May 2, 2008

Southwest Growers Conference Set for JulySource: Texas A&M University

From tours of innovative operations to educational sessions on today’s most timely issues, the Southwest Growers Conference promises to be a truly educational experience.

The annual conference will take place in Conroe, Texas, on July 8 and 9, 2008. Seminars featuring nationally and internationally recognized speakers from industry and academia help draw more than 200 participants each year.

Conference highlights include a tour of innovative nursery and greenhouse operations on Tuesday, July 8, and a full day of educational sessions on Wednesday, July 9, at the Lone Star Exposition Center. Two morning sessions will focus on the practical and economic applications of environmental sustainability. Afterward, a session on hiring a legal work force will cap off the morning program. And that’s not all: Later in the afternoon, there will be sessions on water quality and alkalinity, controlling new insects and disease pests, the use of PGRs, reducing weed control costs, and a laws/regulations session to cap off the day. TDA-Certified Pest Applicator CEU credits as well as TNLA CEU credits will be available, according to a Southwest Growers Conference press release. For more information, check out http://swgrowers.tamu.edu/.

Workshop to Prepare Growers for Future Risk

Growers interested in transforming their businesses into leaner, more profitable enterprises are invited to participate in a separate workshop series titled “Surviving Difficult Times in the Green Industry: Managing Risk and Uncertainty in a Maturing Marketplace,” taking place May 14, 15 and 16 in Dallas, Austin and Houston.

This risk- and financial-management workshop aims to teach growers how to prepare for the numerous risks threatening their businesses, including rising input costs, sudden labor shortages, falling plant prices, and natural disasters like freezes and hurricanes. The series is led by Dr. Charles R. Hall, Ellison Chair in International Floriculture in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University.