University of Illinois Extension held the annual Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference in Rockford on Monday, February 24, 2020.

“This conference gives yearly updates to fruit and vegetable growers as they determine how to better manage their crops, adapt their marketing/branding, and adopt new practices,” states Grant McCarty, Local Foods and Small Farms Educator. “Each year, we bring in specialists from University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Illinois to provide this group of growers the information that they need to assist their upcoming growing season”

Topics this year included weed management, soil health, marketing/branding, and disease management. “Marketing and branding continue to be topics that growers are interested in. As they reshape how their orchard or farm interacts with customers, it’s important for them to hear from experts in this field” McCarty continues.

The Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference is just one of the agricultural educational programs offered by University of Illinois Extension during the winter. “Most of our University of Illinois Extension programming occurs from January to March. This next month, we have agricultural programs related to grazing and hemp production. In addition, we offer a lot of homeowner programming” McCarty shares.

To find out about upcoming programs in your area, please visit go.illinois.edu/jsw or call  University of Illinois Extension office (815) 235-4125.