2018 Events - year view
January 2018
2018 Produce Auction Growers Meeting (Yates County)
January 4, 2018
9:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Penn Yan, NY

2018 Becker Forum: Farm Employment Practices - Planning for the Future
January 15, 2018
8:30 AM registration, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Syracuse, NY

2018 Empire State Producers EXPO
January 16 - January 18, 2018
1.25 hr sessions throughout each day
Syracuse, NY

Growing, Washing and Packing High Tunnel Winter Greens: Doing It and Doing It Well
January 18, 2018
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saratoga Springs, NY

This event promises to help growers bring their winter greens production to the next level -- both in the high tunnel and in the packshed. There will be an emphasis on best management practices in the high tunnel, especially practices which support long term soil health and fertility. In the packshed, processing efficiency and food safety will both be stressed.
The day will begin at 9:00 am in conference room Broadway 1, with workshops on issues and opportunities in winter high tunnel production and best practices for postharvest handling, including food safety concerns.
Upon completion of the workshops at 10:30 am, everyone will board a bus and travel to Paul and Sandy Arnold's Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, NY for a farm tour and farmer-led discussions in the high tunnel and packshed. A farm to table lunch, with a vegetarian option, will be served at the farm. After lunch, the tours and discussions will continue and then everyone will come together for a Q&A session with hot cider and light snacks. The bus will leave the farm at about 3:15 pm and should be back at the hotel by 4:00 pm.
2018 Western NY Fresh Market Winter Vegetable Meeting
January 31, 2018
8:00 AM registration, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM program
Lockport, NY

Produce Grower Food Safety Training - FSMA and GAPs/HGAPs
January 30, 2018 : FSMA and GAPs/HGAPs Produce Safety Alliance Training Course
January 31, 2018 : Workshop on Farm Food Safety Plan Writing

Over the course of the training, certified Produce Safety Alliance trainers will cover content contained in these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
February 2018
2018 Western NY Fresh Market Winter Vegetable Meeting (Eastern location)
February 1, 2018
8:00 AM registration, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM program
Irondequoit, NY

Vegetable Fertility Considerations for Season Extension
February 8, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Jamestown, NY

2018 Genesee Valley Produce Auction Growers Meeting
February 12, 2018
9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Centerville, NY

2018 Chautauqua Produce Auction Growers Meeting
February 13, 2018
9:45 AM - 2:00 PM
Clymer, NY

Greater WNY Vegetable Farming Collaborative Teach-In
February 15, 2018
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Geneva, NY

March 2018
2018 NYS Dry Bean Meeting
March 6, 2018
9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Batavia, NY

Season Extension with High Tunnels: Know Before You Grow
March 6 - April 10, 2018
Every Tuesday, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Offered as an online course through the Cornell Small Farms Program, this course (BF220) is meant for farmers who already have some experience successfully growing vegetables outdoors and are exploring high tunnels as a way to expand the season or improve plant quality. Information will be focused on using high tunnels in colder climates (US Climate Zones 4-6), but can be adapted to other growing regions.
Pre-Season Onion Weed Management Meeting (Wayne County)
March 13, 2018
10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Newark, NY

Pre-Season Onion Weed Management Meeting (Oswego County)
March 16, 2018
10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Oswego, NY

Pre-Season Onion Weed Management Meeting (Elba Muck)
March 20, 2018
10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Elba, NY

April 2018
2018 Worker Protection Standard Training & DEC Special Permit Training (Wayne County)
April 4, 2018
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM English Session / 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Spanish Session
Newark, NY

Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
2018 Worker Protection Standard Training & DEC Special Permit Training (Orleans County)
April 5, 2018
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM English & Spanish sessions
Albion, NY

Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
Erie County Beginning Farmer Discussion Group: Vegetable Farming 101
April 12, 2018
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
East Aurora, NY

May 2018
FSMA 7-Hour Grower Training Course plus optional 2nd Day Farm Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop
May 2, 2018 : FSMA 7 Hour Grower Training Course
May 3, 2018 : Optional Farm Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop

