Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention is still planned for Feb. 2-4 in Hershey, Pa., said William Troxell, publicity and marketing program coordinator.
He’s also executive director of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association and executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program.
“Of course we’re hoping to have it then, but that remains uncertain at this time. Typically we don’t open registration until middle of November, so hopefully we’ll know more by then,” Troxell said.
“If we can’t have it in person, we may try to do at least some of it virtually.”
The convention lodging contract, as well as COVID-19 gathering and traveling policies by participating organizations, is complicating matters. Then there’s the issue of how comfortable people are about attending, and whether or not the virus resurges in winter.
The Jan. 28-30 event this year drew about 2,200 fruit and vegetable growers and 160 exhibitors.
Registrations are handled by the main sponsor organizations: the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association, the Maryland State Horticultural Society, New Jersey State Horticultural Society and the Virginia State Horticultural Society.
The cooperative extensions of Penn State University, University of Maryland, Rutgers University and Virginia Tech University all assist in organizing the three days of educational sessions.
