GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The premier show for Michigan fruit and vegetable growers and farm marketers is Dec. 9-11 at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids. The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market Expo will host 69 educational sessions and workshops during its three-day run, as well as a trade show featuring more than 425 exhibitors on four acres. The annual Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo will be concurrent with the Great Lakes Expo.

Dave Smith, executive director of the Michigan Vegetable Council – one of the sponsoring organizations of the Expo – said this year’s will provide fresh fruit and vegetable growers, shippers, packers, processors and retailers with timely information about specific crop production. In addition, a number of sessions will focus on topics of general interest, such as Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) verification, food safety, chestnut production, understanding food hubs, hoop houses and tunnels, immigration, irrigation and more.

Michigan State University extension educators have planned a variety of educational sessions and workshops, with many offering restricted-use pesticide recertification points for private and commercial applicators and continuing education units for certified crop advisors.

A general session on labor will cover a variety of issues. “Part of that session is going to look at various people’s experiences with guest worker programs used for seasonal labor,” Smith said. “Although it’s not widely used yet in Michigan, there are more growers considering that possibility.

“We don’t know what the President’s executive order (on immigration) is going to change. It probably will in some ways provide for documentation for some illegal aliens, but it’s not really going to solve the problem. Even the whole issue of documentation aside, the migrant labor pool has been coming up short in terms of providing all of the labor needed.”

A growing interest session at the Expo is hops, an ingredient used in craft beer-making. Speakers will offer an update on the national hops market, quality control and a roundtable where participants may ask questions of a panel of experts including growers, brewers and other industry representatives.

New this year, a craft beer tasting and food pairing reception will take place Dec. 9 from 7-8:30 p.m. at The B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids. Hosted by The B.O.B., MSU extension and the Michigan Brewers Guild, the event will feature a variety of beers made with Michigan hops, paired with small food plates to demonstrate the versatility of different beer styles when combining elements of the farm-to-table and farm-to-glass movements.

The cost of the reception for Expo registrants who pre-register is $30. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the conference registration area on Dec. 9 for $45.

For the second year, the Expo will feature a greenhouse vegetable session, which will focus on the production of vegetables in greenhouses. “Although it’s small in the grand scale of things, it’s an area of increased interest in Michigan because of the interest in locally-grown produce,” Smith said.

A food safety session will cover digital recordkeeping, sanitation and an update on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Asparagus growers will get an international perspective during the Expo when Peter Falloon of AsparaPacific in Lincoln, New Zealand, talks about research. “He has done a lot of work with asparagus varieties and has worked in developing some varieties that have some resistance to one of the bigger disease problems in asparagus,” Smith explained. “They are also varieties that are suited for fresh market, which is an expanding market for Michigan asparagus.”

Internationally known speaker Michele Payn-Knoper will speak during the banquet Dec. 10. The program will also include recognition of people who have made outstanding contributions to Michigan’s fruit and vegetable industries, as well as industry scholarship recipients and the winner of this year’s cider contest. Banquet tickets are $37 and advance purchase is recommended when pre-registering for the conference.

The conference trade show will feature a large farm equipment display, chemical and seed company representatives, nursery professionals, insurance providers and a variety of products for retail farm marketers including specialty foods, jams and jellies, supplies, animated characters and more.

Other special events will include a Farm Market Bus Tour; a Southwest Michigan Greenhouse Bus Tour; a cider contest; the Midwest Pickle Assoc. Pickle and Pepper Research Committee meeting; the Michigan State Horticultural Society annual meeting; the Meet the Buyers Reception; the Michigan Floriculture Growers Council Reception and Annual Meeting; the Michigan Agritourism Assoc. Gathering; a prayer breakfast; the Michigan Vegetable Council Annual Meeting; the Michigan Apple Growers Luncheon; and the Michigan Cider Assoc. Reception.

Visit www.glexpo.com for registration, program and information. Registration is required for the Expo and may be done online or by calling 734-677-0503.