Over the course of the training, certified Produce Safety Alliance trainers will cover content contained in these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
June 2018
2018 WNY Fresh Market Vegetable Twilight Meeting
June 19, 2018
5:00 PM - 7:55 PM; dinner served at 8:00 PM
Eden, NY

2018 Annual Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting Featuring Herbicide Trial Tours
June 21, 2018
5:30 PM dinner, 6:00 - 8:30 PM program and tours
Elba, NY

July 2018
Garlic Twilight Meeting
July 5, 2018
6:00 PM - ???
Albion, NY

Chautauqua Produce Auction Growers Meeting
July 10, 2018
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Dewittville, NY

Ontario Produce Auction Growers Meeting
July 17, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Stanley, NY

Orleans Produce Auction Growers Meeting
July 23, 2018
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Lyndonville, NY

Seneca County Produce Auction Growers Meeting
July 25, 2018
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Ovid, NY

Finger Lakes Produce Auction Growers Meeting (Yates)
July 27, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Dundee, NY

August 2018
Coffee & Donuts Meet & Greet
August 6, 2018
M 10 am - 11 am
Eden, NY

Ali Nafchi is our new precision ag specialist, and as a huge bonus, he has an engineering background. Elizabeth Buck is the new fresh market specialist for the western-most counties. She has a strong background in weed science and works on crop protection concerns in a wide variety of crops.
Chautauqua Produce Auction Growers Meeting - Field Meeting
August 14, 2018
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Frewsburg, NY

Fresh Market Vegetable Grading & Packing Workshop
August 21, 2018
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Deposit, NY

Oswego Onion Growers Twilight Meeting
August 22, 2018
4:00 PM registration, 4:30-6:30 PM educational program, 7:00 PM dinner
Oswego, NY

3rd Annual Vegetable Pest Management Field Day
August 23, 2018
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM plus light supper and networking
Portland, NY

2.25 DEC credits available in categories 1a, 10 and 23
Genesee Valley Produce Auction Growers Meeting (Allegany County)
August 24, 2018
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Dalton, NY

Greater WNY Veg Farming Collaborative Teach-In: In-Row Cultivation Demo
August 30, 2018
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Geneva, NY

September 2018
No Events Scheduled at this Time
October 2018
No Events Scheduled at this Time
November 2018
Genesee Valley Produce Auction Meeting
November 2, 2018
F 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Rushford, NY

Research Results with High Tunnel Vegetable Crops Webinar
November 29, 2018
7:00 - 8:00 PM

- Winter spinach nitrogen sources and rates (still underway)
- Pushing warm season crops for earliest harvest with and without covers
- Red bell pepper variety trial, comparing standard varieties to greenhouse varieties
- Training and pruning greenhouse peppers
- Cherry pepper pruning and training
December 2018
2018 Processing Snap Bean Advisory Meeting
December 4, 2018
10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, complimentary lunch following the meeting
Canandaigua, NY

2018 Processing Vegetable Crops Advisory Meeting
December 12, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:15 - 3:00 PM
Batavia, NY


Upcoming Events
2026 Ontario Produce Auction Winter Growers Meeting
January 14, 2026
Stanley, NY
At this grower-focused meeting, ag industry experts will discuss European Cherry Fruit Fly, greenhouse phytosanitary inspections, the benefits of using cover crops, plus more. Two grower panel discussions will focus on pest management techniques. DEC recertification credits offered in categories 10, 1a, 22, 23, and 24.
Genesee Valley Winter Produce Meeting
January 20, 2026
Farmersville, NY
Fresh market production meeting for small to mid-sized farms. Topics include: fundamentals of plant disease management, keeping yourself safe while spraying (organic & conventional), mushrooms, white mold management, selling at auction, and soil health.
Chautauqua Region Winter Vegetable Meeting
January 30, 2026
Randolph, NY
Fresh market production meeting for small to mid-sized farms. Topics include: vegetable disease management, keeping yourself safe while spraying (organic & conventional), soil and water sampling, managing soil organic matter, grower panel, industry and programmatic updates.
DEC credits available: 1.0 in CORE plus 1.5 in 1a and 23.