By JEFF BURBRINK
Extension Educator, Purdue Extension Elkhart County

Purdue Extension will be holding a vegetable growers meeting from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at the Wakarusa Produce Auction, located at 65460 CR 9.

The cost of the program is $10 per person, which includes lunch. To help us plan for lunch and handouts, register with the Purdue Extension – Elkhart County Office by Wednesday, Feb. 25. Our number is (574) 533-0554. You can see the full agenda for this program at extension.purdue.edu/Elkhart.

Private applicators that attend the program can receive PARP credit for their license. A $10 fee is required for PARP credit.

Dan Egel, a Purdue Extension plant disease specialist, will be giving a preview of 2015 diseases and fungicides, and discussing disease issues on tomatoes in high tunnel greenhouses. Rick Foster, Purdue insect specialist, will share updates on insects affecting our crops, including the brown marmorated stinkbug.

The GAPS program, or Good Agricultural Practices, will be discussed by Liz Maynard, Purdue Extension’s vegetable specialist in Northwestern Indiana. The GAPs program, which is administered by the FDA and Indiana Board of Health, is currently under review and is expected to become mandatory at some point in time in the industry.

Drift Watch, an internet based program that helps growers and pesticide applicators communicate the location of sensitive crops will be part of the discussion. I will have a computer available during the day to allow growers to sign up if they wish.

We will also talk about troubleshooting problems in the field. A key issue is to take a good representative sample as soon as possible, especially when an infectious organism, such as a fungal or bacterial infection, is suspected.