Dec. 3, 2009, Vineland, Ontario – The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in conjunction with Flowers Canada Growers, is hosting a one-day workshop on “How to develop and implement an IPM program for your greenhouse operation.”

The workshop will be held in Rittenhouse Hall at the OMAFRA Advisory Services Building at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre on Wednesday, Jan. 27. It will be held from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

These workshops have been so successful in the past that the majority of the industry is now using IPM.

The workshop is designed to assist those growers wishing to implement an IPM program or to further develop existing programs. As such, OMAFRA advisory staff will be available to discuss growers’ programs or visit individual operations if necessary to review IPM programs or discuss any problems that may be occurring.

The workshop is a hands-on exercise in how to set up your IPM program, and includes presentations on IPM basics, pest biology and identification, monitoring, biological control, disease IPM and the “nuts and bolts” of getting started.

The cost is $50 ($47.17 plus $2.83 GST) and includes lunch, coffee, hand lens and a workbook.