APPLES
Ballroom C, Main Level
Chairs: Kristy Grigg-McGuffin and Erika DeBrouwer, OMAFRA
Sponsored by:

9:30 Rootstocks and Nutrient Uptake in Apples
Dr. Lee Kalcsits, Washington State University, USA

10:00 Hexanal: An Unexpected Saviour of Bitter Pit in Honeycrisp Apples
Dr. Jay Subramanian, University of Guelph

10:30 Mitigating Risk of Internal Browning in Apples
Dr. Jennifer DeEll, OMAFRA

11:00 A Root Cause Analysis of Declining Apple Trees
Dr. Marc Fuchs, Cornell University, USA

Afternoon Sponsored by:

2:00 Characterizing Apple Rootstock and Scion Genotypes for Cold Hardiness and Dormancy
Dr. Jason Londo, Cornell University, USA

2:30 Optimizing Chemical Management for Control of Bitter Rot and Marssonina Blotch
Dr. Kari Peter, Penn State University (Live-stream)

3:00 Dealing with Ambrosia – A BC Perspective
Hank Markgraf, Syngenta

3:30 Your Apple Thinning Calendar
Erika DeBrouwer, OMAFRA

BRASSICA PESTS
Room 201-202, Second Level
Chair: Travis Cranmer, OMAFRA
Sponsored by:

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
Room 203, Second Level
Chair: Robb Wagner, OMAFRA

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 Workhop
Room 206, Second Level
Chair: Rebecca Shortt, OMAFRA
Sponsored by:

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.

FARM FRESH ONTARIO
Ballroom D, Main Level
Chair: Kevin Vallier, FFO

9:30 – 10:30 Adversity Doesn't Build Character. It Reveals Character
Carl Dixon, Musician/Motivational Speaker

11:00-12:00 pm Social Media Strategy. Is Facebook dead? Is Tiktok just for kids?
Nicole Marenick, Maren Marcoux Marketing Inc.

2:00- 3:30 Farming for our Grandchildren: Leadership in the Military and Farming Communities in Times of Chaos
LGen (Ret.) Michael Day

FARMERS' MARKETS ONTARIO
Ballroom A, Main Level
Chair: Deanna Chakarova, St. Catharines Farmers’ Market

9:30-10:00 The Value of Social Media
Janet Zylstra, Niagara Falls Farmers’ Market

10:00-11:00 Navigating Ontario’s Food Premises Guidelines
Phil Wong, Association of Supervisors of Public Health Inspectors of Ontario (Live-stream)

11:00-12:00 Value of Balance at Farmers’ Markets
Dr. Thomas Merritt, Sudbury Farmers' Market; Lisa Cooper, Uxbridge Farmers' Market; Elmer Buchanan, Havelock

2:00 – 3:00 Empowering Women in Business
Alana Rachello, The Sisters’ Table

GRAPE
Room 207-208, Second Level
Chair: Kevin Ker, KCMS
Sponsored by:

9:30 Grapevine Winter Physiology: Cold Hardiness and Dormancy
Dr. Jason Londo, Cornell University, USA

10:00 Release of Asian Parasitoids for Biological Control of SWD in Ontario: Current Status and Future Prospects
Dr. Tara Gariepy, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

10:30 Rogue, Remove, or Stay the Course: Economic Thresholds for Viruses in Ontario Vineyards
John Molenhuis, Dr. Wendy McFadden-Smith, OMAFRA

11:00 Spotted Lanternfly: Experiences with an Invasive That Refuses to Abide by General Rules and Canada’s Response Strategy
Brian Walsh, Penn State Extension, USA; Diane Mooji, CFIA (Diane Mooji will be live-stream)

Chair: Kathryn Carter, OMAFRA

Afternoon Sponsored by:

2:00 Winter Injury in Vineyards: Dealing with the Aftermath of the 2021/ 2022 Winter
Kathryn Carter, OMAFRA; Dr. Jim Willwerth, Brock University Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute

2:30 Climate Change and Growing Grapes
Dr. Jim Willwerth, Brock University Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute

3:00 Cover Crops in Vineyards: Applied Research and a Grower Perspective
Kathryn Carter, OMAFRA; Albrecht Seeger, Seeger Farms

