Sep 18, 2015

Registration Now Open for Greenhouse Insect Biocontrol Tour in OntarioSource: Michigan State University Extension

Michigan State University Extension is offering a bus tour of floriculture greenhouse insect biocontrol programs from Michigan to the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada on Oct. 28-30, 2015.

During the three-day tour, participants will see how to set up a comprehensive insect biocontrol program. In Ontario, 75 percent of greenhouse growers implement insect biological control in their facilities because of the decreased insecticide exposure to employees, decreased number of available registered insecticides and increased resistance in insect pest populations causing crop losses.

The tour will visit four wholesale greenhouses, one retail garden center and the Vineland Research Station. While one of the focuses of our tour will be implementing an insect biological control program, others topics will include greenhouse automation to save on labor expenses, retail marketing, various greenhouse structures and other production practices.

The bus will originate from Masterpiece Flower Company in Byron Center, Michigan, and will also stop at the Swartz Creek carpool lot in eastern Michigan to pick up any other participants. Participants will have the option of either being dropped off or leaving a vehicle at either location.
Itinerary

The cost of the event is $379 per registrant with a single room and $289 for registrants sharing a hotel room with another participant. Each person will need to register separately and indicate their preferred roommate.

The last day to register is Friday, Sept. 18.

For more information, please visit http://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?folder=BiocontrolOntarioBusTour.