9:45    Presidential Address
           Allan Overhiser, South Haven, MI

10:00 Grower Innovations & New Products
          Panel
          Panel Moderators:
                    Jim Bardenhagen, MSU Extension, Traverse City
                    Amy Irish-Brown, MSU Extension, Muskegon

                    Ground Speed/Flow Monitor For A Dual Purpose
                    Vineyard Sprayer
                    Mechanical Application Of Grape Netting
                    Dave Kroupa, Traverse City, MI

                   Two Row Orchard Weed Sprayer
                    John Nink, Traverse City, MI

                    Hydraulic Disk Mower
                    Jim Hill, Grand Rapids /Amy Brown, Clarksville

11:05    Exhibitor Show & Tell

11:15 THE MARTIN JOHN BUKOVAC
             DISTINGUISHED LECTURE: "Apogee®" - A PGR
             for Effective Growth Control on Apples
           Dr. George Greene, Pennsylvania State University
             Biglerville, PA

For many years apple growers have used dwarfing rootstocks, nutrient management strategies and other cultural techniques to control the vigor of apple trees.  Pomologists have been searching for a PGR that would give growers a more versatile, faster acting tool to aid in vigor control.  In the 1980's Cultar, also known as PP-333 or Double P Triple 3, was thought to hold some promise.  However, several problems became apparent and it was never registered on fruit crops.
          Apogee®, a new PGR that interferes with the synthesis of gibberellic acid, may be the tool that fruit growers have been waiting for.  Applications made when there is between 1 and 3 inches of shoot growth have given about a 50% reduction in shoot growth.  This should result in more profitable production by reducing pruning costs and increasing the production of high value apples.  Since the tree canopy is less dense the application of all sprays should be more efficient.  It is expected that the control of aphids, obliquebanded leafrollers, scab, powdery mildew, sooty blotch, fly speck and fire blight will be influenced by Apogee®.  Dr. Alan Jones, of MSU's Dept. of Plant Pathology, has shown that Apogee® can reduce the secondary spread of fire blight.  Greene will explain how net income may increase substantially where excessive tree vigor is a significant problem.

12:00    Adjourn to Exhibits & Lunch

10:00    Sharing the Harvest - A Great Program for Farm
             Marketers to Join
             Jane Eckert, Eckert's Country Store & Farms,
             Belleville, IL

10:30    Farm Marketing Northern Michigan Style & Niche
             Marketing
             Richard Friske, Friske Farms, Charlevoix, MI

11:00    Exhibitor Show & Tell

11:10    Michigan's New TODD's Sign Program: Will It Work
             For Farm Markets?
           Farm Market Directory Update
             Sandy Hill, Commodity Coordinator, MI Dept. Agriculture,
             Lansing, MI

11:25    Farm Marketing Experiences and Advertising
             Steve Elzinga, Erie Orchards, Erie, MI

12:00    Adjourn to Exhibits & Lunch

1. Only Michigan cider producers eligible again this year.
2. Submit two 1 gallon cider jugs at the Registration Table, Tuesday, 8:30 - 5:30, or Wednesday, 8:30 - Noon. ENTRIES ARE DUE BY NOON ON WEDNESDAY.
3. Cider contest judging will be Wednesday afternoon (not open to the public).
4. Winners will be announced at the Banquet Wednesday evening.
5. Tasting of winning ciders, Thursday, 9-10 a.m., Grand Center Lower Concourse (area near base of escalator).
6. Prizes! 1st place receives a plaque and a traveling trophy; 2nd & 3rd places receive a plaque. (Click here for previous winners.)
7. The prizes have been sponsored by various industry publications, groups and businesses. Entry forms available in advance by contacting Bob Tritten, MSU Extension in Flint: phone: 810-732-2177; fax: 810-732-1400; Email: tritten@msue.msu.edu.

1:30    Insect Pest Control And Management Strategies
           In 1999
           Dr. Larry Gut, Dept. of Entomology, MSU,
           East Lansing, MI
 

2:10    Integrating "Sovran" And "Flint" With Old

           Fungicides For Apple Disease Control

           Dr. Alan Jones, Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology,

           MSU, East Lansing, MI

Next spring apple growers will have new fungicides for scab control. Dr. Jones will discuss his test results and suggest how growers can best use these new tools for scab control.

2:35    Exhibitor Show & Tell

2:45    Funding Research on Fireblight: The Role

           of the Michigan and New York Farm Bureau

           Bill Austin, Hartford, MI

2:55    Research Progress in New York Toward Better

           Control of Fire Blight

           Dr. Herb Aldwinckle, Dept. of Plant Pathology,

           Cornell University, Geneva, NY

3:40    Michigan's Research Progress in Controlling

           Fire Blight

           Dr. Alan Jones, Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology,

           MSU, East Lansing, MI

Dr. Jones will review his experinece with several new strategies for fire blight control. A strategy involving fire blight may be available to growers next year.

4:10    Adjourn

4:10    (Society Annual Business Meeting, Blodgett Room)

2:00    Weather 101 For Farm Marketers & Fruit Growers
          Dr. Jeff Andresen, Agricultural Meteorologist, MSU, East
           Lansing, MI

2:40    Great Farm Market Websites - What Does One
           Contain?
           Jon Clements, MSU Extension, Berrien Co.,
           Benton Harbor, MI

3:15    Exhibitor Show & Tell

3:25    Farm Marketing In SW Michigan & Connecting
           With Tourists - A Practical Approach
           Jay & Jerry Jolley, Jollay Orchards, Coloma, MI

3:50    Michigan Ag Mediation Program: Another
           Method of  Solving Neighbor Disagreements
           Joel Toonstra, Project Manager, Agric. Mediation,
           Grand Rapids, MI

4:00    Adjourn

4:10    (Society Annual Business Meeting, Blodgett Room)

2:00    Grape Disease Control In The Great Lakes Region
           Dr. Wayne Wilcox, Cornell University, Geneva, NY

3:05    Exhibitor Show & Tell

3:15    Grape Fungicide Trials In Michigan
           Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology,
           East Lansing, MI

3:40   Pheromone Disruption & Chemical Destruction Of
          Grape Berry Moth: New Tactics For 2000
          Dr. Rufus Isaacs, Dept. of Entomology, MSU,
          East Lansing, MI

4:00    Break

4:10    Annual Business Meeting

Allan Overhiser, President, South Haven, MI
Treasurer's Report, Sharri German, Belding, MI
Trust Report, Bill Braman, Greenville, MI
Resolutions Committee, Chuck Stein, South Haven, MI 4:45    Adjourn to Exhibits

The Michigan Room is located on the lower level of the Grand Center. The Kent and Blodgett rooms are on the upper level. (View of floor plan.)

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