The Iowa Specialty Producers Conference will be held Jan. 23-24 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. For the first time, this event is a joint gathering of the Iowa Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and the Iowa Wine Growers Association. 

The conference will feature keynote speaker John Stanley, an internationally known retail consultant, speaker and author. Six breakout sessions will focus on viticulture, enology, fruits, vegetables, other specialty crops, and business and marketing. 

Information and presentations  

Pesticide applicator continuing instruction credits also will be offered for commercial applicators in category 1D and private applicators. For private applicators who already have been attending CIC classes, the program at the conference will count for recertification.

Attendees will receive the same form from the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship they are accustomed to, but this one also will include the category 1D training. 

The Iowa Specialty Producers Awards Banquet on Jan. 23 features an Iowa wine social hour, a multicourse dinner paired with a selection of delicious Iowa wines and the annual awards presentations, followed by live music. 

The event is supported by grant funding from the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship. Learn more at ifvga.org or iowawinegrowers.org. Registration is now open on both websites to members of these two organizations and to the public.

For more information, call Nicole Eilers, Iowa Wine Growers Association director of marketing, at 515-664-7754. 

Source: IFVG, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.