Jun 12, 2023

Fruit specialists tackle extreme weather issues

North American Extension specialists are offering their expertise in three webinars designed to help growers confront changing weather patterns that threaten fruit crops.

The third season of the North American Virtual Orchard Meetups will focus on wildly fluctuating winter temperatures, uneven and often excessively heavy precipitation events, and extreme temperatures coupled with extended droughts. Each session features growers confronting these issues head-on and researchers who are leading the development of solutions. Participants are invited to share solutions, ask questions and interact with the specialists and panelists.

The online meetups, and the topics for each, are scheduled for:

• June 15 — Cold
• June 29 — Water
• July 13 — Heat

All sessions begin at 7 p.m. Eastern. Each one builds off the one preceding it, but they also function as “standalone” meetings should you be unable to attend them all.

Pre-registration is not required. Go to bit.ly/2023-virtual-meetup to join a few minutes prior to the start of each meeting.

The series features Extension and other specialists across North America:

• Kristy Grigg-McGuffin, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• Lindsay Hainstock, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (BC-AF)
• Katelyn Hengel, BC-AF
• Emily Lavely, Michigan State University
• Bernardita Sallato, Washington State University
• Mario Miranda Sazo, Cornell University-Lake Ontario Fruit Program
• Anna Wallis, Cornell
• Daniel E. Weber, Pennsylvania State University

This effort is being conducted in close collaboration with the International Fruit Tree Association, the AI Institute for Transforming Workforce & Decision Support, and the Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture.

The Virtual Orchard Meetups are designed for growers who are just starting or who have years of experience, allowing them to ask questions and find alternative solutions.