The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (OFVC), Canada’s premier horticultural event, is returning to the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario on February 19-20, 2025.
Want the inside scoop? Take a sneak peek at the fruit-focused sessions below or download the OFVC Highlights Brochure here.
Apple
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
9:30 am | Effective Spraying: What Can Go Wrong and How to Get It Right David Manktelow, Applied Research & Technologies Ltd., New Zealand |
10:00 am | FUNdamentals of Fungicides Katie Goldenhar, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food |
10:30 am | The Use of Plant Growth Regulators in Apples – Why, When and How to Use Them Poliana Francescatto, Valent BioSciences, USA (Live stream) |
11:00 am | Targeting Success: Effective Spraying Practices Panel David Manktelow, Applied Research & Technologies Ltd., New Zealand; Katie Goldenhar, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food; Poliana Francescatto, Valent BioSciences (Live stream) |
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
9:30 am | Apple Market Trends & Outlook Panel Graeme Smith, Loblaws Intl.; Kirk Kemp, Algoma Orchards; Erika DeBrouwer, OMAFA; Rachael LeBlanc, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre |
10:30 am | Crop Protection Regulatory Updates for 2025 Chris Duyvelshoff, Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association |
11:00 am | Best Storage Practices for Ambrosia, Gala, and Honeycrisp Apples Jennifer DeEll, OMAFA |
| Break |
2:00 pm | Understanding Adjuvants for Improved Pesticide Application David Manktelow, Applied Research & Technologies Ltd., New Zealand |
2:30 pm | Getting More Ontario Apples into the Shopping Cart Peter Chapman, SKU Food, Nova Scotia |
3:00 pm | Finding Your Niche or New Market Opportunities Panel Cathy McKay, Nature’s Bounty; Glen Smyth, Appleflats |
3:30 pm | Outbreak to Outsmart: Strategies to Manage Apple Scab Kristy Grigg-McGuffin, OMAFA |
Berries
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
9:30 am | Taylor Farms Muskoka Grower Profile Sarah and Aaron Shaw, Taylor Farms Muskoka |
10:00 am | Optically Targeted Herbicide Application in Highbush Blueberry Thierry E. Besançon, Rutgers University, USA |
10:30 am | Soilborne Disease Management Marvin P. Pritts, Cornell University, USA |
11:00 am | Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission 101 Amy Cronin, Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission |
Break | |
2:00 pm | Best Use of Biological Solutions in Crop Protection and Plant Health For Berries Pam Marrone, Invasive Species Corporation |
2:30 pm | Anthracnose Resistance Issues and Neopest Management in Strawberry Guido Schnabel, Clemson University, USA |
3:00 pm | Getting More Ontario Berries into the Shopping Cart Peter Chapman, SKUFood |
3:30 pm | Field Release of the Asian Parasitoid, Ganaspis kimorum, for Biological Control Tara Gariepy, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada |
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
9:30 am | Wilmot Blueberries Grower Profile Courtney Stevens, Wilmot Blueberries |
10:00 am | Berry Variety Trials and Breeding Updates from AAFC Beatrice Amyotte, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada |
10:30 am | Employment Standards for Employers Valerie Henschel, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Trade, and Skills Development |
11:00 am | Understanding Carrier Volume to Optimize Coverage David Manktelow, Applied Research & Technologies Ltd., New Zealand |
Grape
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
2:00 pm | Recent Advancements and the Importance of Domestic Clean Plant Program for Grapevines in Canada Sud Poorjari, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute–Brock University |
2:30 pm | Results of a Chemical Control Trial for Spotted Lanternfly Doug Pfeiffer, Virginia Tech, USA; Josh Mosiondz, OMAFA |
3:00 pm | Best Use of Biological Solutions in Crop Protection and Plant Health for Vineyards Pam Marrone, Invasive Species Corporation |
3:30 pm | The Ugly Truth About Black Rot Control: Back to Basics Bryan Hed, Penn State University, USA |
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
9:30 am | Lessons learned: Under Vine Cover Crops in Ontario Stephanie Vickers, OMAFA; Kathryn Carter, OMAFA; Josh Aitken, Cave Spring Vineyard |
10:00 am | Wine Weather Forecast for Ontario: Warmer, Wetter, and Wilder David Phillips, Environment Canada |
10:30 am | ABA and Cold Hardiness in Grapes Jim Willwerth, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute–Brock University |
11:00 am | A Journey Across Botrytis Bunch Rot Control: From Modeling to Biocontrol Agents Irene Salotti, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy |
| Break |
2:00 pm | Grape Vine Rootstocks for Ontario Jim Willwerth, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute–Brock University |
2:30 pm | Vineyard Nutrition Monitoring Advances with HiRes Vineyard Nutrition Patricia Skinkis, Oregon State University, USA (Live Stream) |
3:00 pm | Effect of Foliar Application of Potassium Fertilizer on Yield, Fruit Quality and Cold Hardiness of Chambourcin Gurkirat Singh, Penn State, USA (Live stream) |
3:30 pm | New Technologies in Grape Production Panel John Felice, Pellenc America, USA; Jenny Lemieux, Vivid Machines; other panelist TBA |
Tender Fruit
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Time | Presentation / Speaker |
|---|---|
9:30 am | Reduced Sensitivity to DMI Fungicides in the Brown Rot Pathogen and Management Approaches Katie Goldenhar, BC Ministry of Agriculture; Guido Schnabel, Clemson University, USA |
10:00 am | Advances in Management of Scale Insects in Tender Fruit Brett Blaauw, University of Georgia, USA |
10:30 am | Insights on Biology and Epidemiology of Peach Leaf Curl Irene Salotti, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy |
11:00 am | Peach Leaf Curl 2024: What Worked, What Didn’t and Possible Future Options for Management Wendy McFadden-Smith, OMAFA |
| Break |
2:00 pm | Optically Targeted Herbicide Application in Tender Fruit Thierry E. Besançon, Rutgers University, USA |
2:30 pm | Fruit Production for the Future: Washington State Smart Orchard Lav Khot, Washington State University, USA |
3:00 pm | Panel on Optimizing Water Use in Orchards Myroslava Khomik, University of Waterloo; Brett Ruck, Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake |
3:30 pm | Tomorrow’s Forecast: Warmer, Wetter, and Wilder – Are you Ready? David Phillips, Environment Canada |
Looking for more? Other educational sessions that may be of interest to fruit growers include:
- Agritourism Ontario
- Communicating About Food and Farming
- Cost of Production: Machinery Costs
- Enhancing the Crop Hub and CropIPM: Insights & Feedback
- Grower Experiences with Robotics and Technology
- General Labour
- Oenology and Cider
- Soil Health and Fertility
- Rise ‘N Shine Breakfast
- …and more!
See you in February! Visit www.ofvc.ca for more.