Summertime Is Citrus Expo Time

In summer, things tend to slow down a bit. The kids are out of school, families are taking vacations, and Florida’s citrus harvest has been completed for the season. But at AgNet Media, the pace is picking up as planning for Citrus Expo 2017 is in full force.

Citrus Expo, the world’s premier citrus trade show and seminar program, will take place August 16–17 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida.

Now in its 26^th year, Citrus Expo is gearing up to be the largest event of its kind in the southeastern United States. Already, the show has completely sold out of indoor exhibit space, with only limited outdoor space available. While the event draws a large number of Florida citrus industry members, attendees also include those from other citrus-producing states and countries.

This year’s theme for the Citrus Expo seminar program, “Challenge, Change and Opportunity,” reflects the state of today’s citrus industry. “We’re going to be talking about the challenges regarding citrus greening and how growers need to change their programs in the short term to live with the threat of citrus greening,” said Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center and key organizer of the Citrus Expo seminars. “But there’s also a lot of opportunities for the future. We’ll talk about some of the new varieties coming out, some that seem to have tolerance to HLB.”

Seminar session topics will include the most recent findings in pest management, plant improvement and production. By attending the seminar program, growers will earn continuing education units toward a Florida restricted-use pesticide license and the Certified Crop Adviser designation.

Pre-registration is now open for Citrus Expo 2017. Register online at CitrusExpo.net/registration, e-mail CitrusExpo@AgNetMedia.com or call 352-671-1909. Growers who register in advance of the show will be automatically entered into a drawing for a chance to win a John Deere gun safe, courtesy of Everglades Farm Equipment.

As growers pre-register online, they are encouraged to participate in a very short, anonymous survey on bactericide use. Take the survey here. Conducted by AgNet Media in cooperation with the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, the 2017 survey will build on knowledge gathered from the 2016 survey. Results of the survey will be presented during the Citrus Expo seminar program.

Complete details on the seminar schedule will be available soon. To learn more about Citrus Expo, including host hotel information, visit CitrusExpo.net.