Registration is now open for the 2022 Fruit and Vegetable conference, held virtually between Tuesday, February 15 and Thursday, February 17.

The conference will kick off with a focus on berry crops. All of the sessions on 2/15 will cover different aspects of berry production. On the next day, presenters will discuss vine crops in the morning and sweet corn in the afternoon. The final day of the conference will start off with climate change and agriculture– a growing work focus in Cornell Cooperative Extension– and end off with a session about brassica crops.

This is an entirely separate agenda from the 2022 EXPO, so if you enjoy our virtual seminars, we hope you’ll attend!

Most of the sessions will offer DEC pesticide recertification credits. If you would like DEC credits, email a photo of your license to enychp@cornell.edu.

The cost to register for all sessions is $60, reduced to $40 for ENYCHP members. If you would like to attend but find the cost prohibitive, email Chelsea Trueheart at ct478@cornell.edu. 

Registration link for the sessions.

Conference Agenda

Feb 15, 8:15am – 10:00am: Strawberry Soil Health

• Focusing on soil health and good soil management and the impacts soil has on plant health. Strategies to decrease tillage and incorporate cover crops and rotations will be discussed. Dr. Kerik Cox of Cornell will talk share tips to identify and manage soil borne disease, and ongoing work using anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) will be explained.
• 1.50 credits available in categories 10, 1a, 22, and 23

Feb 15, 10:15am – 12:00pm: Strawberry Production Systems

• Dr. Marvin Pritts (Cornell), Dr. Becky Sideman from the University of NH and Dr. Elisabeth Hodgdon (CCE ENYCHP) will help clarify the nuances of the strawberry plant and the different options growers have with planting, cropping and wintering these unusual plants.
• 1.50 credits available in categories 10, 1a, 22, and 23

Feb 15, 12:45pm – 2:30pm: Raspberry & Blackberry Production

• Dr. Courtney Weber (Cornell) will discuss progress in breeding plants with improved flavor and better tolerance of root diseases and even SWD. Dr. Greg Loeb (Cornell) will share results form ongoing work into SWD chemical ecology and behavior as the basis for management and Dr. Juliet Carroll (Cornell) will discuss efforts to simplify SWD monitoring and what that could mean for growers. Bramble farmers will share successful strategies for cane berry production.
• 1.50 credits available in categories 10, 1a, 22, and 23

Feb 15, 2:45pm – 4:30pm: Blueberries

• This session will feature a deeper dive into virus identification and management by Dr. Timothy Miles of Michigan State University. Organic blueberry management from the farmers point of view will be covered and Dr. David Handley of the University of Maine will close the program with valuable information about the impact of pruning on blueberry production.
• 1.25 credits available in categories 10, 1a, 22, and 23

Feb 16, 9:00am – 11:45am: Vine Crops

• In this year’s vine crop session learn from Cornell University’s Dr. Meg McGrath first-hand what fungicides are and aren’t working for Cucurbit Powdery Mildew and Downy Mildew. She will share her results from samples taken right here in the Capital District. Sandy Menasha from CCE Suffolk County will share variety updates and Natasha Field from CCE ENYCHP will also share interesting facts on hull-less seeded pumpkins. We will also hear the latest results with using ultra violet lighting to control powdery mildew from Nick Skinner from Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine. The session will wrap up with Chuck Bornt reviewing herbicides options and best use practices for 2022.
• DEC recertification credits have been requested for this session.

Feb 16, 1:00pm – 3:30pm: Sweetcorn

• The sweet corn session features several out of state speakers including Dr. Mark VanGessel from the University of Delaware to discuss herbicide management practices in Delaware and Kris Holmstrom, Rutgers University Pes Management Specialist who will discuss worm management with Bt varieties and insecticides. The afternoon will wrap up with variety updates from various seed companies.
• 1.25 credits available in categories 10, 1A, and 23

Feb 17, 9:00am – 11:00am: Climate Change

• Presentations from farmers and scientists followed by small group opportunities, will help this session to support resilience and strategy over fear and confusion. There will be some pre-session work that will be recommended, but all are welcome to join this participatory virtual workshop.

Feb 17, 1:30pm – 4:00pm: Brassica Crops

• Our conference concludes with a mighty brassica session with experts Elisabeth Hodgdon and Christy Hoepting from Cornell and Gordon Johnson from the University of Delaware focusing on a variety of disease, heat stress and varietal topics for broccoli, cauliflower and cabbages – all pertinent to the retail market grower. Brussels sprout production will be covered by Jan van der Heide of Bejo seeds and grower input will also be included.  If you grow brassica crops – don’t miss this!

If you have any further questions, email Chelsea Trueheart at ct478@cornell.edu.