Geneva, New York, USA
November 30, 2009
Specialty crops (all fruits, all vegetables, nuts, ornamentals, flowers, herbs, spices, mushrooms, medicinal plants, etc) represent a diverse, yet valuable component of US agriculture.
Challenges to specialty crops occur in production, protection from pests, processing, food safety, marketing, and distribution. The producers and processors are often small businesses who are affected by these challenges, but they are also confronted by new challenges like new environmental standards, traceability, and verification of safe production and products.
The 3rd International Advanced Technology, Food and Agriculture Conference will bring together producers and processors involved with many different specialty crops. Joining them will be representatives from small to large technology companies (IBM, Deere Corp.) and research centers (Center for Infotonics). The unique feature of this conference is that people, who never would have crossed paths otherwise, meet and start to solve problems.
An outcome of the conference will be a road map of how new technology can lead to better, safer, and more healthful specialty crops.
Featured speakers will include Patrick Hooker, New York’s Commissioner of Agriculture, New York State Senator Darrel J. Aubertine, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and federal officials from the Department of Agriculture and Homeland Security.
Growers and processors are particularly encouraged to participate in the conference which will be held at the Double Tree Hotel on Jefferson Ave. in Rochester, NY on December 3 and 4. Registration information is available at http://www.factny.org/, registrations can be made in person at the conference.
General information is available from Susan Noble, susann@thetechnologyfarm.com or 315-781-0070.
The conference is sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture through a grant to Cornell University and Penn State’s Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. The Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park, and the Infotonics Technology Center are partnering in this effort.
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