3:30 Sustainable Grape Production Panel
Stephanie Vickers, OMAFRA; Hugh Fraser, OTB Farm Solutions; Erwin Wiens, Erwin Wiens Vineyards Ltd.; David Hooper, Cave Springs

HAZELNUTS
Room 205, Second Level
Chairs: : Jenny Liu and Dr. Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA

9:30 Bird Damage: Risk Factors and Management Strategies
Dr. Catherine Lindell, Michigan State University, USA

10:00 Vertebrate Pest Management: Regulations 101
Dr. Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA

10:15 Vertebrate Pests: General Q & A
Dr. Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA; Dr. Catherine Lindell, Michigan State University, USA; Jenny Liu, OMAFRA

10:30-11:30 Roundtable on Hazelnut Processing
Rebecca Compton, Dalton White Farms; James Sharp, Sharpstone Inc.; Anne Lawrence, Nuts to You Nut Butter Inc.

STOCKING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TOOLBOX
Ballroom B, Main Level
Chair: Presented by CMHA

2:00 – 3:00 Stocking Your Mental Health Toolbox with Agriculture Wellness Ontario
Adriana Van Oostveen, Danica Davies, Agriculture Wellness Ontario and Canadian Mental Health Association

Join Agriculture Wellness Ontario and stock your toolbox with new strategies, tools and resources for better wellness. Also, learn about free mental health programs offered by Agriculture Wellness Ontario for the agriculture community. A full workshop will be offered on Tuesday, February 21 from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm in Room 207.

ONTARIO PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION
Room 204, Second Level
Chair: Emilia De Sousa, OPMA
Sponsored by:

2:00 PR 101- How to Develop and Share you Story!
Emilia De Sousa, OPMA

2:30 PR 101 – Engaging with Media, Building Your Social Media Presence and Engaging with your Community
Sandra Ulewicz, OPMA

3:00 Look Back, Looking Forward: Fruit and Vegetable Shopper Trends in Turbulent Times
Brian Ettkin, Numerator Canada

3:30 Q & A Panel
Emilia De Sousa, Sandra Ulewicz, OPMA; Brian Ettkin, Numerator Canada

PUMPKINS AND SWEET CORN
Room 201-202, Second Level
Chair: Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA
Sponsored by:

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
Room 206, Second Level
Chair: Anne Verhallen, OMAFRA
Sponsored by:

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
Room 205, Second Level
Chair: Dr. Sean Westerveld, OMAFRA

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

TENDER FRUIT
Ballroom B Main Level
Chair: Sarah Marshall, OTFG
Sponsored by:

9:30 Optimizing Copper and Biologicals for Bacterial Spot in Peach
Dr. Kari Peter, Penn State University, USA (Live-stream)

10:00 Optimizing Fertilizer Use in Pear Orchards
Willem Kalle, FruitConsult, Netherlands (Live-stream)

10:30 Using Orchard-Specific Variables to Determine a Rational Fertilization Program for Peach Trees
Dr. Brian Lawrence, Clemson University, USA (Live-stream)

11:00 High Density Peach Production – Grower Panel
Tony Sgambelleri, Ridgeview Orchards; Kevin Bittner, Bittner Singer Orchards

TRANSITION PLANNING
Room 203, Second Level
Chair: Mary Jane Combe, Grape Growers of Ontario

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

HORTICULTURAL WASTE REDUCTION
Room 204, Second Level
Chairs: Dr. Alexandra Grygorczyk, Dr. Qinglu Ying, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre

9:30 Cut Waste, Grow Profit
Dr. Martin Gooch, Value Chain Management International

10:00 Opportunities for Waste Conversion to Value-Add
Dr. Alexandra Grygorczyk, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre

10:30 Case Study #1 - Processing on the Farm
Kevin Martin, Martin’s Apples

11:00 Case Study #2: Selling to a Processor
Isabelle Lam, Remix Snacks

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE
The Lounge, Second Level
8:00 am - 9:15 am
Speaker: Jen Smith, Cherrylane Farms
Sponsored by:

YOUNG FARMER FORUM
The Lounge, Second Level
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Speakers: David and Jenn VanDeVelde, Wholesome Pickins Market and Bakery
Sponsored by: