Midwest

2020 Great Lakes EXPO virtual educational sessions full program unveiled

For the first time ever, the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO will be transitioning to a virtual EXPO for 2020, including virtual booths, educational sessions and more. Although there won’t be any in-person events,... more »

Postharvest vineyard management: Preparing vines for winter

Preparing vines for winter begins between harvesting and the first frost. Helping grapes survive the cold period will help timely feeding, treating pests and diseases and it is the best time for vineyard floor management.... more »

Illinois Department of Agriculture awards Specialty Crop Grant funds

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) received more than $591,000 through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Producer groups, trade associations, nonprofits and colleges and universities were eligible to... more »

MSU receives $2M USDA grant to improve blueberry pollination

Michigan State University (MSU) has received a four-year, $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative to improve blueberry pollination. The project is led by Rufus Isaacs, a professor in the Department... more »

Michigan ag unit announces 2020 Specialty Crop Block Grant recipients

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced Oct. 20 the Michigan recipients of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The program offers federal funding to state departments of... more »

Illinois Specialty Growers salute contributions of Carroll ‘Chris’ Doll

The Illinois Specialty Growers Association made the following announcement on its Facebook page on Oct. 18. "We are so saddened to hear the news of Carroll "Chris" Doll's passing. Chris made a profound impact on... more »

MSU entomologists join $5.4M effort for sustainable management of SWD

Michigan State University Entomology professor Rufus Isaacs’ lab is joining nine other land-grant universities in a new multi-million-dollar grant awarded by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture to improve pest... more »

Northern Michigan winemakers excited about 2020 harvest

For more than a decade, Laurentide Winery’s team has been tending its vineyards high on the rocky slopes of French Road, their rows of varietal grapes tucked neatly between the long ribbon of Lake Leelanau and... more »