Keynotes provided by Lisa Chase, The University of Vermont, Extension Professor: Natural Resources Specialist and Director of the Vermont Tourism Research Center.
AGENDA
Thursday, January 30th, Hot Springs Convention Center
8:00 am – 4:00 pm: Registered Vendors and Attendees Check-In, Hall A Concourse
8:00 am – 4:00 pm: Vendor Setup, Hot Springs Convention Center, Halls A and B
WELCOME LUNCH AND KICKOFF, HALL C
11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Marketing Strategically: Opportunities and Challenges, Speaker Ron Rainey, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
– Introductions to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture
– Introductions to Agriculture Associations represented in Educational Sessions
Boxed lunch provided by Turf Catering. Food voucher provided with registration check in.
BLUEBERRY SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Blueberry Growers Association
Meeting Rooms 201/202
1:30 pm: Blueberry Plant Establishment, Speaker Ryan Neal , University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
2:00 pm: Experience Growing Blueberry in Pots, Speaker Cailin Irby, UADA Center for Arkansas Farm and Foods
2:30 pm: Weed Control, Speaker Hannah Wright, UADA Extension
3:00 pm: 2024 Blueberry Variety Trial Results, Speaker Keilah Barney, UADA Extension
3:30 pm: Career Retrospective: How To Be Successful With Blueberries, Speaker Patrick Byers, University of Missouri Extension (retired)
4:30 pm: Grower Profile: Wye Mountain Berries, Speaker Blaine Burgess
GRAPE AND WINE PRODUCTION SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Association of Grape Growers
Meeting Rooms 203/204
1:30 pm: Introductions and Arkansas Association of Grape Growers Annual Meeting
2:00 pm: Potential For Fresh-Market Muscadine Production in Arkansas, Speaker Matt Wilson, Ritter Ag
2:30 pm: Winter Hardiness for Muscadine Grapevines Grown in Arkansas, Speaker Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
3:00 pm: BREAK
3:15 pm: Potential for High Tunnels in Grape Production and Funding/Training Opportunities, Speaker Taunya Ernst, UADA Extension
3:45 pm: Weed Management in Grape Vineyards, Speaker Hannah Wright Smith, Weed Specialist, UADA Extension
4:15 pm: Winery and Vineyard Highway Signage Process, Speaker David Weston, Arkansas Department of Transportation
4:45 pm: Update on Vitis x Muscadinia Research and Extension Project, Speaker Renee Threlfall, UADA Food Science Department
AGRITOURISM SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Agritourism Association
Meeting Room 207
1:00 pm: Intro to Agritourism: History, Future and Trends Nationally and Globally, Speaker Lisa Chase, The University of Vermont, Extension Professor
1:45 pm: The Challenges and Solutions Panel to Smooth the Road Ahead
Panel Discussion:
Liability Considerations – Overview of The Agritourism Law, What it Covers and the Operators Responsibilities, Speaker Rusty Rumley, National Ag Law Center
Safety – Farm and Food-Resources At Your Reach, Speakers Stacey McCullough and Amanda Perez, University System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension and Renee Smith, Arkansas Hospitality Association
Marketing with Tourism – Speaker Susie Cowan, Arkansas Tourism
Business Planning – Speaker Stacey McCullough, UADA Extension
New Opportunities in Agritourism – Farm To Table, Arts and Heritage, Bird Watching and Beyond, Speaker Ruthie Pepler, Dogwood Hills Guest Farm
3:00 pm: Panel Break Out Session
4:30 pm: Arkansas Agritourism Association Annual Meeting
VEGETABLE SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas State Horticulture Society
Meeting Rooms 208/209
1:30 pm: Using Integrated Pest Management to Make Money Growing Squash, Pumpkins and Melons, Speaker Aaron Cato, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
2:30 pm: Arkansas Seedless Watermelon and Cantaloupe Variety Trials, Speaker Matt Bertucci, UADA Extension
3:00 pm: How to Minimize Pest Losses in Tomato, Speaker Aaron Cato, UADA Extension
4:00 pm: Post-Harvest Handling of Vegetables, Speaker Amanda Philyaw Perez, UADA Extension
