Nov 30, 2020

Colorado Fruit & Veg Association annual conference goes remote Feb. 17-18

The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) will hold its seventh annual conference Feb. 17-18, 2021, using a virtual format. Registration for the event is just $20 for members registering early.

“With a very reasonable registration rate and no need to travel, we expect even more registrants than the 300 we typically have for in-person conferences,” CFVGA President Robert Sakata said in a news release. “While we will all miss the in-person socializing that our conferences provide, we believe the virtual conference will offer a similar line-up of opportunities to engage with others in the produce industry.”

The CFVGA conference will include plenary sessions that inform and motivate participants. In addition, breakout sessions will include a variety of topics, including farm labor, Covid era food system adaptations, consumer behavior changes during Covid, production research, online produce sales platforms and multiple food safety education options. In addition, participants can watch videos from recipients of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, who have completed their projects.

Most sessions will be pre-recorded with the presenters available live following the recording to answer questions about the topic. An advantage of the virtual format is that these sessions and exhibitor booths will remain on the conference website for a year following the conference.

Exhibitors will be able to showcase their goods and services by uploading a promotional video and handouts to their virtual booth that visitors to the booth can view and download. The virtual platform allows for chat and even live video meetings, either scheduled or spontaneous. Conference attendees can find exhibitor booths either by browsing the virtual exhibit hall or by searching exhibitors by goods and services offered.

Exhibitor request forms are being accepted now. 

The conference will include the annual business meeting, with results of the online election of board members announced, and presentation of the 2020 CFVGA Robert Sakata Member of the Year Award. 

View the CFVGA conference website and register here. 

The CFVGA is comprised of more than 250 members, including growers of all sizes and types of production throughout the state, as well as representatives of allied industries. The Colorado fruit and vegetable growing sector contributes nearly $485 million to Colorado at the farm gate and is multiplied as it goes through the distribution chain. Over 90,000 Colorado acres are in fruit and vegetable production.