—by Matt Milkovich
The 2024 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO will be held Dec. 10–12 at the DeVos Place and Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The EXPO averages 3,000 to 4,000 attendees who come for the annual trade show and educational sessions covering fruits, vegetables, farm marketing and greenhouse crops. Special events include the Michigan Apple Cider Contest and an industry banquet.
The fruit educational sessions will begin the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 10. In the Juice Grape session, Cornell University’s Olga Padilla-Zakour will discuss an enhanced cold-press technique to elevate flavor in Concord grape juice; Penn State University’s Megan Luke will go over juice production best practices; Michigan State University’s Tim Miles will talk about biofungicide trials in Michigan vineyards; and the University of Wisconsin’s Amaya Atucha will discuss ColdSnap, a U.S. Department of Agriculture cold-hardiness prediction tool to aid site selection and management decisions.
During the Sweet/Hard Cider session, Penn State’s Shanthanu Krishna Kumar will talk about the effects of crop load management on polyphenols, sugars, acids and other juice attributes; Bill Robinette will talk about operating a direct-market business that produces both sweet and hard cider; and Chris Swaggerty will talk about his work making award-winning cider at Hill Bros. Orchards and Cider Mill. There will also be updates from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Michigan Cider Association.
On Tuesday afternoon, during the Apple I session, MSU’s Todd Einhorn will discuss rapid, early-season growth of Honeycrisp and how it can predispose fruit to bitter pit development; Penn State’s Kari Peter will discuss how to optimize management to limit postharvest rots in storage; and MSU’s Randy Beaudry will describe environmental factors that affect apple quality and storability. There also will be a postharvest industry panel.
During the Wine Grape session, MSU’s Paolo Sabbatini will discuss using advanced physiological and cultural practices to optimize grape yield and quality; and Cornell’s Jennifer Phillips Russo, Penn State’s Cain Hickey and MSU’s Rufus Isaacs will discuss advances in spotted lanternfly management.
Sessions will continue Wednesday morning, Dec. 11. During the Blueberry 1 session, MSU’s Younsuk Dong and Cheyenne Sloan will discuss irrigation; MSU’s Josh Vander Weide will talk about using ground covers and harvest strategies to manage fruit quality; he and Keystone Ag’s Bill Groenink will discuss prospective Michigan cultivars; and the University of Georgia’s Zilfina Rubio Ames will go over blueberry fertilization.
During the Cherry session, MSU’s Julianna Wilson will discuss the latest on spotted wing drosophila, and MSU’s George Sundin and a grower panel will cover the latest on cherry leaf spot.
During the Peach/Plum session, MSU’s George Sundin will discuss plant/pathogen interactions for common tree fruit diseases; Penn State’sKari Peter will discuss new chemicals and optimal timing for brown rot and powdery mildew control; and Penn State’s Greg Krawczyk will discuss management for common stone fruit pests such as oriental fruit moth. Valent U.S.A.’s Amy Irish-Brown will give an update on chemical bloom thinning in peaches using the plant growth regulator Accede.
During the Wednesday afternoon Apple II session, MSU’s Julianna Wilson will talk about apple crop insects, USDA’s Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris will discuss orchard floor management; MSU’s Meghan Milbrath will discuss protecting pollinators while controlling apple pests; and Penn State’s Greg Krawczyk will talk about codling moth management.
During the Blueberry II session, MSU’s Rufus Isaacs will discuss insect pest management; MSU’s Tim Miles will discuss climate change and fruit rots; and Rutgers University’s Peter Oudemans will cover new and emerging diseases. There also will be updates from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and Michigan Blueberry Commission. •
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