4:30 pm: Carrot BBQ Sauce – Developing Niche Products with Arkansas Grown Vegetables, Speakers Andrea Myers and Renee Threlfall, UADA Extension
EXPO OPENS: HAPPY HOUR AND RECEPTION WITH VENDORS, HALLS A AND B
5:00 – 6:30: Mingle and enjoy food, music, and beverages
Friday, January 31st, Hot Springs Convention Center
8:00 am – 5:00 pm: Expo Open, Halls A and B
8:00 am – 9:30 am: Morning Refreshments, Halls A and B
FARMERS MARKET SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Farmers Market Association
Meeting Rooms 201/202
9:00 am: Arkansas Department of Health Food Freedom & Farmers Market Regulations, Speaker Jeff Jackson, Arkansas Department of Health
9:30 am: Arkansas Farmers Market Association (AFMA) attendees are encouraged to attend United States Department of Agriculture Local Foods Program Panel, Room 205
10:30 am: Home-Based Value-Added Product, Speaker David Hill, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
FARM TO SCHOOL SESSION
Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Meeting Rooms 203/204
9:00 am: Welcome, Speaker Jessica Chapman, Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Sheila Chastain, Arkansas Department of Education
9:15 am: Purchasing Local Through School Nutrition Programs, Speaker Eddie Longoria and Melissa Campbell, United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services
10:00 am: From Soil to School: A Producer’s Path to the Cafeteria, Speaker Randy Arnold, Strawberry Growers Association
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Meeting Room 205
9:00 am: Regenerative Agriculture, Speaker Robin Ralston, Ralston Farms
9:30 am: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Local Foods Program Panel – Speakers Amy Lyman, Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Angela Gardner, USDA Agriculture Marketing Service, Brenda Williams, Communities Unlimited, Amanda Philyaw Perez, University of Arkansas System (UADA) Extension
10:30 am: Local Food Supply Chain Development – Market and Grower Panel – Liz Bell, WSBZ Farms, Loretta Cochran, Farindale Farms, Mary Admire, The Front Porch Market, and Dr. Darryl Holliday, Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks
STRAWBERRY SESSION
Hosted by Mid-America Strawberry Growers Association
Meeting Room 207
9:00 am: Welcome To Mid-America Strawberry Growers Association (MASGA)/ Beginners Session
9:45 am: My IPM App and the Insect and Disease Photo Guide, Speaker Rebecca Melanson, Mississippi State University Extension
10:15 am: Botrytis and Anthracnose Resistance Testing, Speaker Rebecca Melanson, Mississippi Sate University Extension
VEGETABLE SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas State Horticulture Society
Rooms 208/209
9:00 am: MyIPM Vegetable App and other Disease Management Resources, Speaker Rebecca Melanson, Mississippi State Extension
10:00 am: Identifying Weeds and Integrated Weed Management, Speaker Hannah Wright Smith, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
10:30 am: Grower Resource Panel, Speakers from the Conservation Districts, Foreign Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Services, Rural Development, and Southern Risk Management
GENERAL SESSION, HALL C
11:00 am: Working Together to Embrace the Natural State – Hosted by Arkansas Agritourism Association
Panel Discussion, National Agriculture Law Center, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, Arkansas Hospitality Association, Arkansas Tourism Association, Arkansas Heritage
LUNCH WITH VENDORS, HALL A and B CONCESSION AREA
12:00 – 1:30 pm: Concessions by Turf Catering, food voucher provided with registration
FARMERS MARKET SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Farmers Market Association
Meeting Rooms 201/202
1:30 pm: AFMA Overview & Double Up Food Bucks
2:00 pm: Farmers Market Presentation, Speaker Shelly Smith, Rogers
2:30 pm: Farmers Market Presentation, Speaker Pauline Rescorl, Eureka Springs
3:00 pm: Farmers Market Presentation, Speaker Jeff Quick, Mountain Home
3:30 pm: Farmers Market Presentations, Speaker Katy Elliot, Arkansas Local Food Network
4:00 pm: Open Discussion
FARM TO SCHOOL SESSION
Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Meeting Rooms 203/204
1:30 pm: Local Food Prep in the School Kitchen, Speakers Courtney Erick, Arkansas Department of Education and Aly Mrachek, LunchAssist
3:00 pm: Interactive Panel – Overcoming Barriers in Farm to School Procurement
Produce Producer – Speaker Ekko Barnhill, Barnhill Orchards
Protein Producer – Speaker John Wahrmund, Wahrmund Farms
Procurement Expert – Speaker Ally Mrachek, LunchAssist
Marketing Expert – Speaker Kat Daniels, Arkansas Brand Developer
Dismiss to Hall C for Jennifer Maune Presentation and Reception
Hall C
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Scratch Cooking – Making An Impact Beyond the Lunch Tray, Speaker Chef Jennifer Maune CC CPC
5:00 – 6:00 pm: Taste of Arkansas Networking Reception
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Meeting Room 205
1:30 pm: Natural Resources Conservation Service: Conservation District (AACD) – Feral Hog Grant, Tax Credit Program, Speaker Alice Weeks, AACD
2:00 pm: Introduction to Produce Safety Audits and Inspections, Speaker Amanda Philyaw Perez, UADA Extension
2:30 pm: New Preharvest Ag Water Rule Requirements, Speaker Amanda Philyaw Perez, UADA Extension
3:00 pm: Keeping It in the Family (KIITF) Forestry Program, Kandi Williams, KITTF Outreach Coordinator, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
3:15 pm: Understanding Heirs’ Property, Speaker Amy Pritchard, Attorney, Pritchard Law Firm
3:30 pm: Marketing and Business Planning, Speakers Cory Babb of Firelight Farm and Kyle Manning of Fat Rabbit Farm
4:00 pm: From Soil to Sustainability: Actively Merging S.T.E.M. and Agriculture Education to Build Financial Futures and Cultivate Community Resilience, Speaker Coach A, Zeps Garden
4:30 pm: Arkansas Apiary Laws and Bee Health, Speakers Jacob Bates and John Martin, Arkansas Department of Agriculture
STRAWBERRY SESSION
Hosted by Mid-America Strawberry Growers Association
Meeting Room 207
1:30 pm: Plant Future, Speaker Jim Goodson
2:00 pm: Strawberry Soil Test Lime and Fertility, David Dycus, FCI North Carolina
2:45 pm: Strawberry Fertility Trial Updates, Speaker Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
3:00 pm: Disease Spray Program and Drone Spraying, Speaker Aaron Cato, UADA Extension
3:45 pm: Neo Pest Disease Update, Speaker David Dycus, FCI North Carolina
4:30 pm: Open Discussion followed by MASGA Business Meeting
AFTERNOON REFRESHMENTS, HALLS A AND B
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Mingle with Vendors
Vegetable Session
Hosted by Arkansas State Horticulture Society
Meeting Rooms 208/209
1:30 pm: Introduction to High Tunnel Production, Speaker Taunya Ernst, UADA Extension
2:30 pm: Incorporating a High Tunnel Onto Your Farm, Speaker Terry Kirkpatrick, Experienced High Tunnel Grower
3:00 pm: Winter High Tunnel Production, Speakers Taunya Ernst and Aaron Cato, UADA Extension
3:45 pm: The High Tunnel Environmental Quality Incentives Program, A Grower’s Experience, Speaker Sarah Shelton-James, New High Tunnel Grower
4:30 pm: High Tunnel Design Considerations, Speaker Taunya Ernst, UADA Extension
HOSPITALITY SUITE, HOTEL HOT SPRINGS
6:00 – 8:00 pm: Hosted by Arkansas Agritourism Association
Saturday, February 1, Hot Springs Convention Center
8:00 am – 5:00 pm: Expo Open, Halls A and B
8:00 am – 9:30 am: Morning Refreshments, Halls A and B
8:00 am – 5:00 pm: Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made Market with Hot Springs Farmers Market, Open, Hall B
PECAN SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Pecan Growers Association
Meeting Rooms 201/202
9:00 am: Optic Sorting for Pecan Quality, Speaker John Bruhl, Bruhl Farms
9:30 am: Pecan Market and Ask Charlie! Speaker Dr. Charlie Graham, Noble Research Institute
10:00 am: Pecan Crop Load Management, Speaker Becky Carrol, Oklahoma State University
EMERGING CROPS SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas State Horticulture Society
Meeting Rooms 203/204
8:00 am: Arkansas State Horticulture Society Annual Meeting
9:00 am: Growing Cut Flowers On Your Farm, Anthony Bowden, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
