Nov 22, 2018

Fruit education sessions cover variety of topics

Gregory Lang describes Great Lakes EXPO as, “the show to attend because it has a palpable energy and enthusiasm for moving the varied fruit industries forward.” Of course, there’s much more to it than that.

As the largest exhibitor show outside of the West Coast and a key educator in the fruit growing industry, the EXPO has educational sessions ranging the gamut of Extension research on cutting-edge scientific studies, including hot topics like hard cider, sweet cherries and grapes; a talk on weathering economic downshifts and change; and the visitor-favorite apple variety showcase.

Lang is a professor and Extension agent at Michigan State University (MSU) and the fruit program coordinator for the EXPO. Lang shared with us a few can’t-miss opportunities for fruit growers at this year’s EXPO. The must-hear speakers are Andy Junkin, Eric Hanson and Sarah Villani.

Junkin is a seventh-generation farmer. When he left home for agriculture college, he knew his family was relying upon him to save their farm. He’s an expert on farm decision science, a niche he created for understanding family dynamics in farm-related decisions.

Junkin will speak during several sessions about economic difficulties farmers face, the challenging tart cherry and blueberry markets of the past two seasons, and how to navigate the trade tariff uncertainties the industry is undergoing. He will be speaking in the Blueberry II and Tart Cherry sessions on Wednesday and a general session on Thursday morning.

MSU small fruit specialist Hanson, who retires next year, will bring a wealth of information from a career in fruit to the Berry and Blueberry I sessions. “He may be imparting his career’s worth of wisdom and observations at the EXPO,” Lang said.

Villani, of North Carolina State University Extension, is set to speak at three different talks. Apple diseases, fungicide resistance and black stem borer are her focus. As an apple and ornamental plant pathologist, Villani brings a comprehensive perspective on apple pests and pathogens to the EXPO.

Lang is especially excited about three sessions at this year’s EXPO:

1. Hard cider is a growth segment in the apple industry as well as in regional fruit production. This session will feature a grower panel as well as an expert on hard cider varieties from the Pacific Northwest’s wet regions.
2. The Sweet Cherry session will feature another growth segment: fresh market sweet cherries in Michigan. This session features Lynn Long, a recently retired Extension educator from Oregon State. Long will share his knowledge gained from extensive world travel learning about cherry production techniques in a variety of climate zones.
3. Grapes I experts will share a 20-year retrospective on controlling berry moths as well as state-of-the-art horticulture techniques for vineyards.

If none of those strike your fancy, check out the complete educational session schedule. Visitors are also invited to all of the vegetable and greenhouse sessions, which include everything from farm marketing to new growing techniques in greenhouses to a full array of pest and disease management sessions.

Visitors can also taste at the apply variety showcase, which is “an annual highlight that never gets old,” Lang said.

Check out the full schedule at www.GLEXPO.com.

Registration opened Oct. 1 for this year’s GLEXPO. Register at https://glexpo.com/gl-expo-registration.