2026 Rochester Urban Agriculture Conference
Event Details
Date
March 21, 2026
Time
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location
East High School
1801 East Main Street
Rochester, NY 14609
Host
Rochester Urban Ag Working Group, Harvest NY, Cornell Vegetable ProgramLori Koenick
585-469-5798
email Lori Koenick
This year's Conference will be held at East HS on Saturday, March 21 from 9a-4p! This is a day of learning and connections featuring interactive workshops, community knowledge sharing, Fruition's Gift of Seed Experience, gardening tables and displays, and more!
REGISTRATION
Given the overwhelming popularity of last year's Conference, we are requiring registration in order to be as prepared for the day as possible. During registration, please make sure to select what workshops you are interested in attending so we can place them in appropriately sized rooms. Full workshop descriptions are in the agenda on the registration page. We are offering a pay-what-you-can model for tickets to support the costs of this amazing event ($0 - $10). Thank you so much for your support!
Register today!
AGENDA
- 9:00 AM - Doors open, sign-in, visit tables
- 9:30 AM - Welcome, intros, housekeeping
- 10:00 AM - Workshop Block #1
- 11:10 AM - Workshop Block #2
- 12:10 PM - Lunch
- 1:10 PM - Workshop Block #3
- 2:30 PM - Fruition's Gift of Seed Experience
- 4:00 PM - Conference Conclusion
This conference is brought to you by the Rochester Urban Agriculture Working Group, with support from Rochester Food Policy Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District, Taproot Collective, and Wegmans.
QUESTIONS?
Please reach out to Mallory Hohl mdh286@cornell.edu or Lori Koenick lbk75@cornell.edu

Upcoming Events
African Eggplant Participatory Breeding Kick-Off
March 5, 2026
Join us to learn about the Cornell African Eggplant Research Project and learn how you can participate! African eggplant, also known as Bitterball, Garden Egg, Kittley and other names, is an important crop for many members of our community with heritage from regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil. Since 2024, the Cornell African Eggplant Research Project has been collaborating with growers and community partners across New York to develop high-quality varieties adapted to the Northeast U.S. In this meeting, we will share information about growing and preparing African eggplant, highlight our research to date, and invite partners to collaborate with us in our 2026 participatory breeding and variety selection efforts.
COST: FREE! You must pre-register to receive the Zoom link.
Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar
March 6, 2026
Swede midge is an invasive fly that causes serious economic losses to brassica crops. Due to its small size and hidden feeding habits, swede midge is often called an "invisible pest" and damage may be misdiagnosed. In this webinar, we will review the swede midge life cycle and crop damage symptoms, current management recommendations, new research findings, and highlights from on-farm case studies with a focus on organic management.
1.75 DEC pesticide recertification credits in categories 1a, 10, and 23.
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training
March 10, 2026
Newark, NY
Learn about food safety on the farm! This event hosted by the Cornell Vegetable Program, Cornell Lake Ontario Fruit Team, CCE Wayne County, and the NYS Department of Agriculture, will cover good agricultural practices (GAPs) to help reduce the risk of microbial contamination on the farm, keeping food and consumers safe.