GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The premier show for Michigan fruit and vegetable growers and farm marketers is Dec. 6-8 at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids.

The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo includes more than 60 educational sessions and workshops during its three-day run, as well as a trade show featuring nearly 400 exhibitors on four acres of exhibit space. This conference will provide fresh fruit and vegetable growers, shippers, packers, processors and retailers with timely information about specific crops production.

In addition, a number of sessions will focus on topics of general interest such as food safety, crop pollination, growing crops under high and low tunnels and marketing crops from farms to local schools.

A new session this year will focus on chestnut production and feature researchers and growers as speakers on growing conditions, current and developing markets and commercial and research opportunities. An organic education program features topics such as soil management, organic marketing, issues in organic fruit production and strategies for organic vegetable production.

Michigan State University extension educators have planned 63 educational sessions and workshops during the show. Many of the sessions offer restricted use pesticide recertification points for private and commercial applicators and continuing education units for certified crop advisors.

For farm marketers, sessions will cover new techniques to reach customers, innovative marketing, social media, growing a bakery and more. A farm marketing roundtable on Dec. 7 will allow farm marketers to share ideas with their colleagues in a town-hall-style meeting format. On Dec. 7-8 several sessions will cover a variety of bakery and cider topics.

An industry outlook luncheon is planned for noon Dec. 6. The event is intended to bring together grower-leaders and others with an interest in Michigan farming. Michigan is second only to California in the diversity of its agriculture, and this unique characteristic offers many opportunities for the future.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is this year’s invited keynote speaker. Stabenow is chair of the Senate’s Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and is playing a key role in crafting the next farm bill.

Internationally renowned marketing expert John Stanley will be the speaker during the Expo banquet Dec. 7. Stanley travels around the world from his home in Australia to educate and entertain audiences about economic and consumer trends that impact farm and retail businesses.

He has a master’s degree in horticulture from Essex University in the United Kingdom. Early in his career, he taught perishable retail management at Merrist Wood College in Guildford, England.

The banquet program also will include recognition of people who have made outstanding contributions to Michigan’s fruit and vegetable industries, as well as recognition of industry scholarship recipients and the winner of this year’s cider contest. Banquet tickets are $35 and advance purchase is recommended when pre-registering for the conference.

 Stanley also will be the keynote speaker at the morning farm marketing session on Dec. 6, and will be making presentations at some of the other farm marketing and greenhouse sessions during the Expo. As a special to Expo participants, he has set aside a limited number of times on Dec. 7 for private one-hour “Coffee with John” sessions.

Pre-registration is required by contacting MSU extension educator Bob Tritten at tritten@msu.edu or 810-516-3800. The cost is $400.

The conference trade show will feature a large farm equipment display, chemical and seed company representatives, nursery professionals, insurance providers and a wide variety of products for retail farm markets, including specialty foods, jams and jellies, supplies, animated characters and much more.

Other special events during the conference will include a Grape Industries luncheon, the Michigan State Horticultural Society annual meeting, a Meet the Buyers reception, a Michigan Farm Marketing and Agritourism Assoc. gathering and crowning of the Michigan Apple Queen, all on Dec. 6.

On Dec. 7, the day begins with a prayer breakfast, followed by the Michigan Vegetable Council Annual Meeting and the Michigan Apple Growers Luncheon. The Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance Meet and Greet will be Dec. 8.

The expo is co-sponsored by the Michigan State Horticultural Society and the Michigan Vegetable Council, in cooperation with MSU extension. Registration is required and may be done online at www.glexpo.com or by calling 734-677-0503.