The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (OFVC) is February 22nd & 23rd at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre. Come for the trade show and the educational sessions. Here is a list of sessions that may be of interest to vegetable growers:

Wednesday February 22

SUSTAINABLE COVER CROPPING IN VEGETABLES

9:30 Cover Cropping in High Organic Matter Soils
Dennis Van Dyk, OMAFRA

10:00 The Latest on Potato Soil Health Research
Griffin Bailey, University of Guelph

10:30 Improving Soil Health on our Potato Farm Through Cover Crops
Kate VanderZaag, P&K Vander Zaag Farms

11:00 Full-season Cover Cropping at Emre Farms
Charles Emre, Emre Farms

AGROBOTICS: INNOVATIONS IN WEED MANAGEMENT

2:00 Novel Weed Control Technology in Grapes and Apples
Dr. Lynn Sosnoskie, Cornell University, USA

2:30 Integrating Robotics, Cover Crops and Herbicides
Dr. Darren Robinson, University of Guelph

3:00 AgRobotics: Innovations in Weed Management
Chuck Baresich, Haggerty AgRobotics Company and Haggerty Creek Ltd; Kristen Obeid, OMAFRA

3:30 Technology Roundup
Carbon Robotics, Verdant Robotics, Intelliculture, Naïo Technologies

IRRIGATION

9:30 Sound Irrigation Management in Québec: Soil Moisture Monitoring
Paul Deschênes, Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement (IRDA)

10:00 Grower Panel: Soil Moisture Monitoring
Gerbe Botden, Botden Orchards; Patrick Dol, WD Potato

10:30 Using Plant Sensors to Improve Irrigation Management and Enhance Fruit Quality
Dr. Lee Kalcsits, Washington State University, USA

11:00 Irrigation Strategies in Water Shortages
Paul Deschênes, Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement (IRDA)

PROBLEMATIC PATHOGENS OF TOMATOES AND PEPPERS

2:00 Managing Bacterial Diseases of Tomato and Pepper
Dr. Daniel S. Egel, Purdue University, USA

2:40 Phytophthora Control: Lessons Learned in Michigan
Mary Hausbeck, Michigan State University, USA

3:20 Pepper Anthracnose – The Old and the New
Amanda Tracey, OMAFRA

SOIL FERTILITY – MAXIMIZING YOUR FERTILIZER DOLLARS

2:00 An Overview of the Fertilizer Sector and Farm Input Prices
Ken McEwan, University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus

2:30 Managing Nitrogen Fertilizers to Minimize Loss in Horticulture Crop Production Systems
Dr. John Lauzon, University of Guelph

3:00 Options to Improve Fertilizer Use Efficiency in Horticultural Crops
Dr. Tejendra Chapagain, OMAFRA

3:30 Developing an Efficient Fertilizer Program for Apple Orchards
Gerbe Botden, Botden Orchards
Maximizing Nutrient Use Efficiency in Vegetable Crops
Joseph Tomecek, Tomecek Agronomy Services

HOW TO ENGAGE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

9:30 Diversity and Inclusion in Agriculture
Jennifer Wright, Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council

10:00 A Framework for Supporting Workers from Healing to Life Skills
Stephen Jackson, Anishnabeg Outreach

10:30 Best Practices in Health and Safety with International Agricultural Workers
Eduardo Huesca, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers

11:00 Housing Conditions and Location in the Experiences of Mexican Seasonal Agricultural Workers in Canada
Louis Helps, University of Guelph

GENERAL LABOUR

9:30 Hiring TFWs Already in Canada Using Ag Stream
Mary Catherine Stevenson, Mucci Farms; Shawn McGowan, Schuyler Farms

10:00 Building New TFW Housing – Grower Perspectives
Hayden Dooney, Suncrest Orchards; Fred Meyers, Meyers Fruit Farm

10:30 Navigating the Permanent Residency Process for TFWs – What Employers Should Know
Nancy Friesen Thompson, Crossing Canada Citizenship & Immigration Services

