Fruit and Vegetable Growers Congress and Roadside Marketing Conference Slated for Toledo.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ --

Plan to join over 1,000 fruit and vegetable growers and direct agricultural marketers for a premiere event that will feature over 130 educational sessions and trade show with 100 exhibitors. The event will be held Feb. 7-9, 2001 at the Toledo SeaGate Centre and Radisson Hotel and is being cosponsored by the Ohio Fruit Growers Society, (OFGS) Ohio Vegetable & Potato Growers Association, (OVPGA) Direct Agricultural Marketing Association (DAMA) and The Ohio State University (OSU). Growers and marketers beyond Ohio's borders are welcome to attend.

"Whether you are a novice fruit grower, vegetable grower or direct agricultural marketer, or you are seasoned in the business, this combined conference will provide you valuable information," said John Wargowsky, OFGS and OVPGA Executive Director and Conference Coordinator.

Three direct marketing tracks range from value added marketing to Internet marketing feature Karen and Chris Watt from New York, Pam and Dave Bosserd from Michigan and Ron Pelger, produce consultant from Reno Nevada.

Production tracks in the areas of processing vegetables, potatoes, truck crops, greenhouse vegetables, tree fruit, apple cider and small fruit all feature out-of-state experts as well as in state expertise from The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Numerous grower and marketer panels allow sharing of practical knowledge learned from experiences of the past growing and marketing season.

General sessions will address issues such as "Farm Safety," "Managing Farm Labor," Crop Protection Products," "Fruits + Vegetable = Health," "Produce Marketing -- What You NEED to Know," Information Technology and the Fruit & Vegetable Grower," "Ohio's New Retail Food Establishment Licensing and Inspection Program" and "Produce Quality and Sanitation Practices." Six out- of-state speakers will be featured in the general sessions.

The trade show will start Feb. 7 at noon and is open every day until the final closing at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 9. Door prize drawings, dedicated times and special refreshment periods will be featured. OSU researchers will present displays featuring research results.

OFGS, OVPGA and DAMA will have a combined Awards Breakfast on Feb. 8 to be immediately followed by association annual meetings. Berry growers will have a special luncheon on Feb. 8 and a networking luncheon on Feb. 9 allows young growers and marketers who are new to the business to make new acquaintances in the industry.

Contact the Ohio Fruit and Vegetable Growers office today at 614-249-2424, 614-249-2200 (fax), PO Box 479, Columbus, OH 43216 or [e-mail] to receive complete conference information and registration materials.