The annual Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers Association Meeting, which will include the Hall of Fame Induction as well as the opportunity to meet new National Onion Association Executive Vice President Greg Yielding, will be held Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario, OR.
According to our friends at the Oregon State Extension Service in Ontario, registration will start at 7 a.m., and the meetings will kick off at 8:30 a.m. A trade who will run as well.
During the day you’ll have the chance to get to know Greg, who brings an impressive list of qualifications, and he will be accompanied by NOA Director of Public & Industry Relations René Hardwick. René will discuss the NOA’s marketing programs.
One of the highlights each year is the announcement of Hall of Fame Inductees, which brings to light the industry’s most deserving individuals. The announcement is always kept a closely guarded secret until the luncheon – who will be honored this year?
Also speaking during the day will be Gina Greenway from the College of Idaho, and she’s on tap to “present an analysis of price behavior in the Idaho Eastern Oregon Onion markets.” Sessions will also cover “the latest developments in weed, disease, and thrips management (OR, ID and CCA credits pending).” For more info on the annual meeting, call the Extension Service at 541-881-1417.
And it’s worth noting that there’s a daylong session for the Treasure Valley onion industry at Four Rivers Cultural Center from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4, looking to “revisit and revise the ‘Integrated Pest Management Strategic Plan for Treasure Valley Onions’ created in 2017.” According to info from the Extension Service, “The goal of this project is to keep a current document regarding the major pest management challenges and needs within the industry and to ensure a prioritized plan for research, extension, and regulatory support in meeting the industry’s identified needs. This meeting will provide an important status check on progress since our last meeting in 2017.”
For the Integrated Pest Management sessions, you’re asked to RSVP by Friday, Jan. 18, with Katie Murray, Integrated Plant Protection Center, Oregon State University katie.murray@oregonstate.edu 541-231-1983; or Stuart Reitz stuart.reitz@oregonstate.edu 208-740-4381.
Featured Image: 2018 Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers Annual Meeting – 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees Garry Bybee, and Isao Kameshige with Kay Riley, Snake River Produce Company and Ellen Kameshige Masterson
