The National Onion Association announced on Aug. 2 that for the first time in 14 years, Texas will be the venue for the annual NOA Convention/National Allium Research Conference joint event later this year.
The convention is slated to take place in San Antonio Nov. 29-Dec. 2, and guests will have access to some of the brightest minds in onion research from across the country, the NOA said.
The convention will feature presentations from the best onion disease and pest management researchers as well as political discussions and boots-on-the-ground onion exploration of the Texas A&M Research Station and Cargil Farms Produce onion fields in Uvalde.
Researchers hoping to present or submit papers to the conference will find a draft agenda and abstract submission guidelines here. (onions-usa.org/members/conventions).
Submissions are due Aug. 31.
Attendees are advised to book this trip early. The NOA said, “With a larger-than-normal group, hotel rooms may be at a premium. We have blocks of rooms at the San Antonio Marriot Riverwalk, where the convention will be held. Convention attendees can book their rooms here (go to: onions-usa.org/members/conventions). Booking through this link will give you a discounted rate as an attendee of the conference.”
Winter weather in Texas is temperate, and the NOA recommends that guests prepare for temperatures in the 50s. “It’s a rarity, but sometimes the area does get snow,” the Association said.
For those who are not NOA members and would like to attend as guests, call the NOA office at (970) 353-5895. Sponsorships are still available, and there is a sponsor form at onions-usa.org/members/conventions.
NOA members, researchers and students all have separate convention registration links at http://onions-usa.org/members/conventions
Founded in 1913, the National Onion Association is the official organization representing growers, shippers, brokers, and commercial representatives of the U.S. onion industry. The NOA is comprised of nearly 500 members from the United States and abroad. While the NOA advocates for the industry, it also works on promotional campaigns to help increase the consumption of onions.
The National Allium Research Conference has served as a focal point for biennial conferences devoted to the allium plant species, and its improvement, management, and consumption in the United States and globally since 1985. To learn more about NARC, go to alliumnet.com/narc.
