FREDONIA, N.Y. — LERGP will host the annual Grape Growers’ Conference on March 14. The conference takes place on the SUNY Fredonia campus at the Williams Center. The annual gathering of area growers provides a great opportunity to network as well as update growers on current research and extension programming to improve vineyard sustainability. This year the Conference will also focus on regulatory changes and the impact on vineyards.
Speakers from NYS DEC and the NY Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health will update growers on new worker protection standards including respirator fit training. In addition to changes in USDA regulations, the recent tax reform may also impact vineyard operations. Kevin Martin will be on hand to provide growers information about pass-through income and corporate tax reform. Structural changes in business organizations can also help with succession planning and the sustainability of the farm across generations.
Perhaps most interesting is new work by Dr. Golnaz Badr, a Cornell post-doctoral researcher. Her work in mining historical weather and phenology data may result in predictive modeling of future phenology or berry size data. Farm level implementation will allow growers to manage crop load and risk while maximizing production.
As always the conference will feature programming for integrated pest management that allows growers to control pests using sustainable and inexpensive methods. These educational and research based presentations also provide growers with ample opportunities to obtain recertification credits that area growers need. Grape growers may register for the conference at lergp.cce.cornell.edu.
The Lake Erie Regional Grape Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community-based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
— Lake Erie Regional Grape Program