8:30-9:00AM

Registration, Coffee, Visit Trade Show

9:00-9:10AM

Welcome, Announcements, and General Updates
Nora Catlin, Cornell University

9:10-9:55AM

Turning The Page on Conventional Chemistry:
An Alternative Approach to Pest Management
George Grant, GGSPro Technical Services Manager,
Griffin Greenhouse Supplies

As regulatory restrictions, resistance pressure, and societal perspectives against conventional chemistry continue to expand, growers need effective alternatives for reliable insect and mite control without compromising crop quality or affordability. This presentation will provide solutions that alleviate reliance on historically “go-to” chemical options by integrating broad-spectrum microbial-based pesticides and biological control agents. Ornamental and edible producers will gain insight into how biopesticides and BCAs target specific life stages of common ornamental pests and how to use that knowledge to improve timing and selection when building crop protection programs.

9:55-10:10AM

Updates From Long Island Farm Bureau
Bill Zalakar, Executive Director, LI Farm Bureau

Policy and legislation changes have the potential to greatly impact your businesses. This presentation will cover current issues and other updates from Long Island Farm Bureau.

Announcements and Updates from LIFGA
Long Island Flower Growers Association

Hear what’s new with the Long Island Flower Growers Association.

10:15 -11:15AM

Coffee Break and Visit Trade Show

11:15AM-12:00PM

Greenhouse Research Update
Neil Mattson, Cornell University

Several ongoing research topics will be discussed, including: plasma activated water to improve seed germination and vigor, initial results from the NYS greenhouse energy benchmarking project, dynamic lighting strategies during liner propagation of vegetative annuals, and alternative substrates to peat (hemp straw and willow).

12:00-12:25PM

Boost Training with Spanish-Language Resources
Raúl E. Lemus Garza, Bilingual Project Specialist, Cornell Integrated Pest Management

Learn about practical Spanish-language resources and programs that can enhance employee training in Integrated Pest Management and improve understanding across your team. Resources that help educate workers on pest identification, cultural practices, and pesticide safety will be reviewed.

12:25-1:25PM

Lunch

1:25-2:10PM

Tabletop Vegetables: An Introduction to Kitchen Minis
Dylan Sedmak, Vegetable Portfolio Manager, PanAmerican Seed

With the Kitchen Mini tabletop collection from PanAmerican Seed, consumers are able to harvest veggies almost anywhere; no garden, no problem. In this talk, an introduction to the program will be given, with tips on growing culture, variety selection, and retailing.

2:10-2:40PM

Emerging Greenhouse Pests and How to Stop Them
Jared Dyer, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County

This presentation will cover some recently problematic pest problems for ornamental crops including Lewis mite and Thrips parvispinus. Tips for scouting, identification, and management, including results from recent trials will be shared.

2:40-2:55PM

Birds, Bees, and Beyond: An Update on Some Pesticide Regulations
Dan Gilrein, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County

This presentation will briefly cover some new regulations that affect pesticide use in our region including the NY Birds and Bees Act further restricting neonicotinoid use, and the Federal Endangered Species Act that may impact some greenhouse, nursery, and landscape businesses.

2:55-3:15PM

This and That: Highlights from Recent LIHREC Research
Nora Catlin, Cornell University

Get an inside look at several recent growing media and growing media amendment trials conducted at the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center.

3:15-4:00PM

The New, the Bad, and the Ugly
Margery Daughtrey, Cornell University

Participants will learn how to recognize new and common plant diseases that occur in ornamental plants as well as what management strategies can be used.The most effective cultural controls and pesticides to use, based on research data, will be discussed.

4:00PM

Final Announcements and Adjourn