11:00 Hiring Agricultural TFW Workers from Countries Outside of the SAWP Program
Tania Casco, Honduras Embassy (Ottawa); Juan Higuera, Cannexion

2:00 University of Guelph Co-op Programs & Wage Subsidies for Employers Hiring Students
Paula Stortz, Hope Long, University of Guelph; Nadee Imran, , CAHRC

2:30 Completing a Productive and Successful Workplace Health and Safety Inspection
Ron Landry, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Trade and Skills Development

3:00 Update on SAWP/TFWP and LICC
Ken Forth, FARMS/LICC

3:30 Public Perception of Temporary Foreign Worker Programs
Stefan Larrass, OFVGA

Thursday February 23

BRASSICA PESTS

9:30 Sterile Insect Technology to Manage Cabbage Maggot
Anne-Marie Fortier, Phytodata Inc.

10:00 The First Year Without Lorsban in Root Brassicas
Dr. Ben Werling, Michigan State University Extension, USA

10:30 New Developments for Managing Swede Midge in Brassicas
Christy Hoepting, Cornell Cooperative Extension, USA

11:00 Cabbage Maggot Control without Chlorpyrifos: The New York Experience
Christy Hoepting, Cornell Cooperative Extension, USA

BUSINESS

9:30 New Programs on the Horizon
Margaret May, OSCIA

10:00 Improve Your Profitability and Growth with the Right Operational Data and Financial Reporting
MNP

10:30-11:30 Farm Business Update
Erich Weber, OMAFRA

Drip Irrigation Workshop

9:30 – 11:30 Develop Your Farm Specific Drip Irrigation Schedule
Rebecca Shortt, OMAFRA
1. Farm Water Requirements: Crop peak flow and annual water requirements.
2. Plant Water Requirements: System operating time and schedule for various crop growth stages.
Bring a calculator and a pencil.

PUMPKINS AND SWEET CORN

2:00 Adopting Strip-till and Minimum Till Practices in Fresh Market Sweet Corn Production – Experiences and Reflections
Richard Reesor, Rouge River Farms

2:30 Québec Cucurbit Production: Emerging Pests
Isabelle Couture, MAPAQ

3:00 Tools to Support Native Pollinators in Cucurbit Crops
Dr. Susan Chan, University of Guelph

SOIL HEALTH

2:00 Soil Health- Dollars & Sense
Cameron Ogilvie, Soil Health Institute

2:30 Soil Biological Health: Tales from the Ontario Living Lab Initiative
Dr. Lori Phillips, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

3:00 Soil Health and Vegetable Production – Grower Panel
TBA

3:30 The Challenge – Better Soil Health in Vegetable Production
All speaker panel

SPECIALTY VEGETABLE

2:00 Growing Sweet Potatoes in Ontario
Dr. Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA; Dr. Valerio Primomo, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre

2:30 Growing Peanuts in Ontario: Past, Present & Future
Peter White, University of Guelph (retired)

3:00 An Introduction to Jerusalem Artichoke and Tigernuts
Dr. Jim Todd, OMAFRA

3:30 Opportunities and Challenges with Non-traditional Root Crops in Ontario
Evan Elford, OMAFRA

TRANSITION PLANNING

2:00 Financing Solutions
Erich Weber, OMAFRA

2:30 Estate Planning: Legal Considerations
Erica Blythe (Van De Laar), Martin Sheppard Fraser LLP

3:00 Business Transition Planning – Income Tax Considerations
Jack Kingma, Randy Momot, Grant Thornton

3:30 Transition Planning Q & A With the Experts
Erich Weber, OMAFRA; Erica Blythe, Martin Sheppard Fraser LLP; Jack Kingma, Grant Thornton; Randy Momot, Grant Thornton

A full list of sessions/workshops can be found at https://www.ofvc.ca/sessions_day1.html. Session calendars taken from the OFVC highlights brochure are found below: