA&C ,Jackson, MS
Owusu Bandele, Southern University,Baton Rouge, LA
Steve Diver.ATTRA, Fayetteville, AR

11:00- 11:30 am Simple Post Harvest Cooling Techniques
David Picha, LSU Dept of Horticulture
Baton Rouge, LA

11:30 a.m. -12:00 noon Things Are Not Always What They Seem To Be
(Equipment that I Built in My Shop)
Harrison "Bubby" Miller,
Plantation Pecan & Gift Co
Waterproof, LA

12:00 noon -12:30 pm
Business Meeting Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association

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