Penn State Extension will offer a variety of events in the upcoming months.

Produce Growers

The “Produce Grower Update” workshop will occur in February and March in various locations.

This in-person workshop covers research updates for vegetable and small fruit production, industry trends, and pesticide safety and sustainability. Participants can choose from the following locations:

• Center Valley: 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Feb. 12, Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Room 135.

• Loganton: 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Feb. 17, Sugar Valley Rural Charter School, 236 E. Main St.

• Brockway: 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 22, Brockway Area High School, 100 Alexander St.

• Belleville: 9:30 a.m.-noon Feb. 28, Belleville Community Hall, 11 Walnut St.

• Butler: Workshop will be offered three times, from 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 28, March 11 and March 20, Penn State Extension Butler County office, 101 Motor Pool Way.

• Monaca: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. March 4, Penn State Beaver, Student Union Building, 100 University Drive, Room 16.

• Erie: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. March 12, Knowledge Park, 5240 Knowledge Parkway.

Virtual events will include:

• “Bacterial Diseases in Tomato,” 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 13. This webinar will feature strategies to manage bacterial diseases in tomatoes and ensure safe pesticide use.

• “Current Berry Issues,” 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 20. This webinar will cover strategies to tackle current berry industry challenges and safe pesticide use.

• “Sweet Corn Insects,” 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 27. Participants can learn about identifying insect pests in sweet corn, methods for monitoring sweet corn insect pests, integrated pest management strategies and safe pesticide application.

• “Integrated Pest Management,” 10 a.m.-noon March 6. This webinar will focus on new research on integrated pest management in vegetable production and safe pesticide application.

• “Weed Management in Pumpkins,” 10 a.m.-noon March 13. This webinar will feature the latest research and field observations related to pumpkins.

The webinars each carry a registration fee of $15, while the in-person workshops are $10 each.

For more details on the events and the available pesticide applicator recertification credits, visit the Penn State Extension website. https://extension.psu.edu/campaigns/produce-grower-courses

Winter Commercial Tree Fruit

Penn State Extension will hold multiple workshops aimed at providing commercial tree-fruit growers with the latest research-based production recommendations, with opportunities to earn Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture core and category pesticide recertification credits.

These eight “Winter Commercial Tree Fruit Schools” will take place in February at these locations:

• Altoona: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 11, Blair County Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Drive.

• North East: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 12, Burch Farms, 9210 Sidehill Road.

• Wexford: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 13, Soergel Orchards, 2573 Brandt School Road.

• Biglerville: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 17, Biglerville High School, 161 N. Main St.

• Lancaster: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 18, Lancaster Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road.

• Lewisburg: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 19, Union County Government Center, 155 N. 15th St.

• Leesport: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 20, Berks County Agricultural Center, 1238 County Welfare Road.

Each educational program is designed for tree-fruit growers, packers and processors, and for pesticide dealers and applicators interested in commercial tree-fruit production.

Growers are invited to attend any of the schools listed — not just those closest to their location — but may not receive pesticide credits from more than one meeting.

Organizers noted that while these meetings are open to the public, noncommercial growers will find the content technically demanding and not applicable to tree-fruit production in home or backyard settings.

These meetings will offer a minimum of five pesticide license renewal category credits in categories PC, 02 and 18 and one core credit.

Topics for the upcoming schools may include: Secondary pest control in apple orchards; controlling insect pests in peach orchards; overcoming pesticide resistance in codling moth; disease potential and control when using pond or surface water for irrigation; a review of the Mid-Atlantic Apple Tree Decline Summit; weed management challenges in a dry year; irrigation management in tree-fruit orchards; the effect of water deficits on apple and peach development; water quality and its impact on pesticide performance; mitigating pesticide and herbicide runoff; preparing for a worker protection standard inspection; and respirator fit training and testing.

New for this year is a general theme of overcoming drought and deluge. Pennsylvania has experienced periods of significant rainfall interspersed with severe drought and exceptional temperatures that have affected production.

Many of the talks this year will provide information on how to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events to promote a bountiful harvest of high-quality fruit.

For those unable to register online, contact Penn State Extension’s customer service line toll-free at 877-345-0691.