Thank You Seminar Sponsors!
Seminar schedule times are subject to change.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
8:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Registration at Trade Show Entrance
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Breakfast in Trade Show Hall
Sausage and biscuits
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Trade Show Open
Visit exhibitor booths!
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Beer Happy Hour
Hit the trade show floor and grab a cold beer in the Tree Defender booth (#701)!!
morning Session (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
General Session
9:00 - Welcome and Announcements
9:15 - Citrus Research and Development Foundation Update
Rick Dantzler, CRDF
9:30 - Old Problem, New Tools – Doubling Down on Cutting-Edge Science
Scott Angle, senior vice president of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)
9:50 - Citrus & Specialty Crop Power Panel
Mike Joyner, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association; Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual; Chris Butts, Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Association
11:00 - From 9/11 to a Mission to Serve Military and 1st Responders
Jack Oehm, Battalion Commander FDNY (retired)
11:30 - Announcement Coming Soon on Keynote Speaker
12:00 - Lunch
John Deere gun safe drawing (courtesy of Everglades Equipment Group) for pre-registered growers during lunch.
Afternoon Session (1:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Citrus Seminars
CEUs and CCAs available
1:45 - Welcome and Announcements
2:00 - CRAFT Update and Using New Data Portal
Steven Hall, executive director of the CRAFT Foundation
2:15 - Florida Citrus Under Protective Screen: From Research Prototype to Commercial Production
Arnold Schumann, UF/IFAS
2:30- How HLB Harms Tree Health and What We Can Do About It
Christopher Vincent, UF/IFAS
2:45 - Understanding What Makes a Tree HLB-Tolerant
Amit Levy, UF/IFAS
3:00 - Genetic Transformation of Citrus: Understanding Timelines, Progress Made and Future Expectations
Manjul Dutt, UF/IFAS
3:15 - Using Citrus Tristeza Virus-Based Vector as a Platform for HLB Management
Choaa El-Mohtar, UF/IFAS
3:30 - How We Are Improving HLB Resistance With CRISPR Gene Editing and Other Horticultural Practices
Nian Wang, UF/IFAS
3:45 - Potential of RNAi-Based Strategies for Citrus Root Weevil Control
Nabil Killiny, UF/IFAS
4:00 -Visit Trade Show and Beer in the Tree Defender Booth (#701)
Specialty Crop Seminars
CEUs and CCAs available
8:30 - Welcome and Announcements
2:00 - Whitefly Monitoring and Management
Whiteflies are among the top pests specialty crop growers face every year. The pest causes damage and losses on a wide range of vegetable crops across the Southeast. An expert panel will discuss the pest and its management.
Moderator: Frank Giles, AgNet Media
Experts: Hugh Smith, entomologist, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS); Alton “Stormy” Sparks, entomologist, University of Georgia; Elizabeth Malek, grower, Lipman Farms; Ryan Richards, consultant, Simplot
3:00 - Battling Two Thrips Threats
Chilli thrips has become a major pest in berries and is spreading to other crops. Thrips parvispinus has emerged as a new threat that has caused serious damage to crops in parts of Florida. This panel will delve into the emergence of these pests and best management practices.
Moderator: Frank Giles, AgNet Media
Experts: Sriyanka Lahiri, UF/IFAS; Dustin Grooms, grower, Fancy Farms4:00 - Visit Trade Show and Beer in the Tree Defender Booth (#701)
Thursday, August 21, 2025
8:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Registration at Trade Show Entrance
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Brunch in Trade Show Hall
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Trade Show Open
Visit exhibitor booths!
Morning Session (8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
Citrus Seminars
CEUs and CCAs Available
8:30 - Welcome and Announcements
8:45 - Optimizing Young Citrus Tree Protection Against HLB
Fernando Alferez, UF/IFAS
9:00 - Best Practices for Applying Oxytetracycline (OTC) by Trunk Injection
Ute Albrecht, UF/IFAS
9:15 - Effects of OTC Trunk Injections on Marathon, Bingo, 1412, Sugar Belle and OLL-8 Scions
John Chater, UF/IFAS
9:30 - Insights on OTC Adoption and Profitability From a Florida Citrus Survey
Tara Wade, UF/IFAS
9:45 - Advancements in Automated Trunk Injection of Citrus Trees
Yiannis Ampatzidis, UF/IFAS
10:00 - Improving Tree Health With PGRs for Better Yield and Quality
Tripti Vashisth, UF/IFAS
10:15 - Integrated HLB Management for Florida Citrus
Ozgur Batuman, UF/IFAS
10:30 - Brunch and Visit Trade Show
12:00 - Welcome and Announcements
12:15 - Distribution of Asian Citrus Psyllids in Groves, Natural Suppression and Management Implications
Jawwad Qureshi, UF/IFAS
12:15 - Developing a Multi-Pest Management Strategy in Citrus
Lauren Diepenbrock, UF/IFAS
12:45 - Greasy Green and Its Relationship to Rind Blotch
Megan Dewdney, UF/IFAS
1:00 - Citrus Crop Insurance Considerations
Ariel Singerman, UF/IFAS
1:15 - Boosting Citrus Resilience With Silicon
Muhammad Adnan Shahid, UF/IFAS
1:30 - Methods to Measure Soil Health in Florida Citrus
Sarah Strauss, UF/IFAS
1:45 - Using the 5Rs of Nutrient Management to Optimize Citrus Production
Davie Kadyampakeni, UF/IFAS
Specialty Crop Seminars
CEUs and CCAs Available
8:30 - Welcome and Announcements
8:45 - The Label is The Law: Learning What’s New in Pesticide Application Requirements
The Environmental Protection Agency has made significant changes to how pesticides are labeled. This will impact how growers follow label instructions and document their applications. This presentation will detail the changes already here and those to come.
Brett Bultemeier, UF/IFAS
9:15 - Managing Worrisome Weeds
A conversation with a leading weed scientist on some of the biggest weed challenges in specialty crops and what he has learned about managing them.
Moderator: Frank Giles, AgNet Media
Expert: Nathan Boyd, UF/IFAS
9:45 - Specialty Crop Disease Management
Disease can take a bite out of yields and profits. This discussion looks at major vegetable disease threats and management tactics.
Moderator: Frank Giles, AgNet Media
Expert: Gary Vallad, UF/IFAS
10:45 - Break/Visit Trade Show
12:30 - Bamboo Production and Its Potential
Michael Rogers, UF/IFAS
12:45 - Best Practices for Bamboo Establishment
Davie Kadyampakeni, UF/IFAS
1:00 - Economics of Bamboo Production
Kevin Barley, Florida Bamboo Growers Association
1:15 - Mechanical Harvesting of Bamboo
Daniel Hofstetter, UF/IFAS
1:30 - Macadamia in Florida: Potential and Considerations
Lauren Diepenbrock, UF/IFAS
1:45 - Considerations for Alternative Tree Crops
Jonathan Crane, UF/IFAS