P45 & MSU 2024 Statewide Spring Kick-Off

Join winegrape growers and producers from across Michigan at the hybrid 2024 Statewide Michigan Grape Spring Kickoff on April 19, 2024 from 9-5:30 p.m. EST hosted by Parallel 45 Vines & Wines and Michigan State University Extension. 

Early spring is  an excellent time of year for vineyards and wineries to prepare, adjust and incorporate new practices. This event will kick off the growing season and focus on industry updates, outlooks, and grape pest and disease management.

This agenda is being updated and actual times may vary. 

8:00am - Registration Desk Opens

9:00-9:55

A Holistic Approach to Vine Health, Production and Longevity in a Vineyard System

Fritz Westover - Westover Viticulture

10:00 - 10:30

Weather summary and forecast

Jeffrey Andresen - MSU Department of Geography

10:35 - 11:05

Understanding and Enhancing Grapevine Cold Resilience

Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar MSU

11:05-11:15 - Coffee Break

11:15-12:25

Grape Pricing Survey Results

P45 & MSU

12:30-1:30 - Lunch

Boardman Valley Hospitality Catering

1:35-2:10

Protecting berries against insect pests, from bloom to harvest

Rufus Isaacs - MSU

2:15-3:10

Panel discussion on Converting to Organic

3:15-3:55

Satellite and Machine Learning-based vineyard monitoring: Soil, Maturity, Disease

Matthew Homyak - Deep Planet

4:05-4:40

Tannin Management - Impact of Extended Maceration on Tannin and Wine Quality

Dr. Aude Watrelot - Iowa State

4:45-5:30

Educational wine tasting - P45

Michigan Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) applicator recertification credits for private and commercial fruit (1C) have been applied for and should be available for attending this meeting. 

Please register ahead of time for this event. 

Virtual registrants will receive a Zoom link to the meeting and will need to download Zoom onto their device to access the meeting. The hybrid format allows grape growers from all over Michigan and the Midwest to attend the meeting.

For questions or more information, please contact Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar, MSU Extension Viticulture Educator at nasroll2@msu.edu .

Registration for 2024 Statewide Grape Spring Kickoff is open.