10/26/07 Hort Convention P2

Hort Convention Pt 2. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Jim Hazen is the Executive Director of the Washington State Horticultural Association who is getting ready for their 103rd Annual get together. This year's convention is in Wenatchee and according to Hazen, this years' topic is quite timely. HAZEN: Our theme this years is "Labor Pains: Delivering Solutions" so Monday is really dedicated to delving into that issue and so Monday afternoon we'll present kind of an H2A survival guide. The convention runs December 3, 4 and 5 at the Wenatchee Convention Center. It's a good chance for Hort members to get the latest information. One on-going topic for the industry besides labor is pest management. HAZEN: We've been working on a pest management transition program at Washington State Horticultural Association, along with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and then with WSU and we have initiated a pest management transition program along with some state funding to kind of help the industry transition away from aziphos methyl. Of course the main topic to be discussed will be the labor issue and a major part of that discussion will be on the mechanization of the orchard. HAZEN: There will be a session on technology which will cover a whole host of issues; mechanization and moving platforms in the orchard and robotic arms whether to do pruning or harvesting and what are some practical solutions in that arena. If you're not a Hort member, call or visit their website at www.wahort.org. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.