2024 Southeast Michigan Vegetable Grower Winter Meeting to be held February 20

Chris Galbraith<galbra53@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - January 05, 2024

Learn from and engage with vegetable Extension specialists and educators on a variety of important topics.

Decorative image. — Presentation topics will cover issues related to many different vegetable crops at various scales of operation. Photos by (clockwise from top left) Chris Galbraith, MSU Extension; Getty Images; North Carolina State University; and Alabama Cooperative Extension.

Enhance your knowledge of vegetable production and pest management by attending the upcoming 2024 Southeast Michigan Vegetable Grower Winter Meeting on Feb. 20. This program will provide opportunities to learn from and engage with Michigan State University Extension specialists and educators on important issues facing the vegetable industry today. The educational sessions will focus on crop protection against vegetable pests (insects, diseases, weeds) as well as weather-related threats to crops such as drought stress and flooding. Everyone can learn something from this diverse educational offering to help equip you with the knowledge and connections to improve vegetable production on your farm.

The program will feature presentations from various Extension and academic speakers with different areas of expertise in the vegetable industry. Chris Galbraith, vegetable educator with MSU Extension/Ohio State University Extension, will talk about recent research in electrical weed control. Saltanat Mambetova, MSU Extension vegetable educator, will discuss common brassica pests. Natalie Constancio, entomologist at MSU, will present on new research in thrips management. Mary Hausbeck, distinguished professor and MSU Extension specialist, will talk about managing cucurbit downy mildew and Phytophthora. Ehsan Ghane, associate professor and MSU Extension specialist, will discuss managing flooded fields. Lyndon Kelley, Extension educator with MSU Extension/Purdue Extension, will talk about optimizing irrigation frequency and timing in vegetable production. Nicole Soldan, IR-4 north central regional field coordinator, will also be present to give an IR-4 program update and Joseph Smith, produce safety specialist with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, will give a produce safety update.

The program will run from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. with check-in beginning at 8:30 a.m. Registering online prior to the event is strongly encouraged to ensure there is room. The event will take place at Monroe County Community College in the Warrick Student Services Building (Building S) in Room 173 C/D, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe, MI 48161.

The event will include a free catered lunch and attendees will each receive a free copy of the “2024 Weed Control Guide for Vegetable Crops” along with other handouts and resources. The event will count towards four restricted use pesticide credits and three certified crop advisor credits. Vegetable growers won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from and connect with fellow growers, Extension staff and other individuals working within the vegetable industry.

Please reach out to Chris Galbraith at galbra53@msu.edu or 734-240-3178 with any questions.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).