10:00 am: The Return of a Superfood, the Ozark Chinquapin Tree, Speakers Chris Wyatt and Steve Bost, The Ozark Chinquapin Foundation
BLACKBERRY SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Blackberry Association
Meeting Room 207
9:00 am: Start-up Costs and Basics of Establishment, Speaker Ryan Neal, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
9:30 am: Grower Experience with Establishment on Rotating Cross-Arm, Speaker Chris Linam, Linam Family Farms
10:00 am: Tips for Beginning Blackberry Growers, Speaker Patrick Byers, University of Missouri Extension (retired)
ORGANIC SESSION
Hosted by the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food (CAFF)
Meeting Rooms 208/209
9:00 am: Thinking About Getting Certified? Where to Start, Speakers Joe Hannan, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Center for Arkansas Farms and Food (ADA), Brendan Sinclair and Liesel McCleary, Snuggle Bug Farm
10:00 am: Weed Management the Organic Way, Speakers Mike Appel and Emily Oakley, Three Springs Farm, Brendan Sinclair and Liesel McCleary, Snuggle Bug Farm
GENERAL SESSION, HALL C
11:00 am: The Faces of Arkansas Agriculture– Hosted by Arkansas Agritourism Association
Panel Discussion Topics Include Farm To Table, Young Farmers, Homesteaders, Farmers Markets, Food Deserts, Slow Food, Micro Farms, Encore Careers
Keynotes provided by Lisa Chase, The University of Vermont, Extension Professor: Natural Resources Specialist and Director of the Vermont Tourism Research Center.
LUNCH WITH VENDORS, HALL A and B CONCESSION AREA
12:00 – 1:30 pm: Concessions by Turf Catering, food voucher provided with registration
PECAN SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Pecan Growers Association
Meeting Rooms 201/202
1:30 pm: Update on Tri-County Pecan Programs, Speaker Sherri and Kyle Sanders, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Extension
2:30 pm: Pecan Tissue Sampling and Nutrient Analysis, Speaker Amanda McWhirt, UADA Extension
3:00 pm: Growers Forum, Speakers Greg Rusher, Jacob Feather, Phil Ward, John Bruhl, and Anna Jeter
4:00 pm: Arkansas Pecan Growers Association Annual Meeting
EMERGING CROPS SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas State Horticulture Society
Meeting Rooms 203/204
1:30 pm: Growing Elderberries, Speaker Patrick Byers, University of Missouri Extension (retired)
2:30 pm: University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB) New and Beginning Farmer Program, Speaker Dr. Henry English, Director, UAPB Small Farm Program
2:45 pm: Outreach Training and Technical Assistance Project/2501 Program, Speaker Karen Lee, UAPB Program Specialist
3:00 pm: Spots, Oozes, and Rots: A Brief Overview of Apple Disease Management Challenges in the Southeast, Speaker Sara Villani, North Carolina State University
4:00 pm: How to Safely and Successfully Produce Elderberry Products, Speaker Sun Ferreira, UADA Extension
4:30 pm: Exploring Hydroponics: Commercial and Home, Speaker Derek Reed, UADA Extension
BLACKBERRY SESSION
Hosted by Arkansas Blackberry Association
Meeting Room 207
1:15 pm: Arkansas Blackberry Association Business Meeting
1:30 pm: Caneberry Disease Management Including Fusarium and Spur Blight, Speaker Sara Villani, North Carolina State University
2:20 pm: Blackberry Variety Recommendations, Speaker Jackie Lee, Director, UADA Fruit Research Station
3:00 pm: Value Added Considerations and Rules, Speaker Sun Ferreira, UADA Extension
3:30 pm: Updated Recommendations on Fertility Management, Speaker Amanda McWhirt, UADA Extension
4:00 pm: Insect Control in Blackberry, Speaker Aaron Cato, UADA Extension
4:30 pm: General Q&A from Audience
ORGANIC SESSION
Hosted by the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food (CAFF)
Meeting Rooms 208/209
1:30 pm: Putting Cover Crops to Work, Speakers Amanda McWhirt, UADA Extension, Mike Appel and Emily Oakley, Three Springs Farm
3:00 pm: Talking Shop: Successes, Challenges, Vendors and Varieties – Farmer discussion facilitated by Heather Friedrich, UADA CAFF
AFTERNOON REFRESHMENTS, HALLS A AND B
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Mingle with Vendors