From Staff Reports

The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Annual Conference and Tradeshow will be Nov. 17 and 18 at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center. Online registration is open now.

The conference will include a diversified family farm tour of Scott Penton Farms. Tour participants will see and learn about U-pick strawberry, the pumpkin patch, peach production and marketing.

Educational session topics on Thursday include Food Safety Modernization Act rules affecting growers; blackberry, peach and strawberry production; blackberry weed management; disease management in the Southeast; vegetable weed control and vegetable variety updates.

Educational topics on Friday include commercial greenhouse crop production, hydroponics for high value specialty crops, high tunnel crop production, herbs and medicinal plants, pollinator plants, ginger and turmeric production, disease management of melons and tomatoes, marketing and social media.

Grower networking sessions on Thursday include discussions on beginning farmer network resources, tomatoes, cucurbits, fruit and berries, high tunnel and greenhouse production, marketing and agribusiness.

In addition to the farm tour and educational and networking sessions, the conference hosts a large tradeshow with a wide variety of vendors serving the fruit and vegetable industry.

Conference registration has been reduced to $85 this year and includes a one-year membership to the AFVGA. Alabama Farmers Federation members can save an additional $30 by registering with their Federation membership number. Online registration ends November 7. Space is limited.

More information and the Conference Agenda are available at afvga.org.