Contact:
Nick George, President 608-255-9946 Nick.George@mwfpa.org
Brian Elliott Dir. of Communications 608-255-9946 Brian.Elliott@mwfpa.org
Providing information about the latest technology for crop production and handling, while staying on top of potential problems from insects and disease, are just a few of the ways the Midwest Food Processors Association (MWFPA) annual processing crops conference produces for it participants.
The conference, held in conjunction with MWFPA’s annual convention, will take place at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin and run November 30 and December 1, 2010.
“The production of vegetables and other crops for processing is an extremely important part of the economic framework of the Midwest” according to MWFPA President Nick George. “The conference brings together agricultural researchers, food processors and seed-industry representatives to tackle the latest crop-growing challenges in the region,” he added.
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois remain the nation’s largest concentrated production of canned and frozen vegetables, perennially ranking among the nation’s top producers of potatoes, sweet corn, snap beans, green peas, carrots and beets.
Now in its 83rd year, the conference regularly features specialists who present information on topics such as sweet corn herbicides, weed, disease and insect management, in addition to soil fertilization and groundwater quality. Many of the latest findings, and information surrounding future research, are presented by experts from the universities of Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“The in-depth look at the raw products side of the food processing provided at the conference equips producers with the tools they need to grow profitable and sustainable crops,” said George.
This year’s conference is divided into four sessions with one of the sessions focusing on snap beans and another on sweet corn. Among the topics to be addressed are alternatives to commercial fertilizers; sustainability certification models; refining insect pest management in snap beans; sustainable nutrient and water management in processing vegetables; irrigation scheduling and management; fungicide use in sweet corn; and an introduction to phenoxy herbicide resistance in sweet corn and soybeans and the ramifications for vegetable processors.
Also on the conference agenda is a discussion of the integration of Dicamba resistant crops into vegetable crop production regions and stewardship of DHT in processing vegetable crops in the Midwest region. Rutgers University Professor Dan Kunkel is scheduled to provide an update on maximum residue limits for processed vegetables.
Online registration for MWFPA Processing Crops Conference will be open until November 24th. To register, or for more information, visit http://www.mwfpa.org.
