By Clint Thompson
Sustainability was an underlying theme at this year’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Conference and Trade Show held Feb. 5–7 in Gulf Shores.
Seminar sessions and workshops at the event addressed the following questions and more:
- How can the state’s specialty crop producers market their products more effectively, perhaps with the assistance of Sweet Grown Alabama?
- How can farmers protect their crops from certain pests and diseases?
- How can freeze protection strategies improve for certain commodities?
“When the committee meets and talks about the sessions and what education topics we’re going to hit on every year, consistent themes are the latest technologies and the latest research,” said Blake Thaxton, executive director of the AFVGA.
Focus on Marketing
Marketing was another focus at this year’s event, said Thaxton. Marketing was one of the four topics that the educational sessions were divided into. The other topics were vegetable production, orchard fruits, and nuts and small fruits.
The conference held a Farm Market Speed Dating workshop that allowed producers time to give an elevator speech on their specific commodities while also building business relationships that will last into the future.
A panel discussion that included Alabama producer Taylor Hatchett covered multiple topics, including room for growth for Alabama’s fruit and vegetable industries. Hatchett emphasized that there are several factors that will contribute to that growth, specifically an improved marketing effort from farmers and the industry itself.
“My thought process is what you would do to grow any business. If you were selling cars or if you were selling hamburgers, what would you do to grow your business?” said Hatchett, who emphasized growers must be willing to talk about Alabama agriculture and the importance of consumers supporting locally grown produce.
“Farmers are continuing to focus on increasing demand. In traditional business, that would be through marketing and customer relations. I think that partnerships and cooperatives, including the Sweet Grown Alabama state marketing program, are great to get behind to help market the face of Alabama agriculture. Continuing to tell our stories is what makes the difference in someone wanting to choose a basket of Chilton County peaches over peaches that were shipped from California.”
Hot Topics
Neopestalotiopsis (neo) disease in Alabama’s strawberry crop was a hot topic, discussed by Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Extension fruit disease specialist.
“We do have a problem,” Brannen said. “The issue we had this year with plug plants, where people brought in neo into the field with their plug plants, is continuing to be a bad issue. It’s not getting any better.”
Other topics addressed in the educational sessions ranged from freeze protection strategies in peaches and blueberries to sweet corn fertilization, insects and diseases.
The Camaraderie Component
Nearly 300 farmers and industry specialists attended the meeting. Thaxton stressed that an important component of the conference every year is the camaraderie shared among the specialty crop family.
“This is the culmination of the year. A lot of our farmers look forward to coming down here every year. Our vendors look forward to coming down here every year. It’s an exciting time where old friends and new friends can get together, network, talk about the latest research with our speakers, learn about best business practices and improve our marketing,” Thaxton concluded.