Upcoming events for berry growers

Mark your calendars for the Berry Growers of Ontario annual meeting and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention! To register for the BGO annual meeting contact Bernie Solymar (info@ontarioberries.com), and for more information and to register for OFVC check out ofvc.ca.

Berry Growers of Ontario– Annual Meeting Program

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 – Embassy Suites, Niagara Falls

9:00 am	Introduction and Welcome
9:15 am	OMAFRA Berry Disease Update	Katie Goldenhar & Erica Pate, OMAFRA
9:45 am	Grower Profile	Rochon Gardens
10:30 am	Cyclamen Mite: A Discussion on Chemical Control Options	Dr. Jason Deveau, OMAFRA; Gowan; Syngenta
11:15 am	Grant Writing and Funding Opportunities	Kyra Cole, KLB Consulting
11:45am	Irrigation Scheduling and Options for Improving Water Use Efficiency in Highbush Blueberry	Dr. David Bryla, USDA
12:20	Lunch & BGO Annual Meeting
2:00 pm	Labour Update	Stefan Larass, OFVGA
2:30 pm	Raspberry Grower Panel	Hear from Ontario berry growers on how they manage and market their crops. Topics of discussion include cultivar choice, production systems, pest management, and marketing.
3:00 pm	Blueberry Grower Panel
3:30 pm	Strawberry Grower Panel

Berry Growers of Ontario – Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention Berry Program

Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – Niagara Falls Convention Centre, Niagara Falls

9:25 am	Introduction and Welcome
9:30 am	Grower Profile: Stevenson Strawberry Farm	Tom Stevenson, Stevenson Strawberry Farm
10:00 am	Fertigation and Nutrient Management of Blueberries: Tips for Fruitful Production	Dr. David Bryla, USDA
10:30 am	Cornell Berry Breeding and Variety Update	Dr. Courtney Weber, Cornell University
11:00 am	Nursery Update	C O Keddy Nursery, Lareault Nursery, EZ Grow Farms, Ready-Set-Grow
11:45 – 2:00	Lunch and Visit the Trade Show
2:00 pm	Rebuilding Blueberry IPM Programs for SWD	Steven Van Timmeren, Michigan State University
2:30	Homegrown Innovation Challenge: Solutions for Extending the Growing Season and Future-proofing Canadian Food Production	Dr. Lukasz Aleksandrowicz- Weston Foundation
3:00 pm	Weed Control in June-bearing Strawberries: Covering Windows of Time	Sonny Murray, Perennia
3:30	PYO Pundits Panel	Susan Judd, Heeman’s; Matt Setzkorn, Andrews Farm Market and Winery; Tim Alexander, Robintide Farms

Other upcoming events:

North American Strawberry Growers Association meeting and conference

Hershey, PA, January 28-31, 2024

Organic approaches for management of spotted wing drosophila- webinar

Virtual webinar, February 7, 2024, 2-3:30pm

North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association Conference

Wilmington, NC, February 27-28, 2024