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Announcing PRO Institute Miami
A Floral Postharvest and Marketing Program
Overview: PRO Institute Miami is designed to share the floral expertise of mass marketers, growers, importers, bouquet suppliers, breeders, associations, transportation firms, cooler companies, educators, wholesalers, dry good suppliers and the like with research findings and the experience of the founder, Dr. George Staby, President, Perishables Research Organization and Dr. Michael Reid, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Davis. Innovative approaches to learning are utilized including lectures, demonstrations, tours and networking.
Background: Eleven PRO Institutes have been held to date attracting 280 attendees representing 169 companies, organizations, and universities from Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, The Netherlands, United States, Costa Rica, Canada, England, Italy and Japan. Participation helps ensure that attendees are ahead of the curve with practical, cutting edge, and commercially viable solutions to many postharvest and marketing related problems.
Location: This Institute will be headquartered at the Hyatt Place Hotel, located in the heart of the flower import center of the US, Miami International Airport, where approximately 84% of imported cut flowers arrive in the US.
Dates: Sunday evening, October 18 through Tuesday evening, October 20, 2009.
Schedule:
October 18 (Sunday)
- 5:00 to 7:30 PM - Welcoming reception at the Hyatt Place Hotel (hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, soft drinks), introductions, and initial presentation by Staby
October 19 (Monday)
October 20 (Tuesday)
October 21 (Wednesday)
- Breakfast, depart for home and/or tour the region
Learning formats: Classroom lectures and tour demonstrations will be utilized. There will also be many opportunities to engage in discussions, networking, and Q&A sessions.
Cost: The cost is $1140 per person, which includes hotel for three nights (single occupancy), seven meals, welcoming reception, refreshment breaks, transportation for the tours, handouts, and the program itself. The only items not included are travel related costs to and from Miami. The cost for attendees not requiring a hotel room is $950 per person.
Airports: While Miami International Airport (MIA) is the closest airport to the hotel (which has a free shuttle), you may want to see if it is more economical using Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) from which you would need to rent a car or take a taxi to the hotel.
Reservations: To reserve a space with no financial obligations at this time, please send an e-mail to George Staby (george.staby@volcano.net) or call him (209-295-1577) stating you would like to attend. He will in turn get back to you with registration details and other information.
Topics: The following topics will be addressed during the Institute:
Quality is Free:
Shrinkage rates, consumer expectations (color, longevity, design, guarantees, etc.); objective flower quality measurements, objective postharvest treatments
Some production factors that influence postharvest flower quality:
Species/cultivar/variety (breeder contacts, ethylene sensitivity, rose example, survey results); harvest stage; nutrients (especially nitrogen, silicon, and calcium); light (intensity, duration, and quality); water (quality, amounts, frequency); pest control (insects and diseases)
Cold chain management:
White Paper II, importance of temperature, precooling, transportation modes; temperature measurement devices / calibration / how to use (flowers and coolers)
Transportation modes pros and cons:
Air (freighters, belly loaded, overnight), truck, and/or sea containers ? flower quality and costs
Ethylene physiology and control:
Flower quality factors as influenced by ethylene, effects / physiology / control; sources, amounts, and demonstrations with Florel (liquid ethylene)
Growth regulators / plant hormones other than ethylene:
Factors affecting the postharvest life of floral crops; types and functions, natural and synthetic; postharvest uses including brand names (anti-yellowing, water loss, stem bending)
Water relations: Anatomy and physiology:
Blockage types, removing, preventing blockage, hygiene considerations
Dry verses wet handling of flowers:
In greenhouse, classification, packing shed, during transport, and receiver levels; effectiveness as related to temperature, bruising, disease development, etc.
Botrytis:
Postharvest disease control strategies including chlorine dioxide releasing paper; measurement (new identification systems); possible effects of MCP and STS
Flower food (pulse, hydration, packets, effectiveness, brands, labels):
Effective and proper use; components of and how to use flower food, hydration, and pulse solutions; effectiveness, safety concerns, and labels
Companies that have sent one or more representatives to previous PRO Institutes:
1800FLOWERS, A&A Partners LLC, A&P Canada, AgroFresh, Aikou Products, Aldershot of New Mexico, Alexandra Farms, Aphrodite Roses, Aquatrols, Armellini Industries, Association of Floral Importers of Florida, Avery Dennison, Ayus Technology Corporation, Ball FloraPlant, Bay City Flower Company, Beaverton Florists, Beeman Holdings, Bio-Bac, Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, Borgen Systems, Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo, California Association of Flower Growers & Shippers, California Cut Flower Commission, CH Robinson Worldwide, Chase Horticultural Research, Chiquita Fresh North America, Chrysal BV, Chrysal USA, Claymore C. Sieck, Colombian Centre for Innovation in Floriculture, Conectiflor, D.R. Ecuador Roses S.A, de Ruiter, Delaware Valley Floral Group, Delta Floral Distributors, Dole Fresh Flowers, Dos Gringos, Dramm & Echter, Dreisbach Wholesale Florist, EnviroLogix, Equiflor, Escort Data Loggers, Esprit Miami, Falcon Farms, Field of Flowers, Fife Flowers and Gifts, First Distributors, Floral Marketing, Floral Marketing Innovations, Floral Solutions, Floralife, Floraline Display Products, Floratech, Flores de Valle, Flores Funza, FlorExpo, Floriculture Research, Florist Distributing, Flower Focus Ltd., Flower Transfer, Flower Transport Gel, FlowerTech, FlowerWatch, Forsite Diagnostics, Fresh Express (CA), Goldsmith Seeds (CA), Greenleaf (CA), Grupo Arbusta (Ecuador), Hallmark Flowers, Hardin?s Wholesale Florist, Hoogasian Flowers, Hy-Vee, ICA TriNova, Infratab, International Floral Distributors, J. J. Kothari & Co., Jacques Flower Shop, Jessup Transportation, John G. Hofland Ltdd., Kendal Floral, Kendall Farms, Kitayama Brothers, Klatt, Inc., Lakeshore, Len Busch Roses, Loblaws, LoneStar Plastics, Maria Flowers, Post-Harvest Consultant, Marubeni Specialty Chemicals, MEI, Mellano and Company, MIA Perishables Center, MicroActive Corp., Montalbano Technology, Mundoflowers, Native Blooms, Native Floral Group, Nelpo SA, Oberer?s Flowers, Ocean View Flowers, Pacifica Farms, Passion Growers, Perishables Research Organization, Perlmart / ShopRite, Petals West, Pinckney Molded Plastics, Plantas y Flores Ornamentales S.A., Practical Solutions International, Prime Floral, Proflowers.com, Pyganflor, Pyramid Flowers, Rose Isle Floral, Rosen Tantau, Safeway, Schnucks, Seagroatt Riccardi, Seaman Paper, Selective Micro Technologies, Sensitech, Smithers Oasis, Stems & Bunches, Stop & Shop, Sud-Chemie, Sun Valley Floral Group, Sunshine Bouquet, SuperValu, Syndicate Sales, Syngenta, Teleflora, The Elite Flower, The Farm Direct Company, The Kroger Company, The Produce News Floral Marketing, Tosca Limited, Transflora, TransFresh, Trinity Farms, Ukrop?s Super Markets, Universidad Autonoma Agraria, University of California, Davis, University of Florida, USA Bouquet, USDA ? Agriculture Research Services, Vacuum Cooling Colombia, Valleflor, Wageningen University, Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association, World Flowers.
Questions, comments, and reservations: E-mail George Staby at george.staby@volcano.net or call him at 209-295-1577. |
