Export

3rd Annual WNY Fruit Conference

• Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
• Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

February 4-5, 2025

DoubleTree by Hilton Rochester

1111 Jefferson Rd.

Rochester, NY 14623

Brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Lake Ontario Fruit Program

We are looking forward to bringing you another multi-day tree fruit conference this winter! Again, this replaces our traditional "LOF Fruit Schools" and our participation in the Empire Producers Expo in Syracuse. The program will run all day on Tuesday (Feb 4) and Wednesday morning (Feb 5). There will be two Pest Management sessions Tuesday morning, followed by two horticulture focused afternoon sessions. Wednesday will have 2 morning sessions ending with lunch at noon.

Tuesday morning pest management topics will include the usual herbicide, insecticide and fungicide efficacy and timing trial result talks given by Janet van Zoeren, Dr. Kerik Cox and Dr. Monique Rivera. This year we will also provide an emphasis on adapting your management program to incorporate biopesticides and other new integrated pest management techniques, both as Aleah Butler-Jones. We are particularly excited to announce we will have a guest speaker, Dr. Brett Blaauw from University of Georgia and Clemson University, who will be discussing stink bug management. His talk will include the most recent advancements in stink bug pest management to effectively protect our crops, while also supporting our beneficial insects. In total, 1.75 DEC recertification credits will be available for attending both pest management sessions.

Tuesday we will begin the afternoon with a conversation about the ‘Grower’s Perspective on Farm Management’. How do you learn about a new tool, technique or variety? Talk to a grower who’s using it. The session 3 program will provide helpful information and advice on farm management from experienced growers. Presentations will include the following:

1. Using Hectare Orchard Management Software on Bittner-Singer Farm. Hectare is an orchard management and fruit quality software product originally developed in New Zealand. In this presentation, David Bittner will describe Hectare software, why he prefers it over alternatives, and how he uses the product on his farm.

2. Customer Preferences at Schutt’s Apple Mill. Being customer-focused drives revenue growth, helps companies identify areas for improvement, and be more innovative, adapting to changing market preferences and needs. But wholesale fruit growers may have few opportunities to talk directly with consumers. As owner of a farm with direct-to-consumer sales, Evan Schutt, owner of Schutt’s Apple Mill, interacts with customers daily. In this presentation, Evan will describe the preferences and concerns of fruit buyers, and how he uses this information on his farm. 

3. Talking To Your Workers About Unions: Cherry Lawn Farm’s Experience. New York State’s farm labor organizing law, known as ‘card check’, allows farmworkers to unionize by signing authorization cards instead of secret-ballot voting. Because card check gives employers no opportunity to discuss unionization with workers after authorization cards are signed, a proactive approach is essential. In this presentation, Tedd and Debbie Furber, co-owners of Cherry Lawn Farm will describe how they talk with their workers about unionization. They will describe what has worked for them, and how workers have responded to these conversations.

Tuesday afternoon for Session 4 (3-5pm) will discuss ‘Building Soils for Better Orchards’.

Welcome/introduction - Mario Miranda Sazo, CCE LOF

Root architecture and function of apple roots – Professor Emeritus Dr. David Eissenstat, Penn State

Soil health in New York State Orchards – Dr. Deborah Aller, Cornell

Questions & Answers

We will begin Wednesday with marketing updates from Cynthia Haskins at NYAA. Following Cynthia, we’ll have Dr. Brian Lawrence from the Robinson lab at Cornell AgriTech presenting on “Color Improvement of “Premier” Honeycrisp with the use of sprayable products and reflective fabric”. Finally, we’ll conclude the session with Dr. Yosef Al Shoffe from the Watkins lab presenting on their game-changing Gala work, “Sustainable Pre- and Postharvest Approaches for Mitigating Stem-end Flesh Browning in 'Gala' Apples”.

Finally, we will round out the conference on Wednesday morning with a session on ‘Harnessing the power of digital technologies’.

Welcome/introduction - Mario Miranda Sazo, CCE LOF

Why it has been so difficult to adopt digital ag-technologies – Mario Miranda Sazo, CCE LOF

Accuracy of two precision sprayers for single-tree application – Dr. Brian Lawrence, Cornell U.

Options for growers considering current GPS accuracy limitations – Dr. Yu Jiang, Cornell U.

Precision irrigation – Dr. Terence Robinson, Cornell U.

New advances on precision crop load management – Dr. Terence Robinson, Cornell U.

Questions & Answers

 Adjourn, invite to get lunch box, and final remarks – Craig Kahlke, CCE LOF

We encourage folks to stay overnight. Dinner will be on your own, there are plenty of options close by. In addition, the meeting is in the Henrietta area, so parking is free, the area is safe, and it is easy to get around. Full conference registration includes lunch and AM/PM breaks on Feb 4, and AM break and lunch on Feb 5.

Cornell Employees, Students, and Speakers at this conference please contact us regarding registration to this event.

Sponsorship Opportunities: Craig has sent out sponsorship information. If you do not receive it and are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please e-mail Craig at cjk37@cornell.edu.

Deadline January 27 for Hotel room Block

We won’t be accepting walk-ins. Registration after 1/27/25? Email Gabe Myers at: gfm57@cornell.edu with:

Full names of those attending, an email address, phone number, and days attending (choose from Full Conference,

Tuesday only (full day), Wednesday only (half day, morning). You’ll get a link to pay by credit card only. Prices are as

Follows: $175 pp for full conference, $105 for Tuesday only, and $60 for Wednesday only.

More details are available Sessions Schedule Here

Learn More

https://ccewayne.org/admin/events/%E2%80%8Bcjk37@cornell.edu.

Location

DoubleTree by Hilton Rochester
1111 Jefferson Rd.
Rochester, NY 14623

Last updated January 29, 2025