FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 6, 2023) – Registration is now open for the 2024 Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference, the premier event for statewide produce growers to interact and learn, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles has announced.
The conference, which is set for Jan. 3-4, with pre-conference events on Jan. 2, will be at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green.
“The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is, once again, proud to be part of this educational experience,” Commissioner Quarles said. “Experts in Kentucky’s produce community coming together to share their knowledge with the rest of the state is an excellent way to start the new year.”
The Kentucky State Horticultural Society (KSHS), Kentucky Vegetable Growers Association (KVGA), Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK), and Kentucky Horticulture Council (KHC) in cooperation with University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (UK), Kentucky State University College of Agriculture, Communities and the Environment (KSU), and Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) are joining together to bring more than 90 speakers and 60 exhibitors for this year’s conference.
“We are excited to again partner to bring this educational event to Kentucky specialty crop growers,” said Cindy Finneseth, KHC Executive Director. “With such a diversity of educational tracks, there are sessions for all growers to learn new techniques and production practices that will help increase profitability.”
The Conference will include a general session as well as sessions on vegetable production (beginner and advanced), high tunnels, organic production, fruit production (beginner and advanced), and business management. A cut flower short course will be offered, in addition to a new session on funding opportunities for specialty crop growers. Other conference events include a Farmers’ Market Short Course organized by KDA and a Farm Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop hosted by Cultivate KY, as well as the popular fruit grower and vegetable grower meet up sessions.
Kentucky specialty crop growers will present as well as Kentucky Extension specialists and out-of-state speakers including: Cody Adkins, USDA Risk Management Agency; Megan Bruch Leffew, University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture; Dr. Wenjing Guan, Associate Professor, Purdue University; and Dr. Dave Lockwood, Extension Fruit Specialist, University of Tennessee.
“A great deal of thought and planning always goes into planning the different sessions,” said Dr. Rachel Rudolph, UK Extension Vegetable Specialist. “I think we have an especially good mix of speakers this year with several grower panels, extension specialists, graduate students, and experts from several state organizations.
Pre-registration is available online through Eventbrite (https://kyhortcouncil.org/2024-ky-fruit-vegetable-conference/) or by mailing in the meeting registration form by Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. The conference pre-registration fee is $50. After this date, participants can continue to register online or on-site at a cost of $75.
A limited number of sponsorships are still available. For sponsorship or registration questions call: 859-490-0889 or email: info@kyhortcouncil.org.
The full conference program and registration instructions are available on the Conference webpage: https://kyhortcouncil.org/2024-ky-fruit-vegetable-conference/.
