IFTA Conference and Tours, Rochester, New York, 2019
The International Fruit Tree Association’s 62nd annual winter conference and tours got underway Feb. 24-28, 2019, in Rochester, New York.
The four-day event included two days of educational presentations in addition to two days of bus tours to orchards in New York’s Wayne, Orleans and Monroe counties. Attendees also took part in a social event, a banquet and award presentations.
A precision application of nutrients was used at this orchard at Fowler Farms.
Scott Van De Walle of Van De Walle Farm speaks during an IFTA tour.
New IFTA President Lisa Jenereaux is the first female president of the association.
Paul Wafler, left, was introduced as IFTA Grower of the Year by Rod Farrow.
Gennaro Fazio of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, gives a presentation on trials of Geneva rootstocks at Kast Farms.
Todd, left, and Ted Furber of Cherry Lan Fruit Farms, hosted an IFTA tour stop where they discussed some equipment.
The tour visited new plantings at Fowler Farms.
Walking down the road at Fowler Farms.
J.D. Fowler of Fowler Farms speaks during an IFTA tour.
J.D. Fowler of Fowler Farms speaks during an IFTA tour.
Kyle Wafler of Wafler Farms, discusses a picking trailer enabled with surveillance cameras.
Panelists in a discussion on “getting the most form people and machines to harvest apples,” included, from the left, Jason Woodworth of Lamont Fruit Farms, Tom Ferri of TK Ferri Orchards, Tim Welsh of Columbia Fruit Packers, and moderator Phil Schwallier of Michigan State University.
Nick Dokoozlian of E&J Gallo Winery gives the Wallace Heuser lecture on harnessing the power of ag technology for specialty crops.
Panelists in a discussion on “Advances in tree fruit nursery technologies included, from the left, Brett Adams of Willow Drive Nursery, Cliff Beumel of Sierra Gold Trees, Tye Fleming of Helios Nursery,,Tom Auvil of North American Plants and moderator Greg Lang of Michigan State University.
Bobby Brown of Orchard Dale Fruit Company speaks during an IFTA tour stop at his farm.
Beaver grafts were among the highlights at Orchard Dale Fruit Company.
Cornell’s Terrence Robinson demonstrates how an older orchard has been effectively pruned back.
Jose Iniguez of Lamont Fruit Farm gives an impromptu clinic on scoring tree trunks with loppers to control vigor.
Brett Kast of Kast farms hosted a stop on the IFTA tour.
At Zingler Farms, Mike Zingler and 26-year-old son Jimmy showed us a planting of Aztec Fuji coming into its fourth year in a plot a mile from Lake Ontario.
Hundreds of IFTA attendees packed out a ballroom at Holiday Inn Downtown Rochester.
Hundreds of IFTA attendees packed out a ballroom at Holiday Inn Downtown Rochester.
Stefano Musacchi of Washington State University spoke about picking the right rootstocks for canopy and crop load management.
Alan Lakso, left, professor emeritus of Cornell University, was named outstanding researcher of the year by Terence Robinson.
Mario Miranda Sazo of Cornell University, left, was named outstanding Extension Award by Terrence Robinson.
IFTA President Rod Farrow, left, introduces George A. Kantor of The Robotics Institute Carnegie Mellon University.
Roger Bannister expiramented with a four-leader fruiting wall with Pazzazz and Honeycrisp apples at Excelsior Farms.
Custom trailers sit in a block of Ruby Mactintosh apple trees at Wafler Farms
A classic barn adjoins an orchard at Van Den Walle Farm.
