Southeast
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For Immediate Release
Timothy P. Baker
Horticulture Specialist
February 11, 2005
MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY
University of Missouri Extension is sponsoring two meetings in February for horticultural producers. Both meetings will be held on Thursday, February 17, at the Bootheel Education Center, in Malden.
The first meeting is titled, "Human Risk Management Realities and Resources: The Latino Labor Force in Agriculture." As the name implies, this meeting is targeted toward agricultural producers who hire, or plan to hire, Latino labor, including migrants. Presentations will cover three main areas, including understanding the Latino culture, labor issues, and health and safety issues.
Speakers discussing cultural issues will cover topics including how "work ethic" is defined by Latino workers, and Spanish language resources that are available in Southeast Missouri.
Labor issues will include thorough discussions of wage and hour regulations, complying with housing laws for migrants, and government resources that can help growers comply with the laws.
Safety issues will be discussed by several speakers, and will include topics such as pesticide safety, ergonomics for farm workers, and other health issues and resources that are available to help farmers.
The meeting will begin at 11:00 A.M., at the Bootheel Education Center in Malden and will conclude at 5:00 P.M. It is requested that you RSVP if you intend to attend, so that we can order the appropriate number of lunches. There is no charge for the workshop. To pre-register, please call the Dunklin County Extension Center at 573-888-4722. For more information, contact Jose Garcia 573-884-3794 or GarciaJL@Missouri.edu
Following the workshop, we will be holding our annual Peach Grower's Meeting, at the same location. We will be hearing from two keynote speakers this year.
The first speaker will be Dr. John Clark, a professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Clark's main area of emphasis is fruit breeding, and he concentrates his efforts on peaches, nectarines, blackberries, grapes, and blueberries. Many interesting new fruit cultivars have come out of the breeding program at the University of Arkansas through the years, and Dr. Clark will update us on new peach varieties, and what might be expected in the future.
Our other keynote speaker is Patrick Byers, Fruit Grower Advisor with the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, a division of Southwest Missouri State University. Mr. Byers has taken two trips to Uzbekistan to advise orchard growers and observe the way that orchards are grown in that country. Mr. Byers will relate his observations on fruit culture in Uzbekistan, and the practical applications that can be made to Missouri orchards.
We will also hear an update on the peach rootstock trials from Dr. Martin Kaps, also of the State Fruit Experiment Station. Updates in the 2005 spray guides will be noted, and the guides will be distributed to orchard owners.
The meeting will begin with registration at 5:30 P.M., at the Bootheel Education Center in Malden. For more information, please call Tim Baker, at 573-888-4722.
University Extension programs are open to all
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