Hotel space is filling up quickly for the 2014 Almond Conference, which takes place Dec. 9-11at the Convention Center in downtown Sacramento, Calif.

Rooms are already sold out at the Hyatt Regency and Sheraton Grand near the convention center. Room rate agreements have been made with the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza at 300 J Street and The Citizen Hotel, a Joie Vivre Hotel at 926 J Street. Contact the hotels directly and mention the Almond Conference.

Room rates will be held until Nov. 14.

The event is marked by workshops, research updates from university experts, a large trade show and the gala dinner and entertainment on Thursday evening, which promises to feature plenty of humor and magic.

Registration opens at noon on Dec. 9 in the east lobby, third floor, of the Sacramento Convention Center, with seminars kicking off promptly at 12:30 p.m.

An exporter overview from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 will discuss the demands placed on handlers and growers regarding food safety expectations and requirements.

A state of the industry talk will be presented from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an opening reception sponsored by BASF to follow.

Two seminars on irrigation and precision Ag research will take place during the conference: one Dec. 9 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and an identical session Dec. 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A session on pest management will take place Dec. 9 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a discussion on insects and weeds only; a two-hour session on Dec. 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. will expand to include diseases and sampling protocols.

The effects of drought on trees will be discussed at a Dec. 10 workshop from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The ever-popular “speed dating” research updates will take place Dec. 10 from 3 p.m. to 4:10 p.m., and again Dec. 11 from 12:15 p.m. to 1:25 p.m.

Research poster sessions will feature discussions on horticulture, replanting, variety and rootstock evaluations, crop mapping, and pollinator issues.

A separate pollinator update will take place Dec. 11 from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with an overview of Almond Board of California efforts to engage in this process plus an overview of research efforts under way. There will also be an update on honeybee best management practices for California almonds.

Thursday evening’s gala will include entertainment by police officer-turned comedian, Juston McKinney, ventriloquist Taylor Mason and comedian/magician Mike Hammer.

Continuing education credits will be available from the conference. A total of 7.5 DPR credits and 26 CCA credits will be available.

To register for the Almond Conference and a complete agenda of activities, go to www.almondconference.com.

The latest agricultural news each day to your Inbox. Click here for the free Western Farm Press Daily e-mail newsletter.