Food safety and pest control will be the key topics at this year’s Florida Ag Expo, taking place on December 6-7 at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research & Education Center in Balm, Florida.
“Florida growers have a lot on their plate right now,” said Frank Giles, editor of Florida Grower magazine, which organises Florida Ag Expo. “Competition, increased fuel costs and demand for better food-safety processes are all adding pressure to growers. Our goal with the Expo is to get in front of these issues and make sure growers have the information they need to work through them and maintain a profitable business.”
The expo will also offer a training opportunity for growers, entitled ‘Food Safety and Good Agricultural Practices’, on Friday, December 7. The day-long session will be targeted at tomato, cantaloupe melon, blueberry and strawberry growers, and will offer seminars on GAP issues, traceability, worker education and crisis management. A keynote address from the Florida secretary of agriculture Charles Bronson and field trials are also on the agenda.
Part of the proceeds generated from the Florida Ag Expo will benefit the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center Scholarship Fund. “The scholarship is designed to support future graduate students majoring in agriculture at the University of Florida,” said Jack Rechcigl, centre director and professor at the research centre. “These students will conduct research to help growers stay competitive in a global economy.”
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