Virginia Grown Conference

Virginia Grown Conference

i- -; "Diaoover a New World: Marketing in the 21st Century**

January 23-25

Advance registration: January 5

Hie historic city of Williamsburg will be the setting for tree fruit, small fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop producers both large and small to preview the future during the Virginia Grown Conference scheduled for January 23 - 25, 2007 at the Crowne Plaza Fort Magruder. “Discover a New World: Marketing in the 21st Century" is the theme and organizers have gathered experts in a variety of subjects to share their knowledge, outlook and expectations.

Along with many other topics of interest, the conference will highlight effective growing techniques for apples, strawberries, black raspberries, and cherries with separate presentations on each. In addition, speakers will address immigration, thinning and return bloom, tractor and fork lift safety, agritourism, estate planning and management, the changing processing industry, life without azinphosmethyl, profitable com mazes, and marketing in the 21st century. The conference will also offer updates on rootstock and area-wide mating disruption.

Special conference highlights include the annual meetings of the Virginia State Horticultural Society on January 23 the Virginia Farmers Direct Marketing Association on January 24, a trade show open throughout the day on January 24, and an address by Robert S. Bloxom, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, on January 25.

As part of the Virginia Grown Conference, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (VDACS) Direct Marketing Services will present the Farmers’ Market Managers Workshop on January 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hie workshop will begin with an overview of the services and resources offered by VDACS and then move on to a panel discussion of effective Web sites and e-newsletters. Experts will explore how to maximize the return on advertising expenditures, and the tourism services and resources provided by the Virginia Tourism Corporation. A networking roundtable wifi conclude the day’s activities.

Three-day advance registration, which must be postmarked no later than January 5, 2007, is $95 for each attendee. Three-day on-site registration is $125 each. One-day onsite registration is $50 each but does not include the Wednesday reception or the Thursday buffet breakfast. There is no charge for the one-day Farmers’Market Manager Workshop.

Tb register or receive additional details, log onto www.virginiagrownconference.com.. You can also send your name, business name, address, phone and e-mail along with a check payable to Virginia Grown Association, to PO Box 2445, Winchester VA 22604. Advance registrations must be post^ marked no later than January 5, 2007.

If you have questions, call 540/667-9101.