The annual Michigan Spring Peach Update is slated for March 5 at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center in Benton Harbor.

The event is a day-long meeting with educational sessions and discussions on growing, packing and marketing peaches.

Topics include invasive insects, new fungicides, disease control, new orchard establishment methods, tree training, research updates and new peach varieties. Speakers include university and peach industry experts from Michigan and around the region.

Michigan pesticide applicator recertification credits will be available.

Deadline for early registration is Feb. 25. Early registration costs $45 per person or $35 for current Michigan Peach Sponsors members, including a catered lunch, coffee and handouts. Price goes up by $5 after Feb. 25.

Registration and socializing begins at 8 a.m., while the program runs 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Michigan Peach Sponsors website at http://michiganpeach.org/threepageadvancedregistrationspringpeach2019 or contact the conference coordinator, Bill Shane, at 269-944-1477 ext. 205, by cell phone at 269-208-1652 or email shane@msu.edu.

—by Ross Courtney