MT. VERNON, Ill. — Growing fruits and vegetables comes with plenty of challenges and unknowns. Producers can count on Illinois Extension's up-to-date, practical research to guide their production decisions. Community members can make plans now to attend the 2026 Southern Illinois Fruit and Vegetable School on Feb. 11 to gain research-based insights to help their specialty crops thrive and boost profitability.
This annual program delivers the latest information directly to fruit and vegetable growers in southern Illinois. Attendees will hear from industry experts on current trends in insect and disease management, as well as a wide range of production-related topics. The 2026 event will feature four tracks covering vegetable production, tree fruit, small fruit, and cut flowers, ensuring participants receive tailored knowledge for their specific operations.
The program will be held at the Doubletree Meeting and Event Center, 222 Potomac Boulevard, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864. The event is from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m., and lunch will not be provided. 2026 spray guides will also be available for purchase at the school for $15.
For more information or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/TreeFruitVegetable. Attendance is $35 per farm for advanced registration on or before Feb. 1. Registrations after Feb. 1 or at the door are $50 per farm. For questions or reasonable accommodations to participate in this program, please contact Horticulture Educator Christina Leuking at lueking@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.