Florida Ag Expo November 10 at UF/IFAS GULF COAST RESEARCH CENTER, WIMAUMA
By Jim Frankowiak Make your plans now to attend Florida Ag Expo Wednesday, November 10 at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Wimauma. The event begins with a complimentary breakfast at 7:30 a.m. This day long exposition will again include a wide range of agricultural products on display, plus a variety of educational sessions and field tours. Registration is free and includes complimentary breakfast and lunch for those who register in advance. “We anticipate more than 1,000 attendees this year,” said Center Director Dr. Jack Rechcigl. “The schedule of events for this year’s Ag Expo reflects suggestions made by attendees last year in a post event survey. One of the new elements this year is a growers’ roundtable with discussion focusing on current issues facing the vegetable industry.” That session will be moderated by Gene McAvoy, Regional Vegetable/Horticulture Extension Agent IV from the Hendry County Extension. Roundtable participants will include: Tony DiMare, DiMare Fresh Jamie Williams, Six L’s Billy Heller, Pacific Tomatoes David Pensebene, Gargiulo Chuck Obern, C&B Farms D.C. McClure, West Coast Tomatoes “Dr. Jack Payne, our new UF/IFAS Senior Vice President, will address attendees and have the opportunity to experience
first hand the important role our center plays with the men and women of agriculture in this part of Florida,” said Rechcigl. “The roundtable will be particularly important with regard to our current and future programming emphasis since it provides our agricultural constituents the opportunity to tell us where are focus must be going forward.” Congressman Adam Putnam, who is currently running for Florida Secretary of Agriculture, has been invited to attend and speak at the Expo. The morning education session will be led by Manatee County Extension Vegetable Agent and will include the following presentations: Managing Whitefly Adults and TYLCV: Challenges and Possibilities – Dr. David Schuster, GCREC Remedial Control of Foliar Cucurbit Pathogens in Georgia – Dr. David Langston, University of Georgia The Challenge of Managing Bacterial Diseases of Tomato and Pepper – Dr. Gary Vallad, GCREC Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs): An Overview – Dr. Keith Schneider, UF/IFAS Food Science Department Hillsborough County Extension Vegetable Agent Alicia Whidden will moderate the afternoon educational session, which will include: New Regulations for Fumigants – Dan Botts, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association Proper Selection of Methyl Continued on page 73
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2010
71