LEXINGTON, Ky. — Early each winter a Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference and Trade Show is presented by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and Kentucky State University with the purpose of furthering agribusiness and promoting personal income in the state.

John Strang is an extension professor at the UK College of Agriculture. It is Strang’s job to supply the University’s extension agents with up-to-date information on the latest developments in fruit and vegetable production and marketing practices. Strang said the annual conference is a place for growers and researchers to come together and share information.

In January, the 2013 conference had many ag industry associations meeting together at the venue in Lexington, Ky. Many KDA, UK and association leaders were quick to point out the conference has been growing and will soon need to find another location.

One of the agriculture groups at the conference in recent years has been Kentucky’s grape and wine industry. Category trade associations present this year were the Kentucky Vineyard Society and the Kentucky Wineries Assoc. (KWA). KWA president Brance Gould said, “We held our annual meeting at the conference where we elected some board members.” Gould himself won a second term in the office.

He said KWA members, which consist of 24 winery owners out of 68 in the state, attend a wine short course session presided by Tom Cottrell, the UK enology specialist. Enology can be defined as the scientific study of wine and winemaking. Cottrell is the only enologist in Kentucky. As an enologist, he works directly with the winemakers – helping them improve their wines.

“The conference is a good place to network and meet other winery owners,” said Gould, owner of Forest Edge Winery in Shepherdsville, Ky.

With wineries spread across the state, KWA would like to have every winery as part of the association.

UK extension specialist Patsy Wilson is the only certified viticulturist in the state. Wilson presided over a different wine short course session at the conference. Viticulture is defined as the science of growing grapevines, especially those used for winemaking. Wilson is also on the board of directors of the Kentucky Vineyard Society.

Tyler Madison is director of Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Grape and Wine Program. Madison led a third wine training session at the conference. In his job, Madison works with the state Kentucky Grape and Wine Council to promote the grape and wine industry.