The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm ­Market Expo will be held in the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from December 6–8.

Last year, nearly 4,000 people from 34 states and five ­Canadian provinces attended the educational programs and the trade show, which attracted 380 exhibitors and covered four acres of exhibition hall space.

Special fruit events this year include a free lunch for Michigan apple growers, a grape industries luncheon, an apple variety showcase, and an industry luncheon at which U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, has been invited to speak.

Educational programs include one on crop pollination on December 6 led by Penn State entomologist Dave ­Biddinger. Brown marmorated stinkbug, which has struck the Mid-Atlantic states hard and has been found in Michigan, gets top billing at the opening day tree fruit session and the afternoon apple session on December 7.

The programs for educational sessions aimed at tree fruit and grape growers are listed in the 20-page Expo brochure, which can be downloaded from the Web site, www.glexpo.com. Registration can be completed online at the Expo Web site. Online registration costs $70 before November 11. It is $90 after that or at the door.