Organic Apple Production and Marketing (A Beginner's Guide)

Free Webinar

Thursday, January 27, 2011, Noon Central Standard Time

Commercial-scale organic apple production has entered the mainstream. Once thought of as practically impossible, profitable organic apple production is now a reality for established apple growers from coast to coast. And the techniques for successful organic apple production are backed up by research and recommendations from universities such as Cornell, Michigan State, and Washington State.

But the path to profitable commercial organic apple production isn't easy. Organic apple growers face many hurdles, from pest control and certification to marketing. But if you're willing to tackle these hurdles, the profits may well be worth the effort.

To find out what's involved in profitable organic apple production, and whether this business is right for you, register for our free webinar titled "Organic Apple Production and Marketing (A Beginner's Guide)."

Presented by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), this organic apple webinar will be broadcast on Thursday, January 27th, at 12 Noon Central Standard Time.

Some of the topics to be covered in this hour-long webinar include the following:
• Overview and trends in organic apple production and marketing in the U.S.
• Organic apple production techniques for different regions of the country.
• Disease control with organic fungicides and disease-resistant varieties of apples.
• Insect and mite control with kaolin clay, pheromones, and new-generation pesticides
• "Farmscaping" to optimize biological control with beneficial insects
• Control of vertebrate pests in orchards such as deer and voles
• Non-chemical weed control in organic apple orchards
• Economics and marketing of organic apples—how can I make a profit?

The speakers for the webinar are Tammy Hinman, a horticulturalist, and Guy Ames, an experienced apple grower. Both speakers currently work for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Hinman and Ames provide technical advice to apple growers nationwide through the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA), with funding provided by USDA. Ames and Hinman are also coauthors of ATTRA's new publication on organic apple production, which will be available this winter.

This January 27th webinar on Organic Apple Production is free, but registration online is required.  To register for the webinar, visit this website.