Watermelon Conference

The Annual Watermelon Conference is fast approaching and we have had many inquiries regarding the meeting.

The conference will be held at the American Legion building in Kennett on Friday, February 6, 2009 with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. featuring hot coffee and pastries. The meeting will include a trade show of our sponsors and suppliers.

We will have several presenters including Benny Bruton, research plant pathologist with the USDA in Lane, OK. Dr. Bruton will be talking about the Identification and control of Gummy Stem Blight in watermelon vines.

We will also welcome Wayne Fish who will give a special presentation covering Watermelon: How it may one day reduce cancer, lower blood pressure, and fuel your car all at the same time.

Food Safety has been brought to the nation’s attention this year with varied disease outbreaks occurring in other specialty crops. We will address this issue as a precaution for melons.

The meeting will also integrate a roundtable discussion. This will be an opportunity for growers to ask questions of fellow farmers who deal daily with problems and successes in the field.

The conference will conclude with BBQ for lunch and networking opportunities for all who attend.

For more information or to let us know you will be attending, contact the extension office at 573-888-4722. We look forward to seeing you there.

For your immediate consideration: The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority have announced grants available to farmers interested in turning their crops and livestock into more valuable processed products. These value-added Grants are available to farmers for obtaining financial and technical assistance on projects that process, develop or market agricultural goods. The maximum individual grant is $200,000 with at least 10% of the available funding going to grant requests of $25,000 or less. A 10% cash match toward eligible expenses is required to be provided by the applicant. Operating expenses, salaries or capital expenditures are not eligible expenditures.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. Applications will be considered individually and judged on the following: Economic development potential for the agricultural industry, Credibility and merit, Probability of near-term commercialization and practical application of project results, Presence, Source and level of matching funds and Where the project will have an economic impact.

Applications must be received by MASBDA no later than 5 p.m. Fri., Jan. 23, 2009. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. For more information on the program and complete guidelines, please contact MASBDA at (573) 751-2129 or masbda@mda.mo.gov.

The Extension office is located in Kennett, Missouri at 101 South Main Street (the old bank) on the 2^nd floor. Open Monday – Friday or you can call 573-888-4722 if you have a question. University of Missouri Extension programs are open to all.

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Sarah Denkler, Horticulture Educator
University of Missouri Extension
P.O. Box 160, Kennett, MO 63857
573-888-4722 Denklers@missouri.edu