7:30 Breakfast with Vendors
Grab a bite to eat and meet with exhibitors.
8:45 Welcoming remarks
Jack Rechcigl, UF/IFAS GCREC, Center Director and Professor
Scott Angle, UF/IFAS, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources
9:00 - Arnold Schumann, UF
Opportunities and Challenges for AI in Precision Farming
9:20 - Vance Whitaker, UF
Phenomics in Plant Breeding: Examples from Strawberry
9:40 - Manoj Karkee, WSU
AI and Robotics in Specialty Crops: Past Accomplishments and Future Direction
10:00 - Paul Nagel, Stout AgTech
Robotic Weeding Technology
10:20 - Pauline Canteneur, FarmWise
Automated Mechanical Weeding for Vegetable Crops
10:40 - Daniel Carmichael, Bear Flag Robotics
Advanced Tractor Automation
11:00 - Panel Discussion

11:00 - Break for Lunch
Grab a bite to eat and meet with exhibitors.
12:30 - CEU Sessions Begin
There will be two sets of concurrent CEU courses

Pest Management Session

12:30 - Asian Bean Thrips: Managing a New Invasive Pest of Florida Legume Crops
Hugh Smith, UF
12:50 - Recent Invasive Pest Problem in Strawberries of Canada
Sriyanka Lahiri, UF
1:10 - Using Cover crops to Help Manage Nematodes
Johan Desaeger, UF
1:30 - 2021 Strawberry Disease Update
Natalia Peres, UF
1:50 - 2021 Vegetable Disease Update
Gary Vallad, UF

BMP Session

12:30 - Understanding Senate Bill 712 and Agriculture BMPs
Lakesh Sharma, UF
12:50 - Soil Testing and BMPs
Rao Mylavarapu, UF
1:10 - Improved Soil-Test Based Fertilizer Recommendations: A Statewide Program
Kelly Morgan, UF
1:30 - Compact Bed Plasticulture for Reducing Environmental Footprint, Production Risks and Costs
Sanjay Shukla, UF
1:50 - Improving Effectiveness of Compost by Localized Application Methods
Shinsuke Agehara, UF

2:45 - Field Tours

Alternative Crops Tour

Breeding for Mechanical Harvesting
Sam Hutton, UF
Disease Management in Tomato/Watermelon
Gary Vallad, UF
Smart Spray Technology for Herbicide Application
Nathan Boyd, UF
Effects of Cover Crops on Vegetable Production
Johan Desaeger, UF
Artichoke and Hops Production in Florida
Shinsuke Agehara, UF

Florida Organic Blueberry Production a Challenge
By Cint Thompson Interest in organic blueberry production in Florida has waned in recent years. The late freeze event in January was not helpful in convincing growers to convert production. Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida, discusses the state of the industry in Florida. “Growers have converted a few […]
UGA Hires New Pecan Entomologist
University of Georgia (UGA) Extension has a new pecan entomologist as part of its UGA Pecan Team, according to the UGA Extension Pecan Blog, Apurba Barman has been hired as an assistant professor in agroecology, tree nut and fruit entomology and will be stationed at the UGA Tifton Campus. Barman previously served as the University […]
Vidalia Onion Producers Preparing for Upcoming Season
By Clint Thompson Georgia Vidalia onion producers are already preparing for the upcoming season. Chris Tyson, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension area onion agent, discusses what growers are doing now with planting season less than a month away. “A lot of growers have been putting in orders for seed. We’re now at the time where […]