The theme is “Growing Smarter” and a draft agenda is below.

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Agenda for NSFGA 160th Annual Convention

Tuesday January 23rd, 2024
Location: Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, Nova Scotia

Joint Session with Nova Scotia Horticulture Congress

3:00pm F.A.R.M.S. update Speaker: Carrie Raymond-Gardner, Program Manager

3:30pm Panel Discussion on Training

Farm Safety NS – Jamie O’Kane
NSCC – Gerard d’Entremont
Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency – Christian Maguire

4:30pm Break

President’s Reception

6:00pm President’s Welcome and Remarks from Dignitaries

6:30pm Opening Keynote Address: Srdjan Acimovic, Virginia Tech
Low visibility, high impact science: Wait, what do you mean by plant pathologist?

7:00pm Presentation of Golden Apple Award and NSFGA Honourary Membership

7:30pm Bar opens and hors d’oeuvres
Music with local favourite Freddy Mujica

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Agenda for Wednesday, January 24th, 2024

Location: Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, Nova Scotia

7:15am Registration desk opens & morning refreshments

7:45am Welcome and breakfast in Old Orchard Inn Restaurant
Come meet and mingle with friends over coffee and breakfast.

9:00am – 9:15pm Greetings and President’s Address
Speaker: NSFGA President Janet Chappel, CAP Farms

9:15am – 9:45am Fire Blight Refreshers and Blossom Blight Biology
Speaker Michelle Cortens, Tree Fruit Specialist, Perennia

9:45am - 10:30am Industry Updates

Nova Scotia Crop and Livestock Insurance Commission: Nicholas Bell, Director of NSCLIC
Apple Valley Pies: Darren O’Rourke, Director of Operations
Apple Maggot Inspection Program: Sawyer Olmstead, Plant Protection Coordinator
PMRA Apple Pilot Project: Shuhua Lui and Stephen Goodacre, Value and Re-evaluation
Directorate, Pest Management Regulatory Agency
Nova Scotia Cider Association: Janice Ruddock, SimpliCanada

10:30am - 11:00am Refreshment Break & Tradeshow Viewing

11:00am – 11:45am Speaker Session: Growing Modern Organic
Speaker: Kyle Rasch, Director of Third Leaf Farm, Greenville, Michigan

11:45am – 12:15pm Overview of Canadian and Global Apple Market Trends: Nova Scotia’s Position
Speaker: Farid Makki, Sector Specialist, AAFC

12:15pm – 1:15pm Lunch & Tradeshow Viewing

1:15pm – 1:45pm Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture Update
Speaker: Amy Melmock, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture

1:45pm – 2:45pm Keynote Speaker: Srdjan Acimovic, Virginia Tech
Something is rotten in the state of climate: Stop apple scab in spring but do not let fruit
rots have the last word

2:45pm – 3:15pm Refreshment Break & Tradeshow Viewing

3:15pm – 4:00pm Packer Conversation Panel
Topic: Marketing, Challenges, and Opportunities
Moderator: Michelle Crosby, Marketing Manager, NS Department of Agriculture
Panelists: Panelists: Carolyn Cameron (Noggins), Dennis MacPherson (Scotian Gold),
Michael Van Meekeren (Give Them a Wink)

4:00pm - 4:30pm Speaker Session: Measuring Cost of Production in Ontario
Speakers: Larissa Osborne (Ontario Tender Fruit) and Erika DeBrouwer (Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs)

Nova Scotia Kitchen Party
Location: The Church Brewing Company, 329 Main Street, Wolfville
*ticket required

5:00pm Doors open

6:00pm Food served (includes appetizers, wide selection of mains, and dessert)

7:00pm Live music with The MelBerns

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Agenda for Thursday January 25th, 2024
Location: Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, Nova Scotia

8:30am – 9:00am Coffee and Refreshments

9:00am – 9:30am Perennia Extension Services Update
Lynne Godlien, CEO, Perennia

9:30am – 10:30am Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association Annual General Meeting
Quorum: 15 Members

10:30am – 10:45am Refreshment Break

10:45am - 11:00am An Economic Impact Assessment for the Nova Scotia Tree Fruit Industry
Speakers: Jenna Evans and Rosalynd Mitchell, Stiletto Consulting

11:00am - 12:30pm Research Updates:
Greetings from Deb Moreau, Acting Associate Director, Research, Development and
Technology

Harrison Wright : The use of Anti-Ethylene Products Harvista™ and ReTain® on
Bicoloured Apples: ‘Ambrosia’ and ‘Honeycrisp

Shawkat Ali: Salicylic acid and fungicides as an integrated approach for management
of apple summer diseases

Katrin Sommerfeld, Acadia University: Updates and Collaborating with Acadia Research

Brennan Gillis, Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture: Research Update from Dalhousie