Hop growers are invited to attend the following training workshops being offered by OMAFRA specialists during the 2019 field season.
Hop Integrated Pest Management Training
Date: Thursday April 4 2019, 6-8:30 pm
Location: Simcoe-OMAFRA Resource Centre Auditorium or online through Adobe Connect
Join OMAFRA specialists Melanie Filotas and Evan Elford for a 2 1/2 hour indoor work-shop will provide hop growers, scouts and industry members with an overview of integrated pest management in hops. Topics covered include: scouting a hop yard, pest diagnostics 101, hop diseases (downy mildew, powdery mildew, viruses, cone blights and others); hop insects (two-spotted spider mite, potato leafhopper, Japanese beetle, aphids and caterpillars); and abiotic conditions in the hop yard. Focus will be on scouting and identification, however management techniques for major pests will also be discussed. A minimum of 10 registrants are required for this workshop to run. Deadline to register: Monday April 1st. See registration details below.
Hop Sprayer Optimization Workshop
Date: Tuesday June 25, 9:00 am-Noon (Rain date June 26 9:00 am – Noon)
Location: The Bickle Farm – Valley Hops, 3054 McClelland Rd., Port Hope ON
This in-field workshop is intended for sprayer operators or those planning on spraying hops. OMAFRA’s Application Technology specialist Jason Deveau will join Melanie Filotas and Evan Elford to talk about the importance of proper spray coverage in hops and discuss what “good” spray coverage looks like in hops. Learn how to calibrate your sprayer and adjust settings to match the height of the plants. A minimum of 10 registrants are required for this workshop to run. Deadline to register: Thursday June 20. See registration details below.
Hops Western Ontario Field Workshop
Date: July 9, 2019 5:30-7:00 pm (Rain date: July 11 5:30-7:00 pm)
Location: McConkey Farms Hop Company, 197 Howell Rd., St. George
Join OMAFRA specialists Melanie Filotas and Evan Elford for an in-field workshop on seasonal issues in hops. Topics covered will include identification and management of key pests present in the hop yard and a discussion of current production challenges of note for the 2019 season. This is an informal workshop with ample time for participants to ask questions on current agronomic and pest management challenges. Participants can bring pest samples for identification, but to avoid spread to the host farm, please ensure all samples are securely contained in a plastic bag or other sealed container. A minimum of 10 registrants are required for this workshop to run. Deadline to register: Friday July 5 at noon. See details below.
To register for any of these sessions, contact the Agriculture Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300. These sessions may be cancelled if the minimum registration numbers are not reached by the deadline.