2026 Tri-State Fruit & Vegetable Conference – January 29

Fruit and vegetable growers across the Florida Panhandle, as well as Southern Alabama and Georgia, are invited to attend the 2026 Tri-State Fruit & Vegetable Annual Conference. This conference will be held Thursday, January 29th, 2026, at the UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County Office (2741 Penn Ave, Marianna, FL). Registration for this event starts at 7:30 AM (CST), with the program beginning at 8:00 AM.

UF/IFAS Extension takes pride in putting on events for our stakeholders to ensure they are provided with the necessary information and research to have a successful growing season. This event will focus on fruit and vegetable production prominent in the Tri-State area. During this conference, producers will learn new pest management strategies, marketing techniques for their operation, get updates on Florida food safety standards, and more. Certified Crop Advisor (CCA), Florida, and Georgia pesticide applicator continuing education units (CEUs) will be offed.

Admission is $10 per person. Lunch will be provided with the purchase of admission. Pre-registration is preferred at https://26TriState.eventbrite.com. For any questions or concerns, please contact Abbey Smith at 850-482-9620 or payne.abigail@ufl.edu.

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Agenda at a Glance

7:30 AM Registration Opens

8:00 AM Welcome, Opening Remarks- Abbey Smith, UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County

8:05 AM From Niche to Necessity: Blackberries as a Superfood Crop for Southeastern Growers: Dr. Muhammad Shahid, UF/IFAS Extension Assistant Professor- Horticulture, NFREC-Quincy

8:45 AM Managing Bacterial Wilt in Tomatoes: Lessons from Research and Field Trials: Dr. Sanju Kunwar- UF/IFAS Associate Professor- Plant Pathology, NFREC-Quincy

9: 25 AM Fruit & Vegetable Market Update: Kevin Athearn, UF/IFAS Extension Agribusiness Regional Specialized Agent (RSA), NFREC-Live Oak

10:05 AM Tradeshow Break

10:45 AM Fresh From Florida Program and Benefits– Gabi Ius, Division of Marketing, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS)

11:25 AM Update on Collaborative Project Management of Anthracnose on Cucurbits– Dr. Pamela Roberts, UF/IFAS Professor- Plant Pathology- SWFREC

12:05 PM Florida Food Safety Update– Billy Mitchell, University of Florida, Food Science & Human Nutrition Department

12:35 PM Lunch is Served

1:35 PM Dismiss

Download the printer friendly flyer to serve as a reminder or to share with others: 2026 Tri-State Fruit & Vegetable Conference 

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The University of Florida is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. For disability accommodations such as sign language interpreters and listening devices, please contact payne.abigail@ufl.edu at least 2 weeks in advance. Advance notice are is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.