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History: courtesy of Garth Stone
The forerunner of
the Vegetable Growers' Association was the Vegetable Committee
of the Manitoba Horticulture Association. At that time,
educational meetings for the Vegetable Committee were held in
conjunction with the HMA Convention held each winter.
After the
formation of the VGAM, the industry began holding "educational
days" as a regular activity in January each year. Manitoba
Agriculture staff (Fred Weir, Bert Sandercock, (Nick Sandar)
Pete Peters and Larry Jorgenson) used the organization to stage
the series of educational sessions. These began in the mid to
late 1950's. The process was well underway when I began to work
for the Department in 1960. (I expect that accuracy of these
comments could be improved by referring to the book "A Century
of Horticulture" by P.J. Peters and by visiting the Manitoba
Archives). At that time, the educational activity was held in
conjunction with the Vegetable Growers' Association Annual
meeting. The event was held in the Agriculture Auditorium at
the U of M and was three day's in length. A "commercial"
supplier flavour was added by providing table top areas for
"displays" located around the perimeter of the Auditorium and
also out in the header house associated with the greenhouses.
Industry participants used coffee and lunch breaks to contact
clients. The VGAM held its annual meeting during the
Convention. The speakers, local and out of province, provided
information on vegetable and potato production and
marketing. The meetings were followed by an industry Banquet in
the evening of the second day. When I first attended these
banquets were held at the Dakota Motor Hotel in St. Vital. The
VGAM left the facilities of the U of M and held one or two
sessions (perhaps the mid 60's)) in what is now the Vegetable
Marketing Board Building. At that time there was an Auditorium
in the facility and a portion of the loading dock area was used
for large equipment displays. A few years earlier, Old Dutch
Foods started processing in Winnipeg (1957 I think). They were
preceded by "Hunters Potato Chips) I believe Irish Cobbler
potatoes and later Kennebec were grown under contract and were
supplied by A. R, Chorney, John Chorney, Joe Chorney, W. S.
Nebozenko and A.A. Kroeker and Sons. Also, the start for French
Fry processing began in a small plant in Selkirk (Stephenson).
Growers in the immediate area supplied the plant with Netted
Gems.
As the activity
of the VGAM took hold, the Manitoba Nursery and Landscape
Association held similar programs. These examples were followed
by the Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Manitoba
Strawberry Growers Association (later the Prairie Fruit Growers
Association).
As these
activities became established, the industry suppliers found
themselves attending and setting up for individual educational
meetings at separate times during the year. Ed Lovelace, an
employee of The Gardeners Sales Ltd. approached the Horticulture
Section of Manitoba Agriculture and suggested a combining these
sessions (one time and place) to facilitate greater
participation and improved convenience to the various industry
suppliers. This seemed like a great idea and a facilitating
organization was formed. It was called called Horticulture
Industry Days with a board of directors made up of association
and Industry participants. HID coordinated the staging of
individual programs, sold display space to industry and provided
meeting rooms, luncheons and a closing banquet facilities to all
involved. Income generated was used to bring in feature speakers
as well as pay for facilities. As the HID became established a
Coordinator was hired to carryout the annual activities. These
activities were switched to the fall of the year rather than
continuing with events in January. It was argued, at that time,
that providing information at that time would provide greater
opportunity to incorporate the new information into plans for
the next production season.
At the height of
the events, six organizations were involved and included
vegetables, potatoes, sod farming, nursery production, wild
rice and fruit. HID activities were held at the International
Inn (now the Victoria Inn) for a number of years. The
organization took over all of the meeting rooms and display
space for the event. After a successful run and a growing
demand for display space, arrangements for the various functions
were made with the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Years spent at
the WCC were few in number.
As the years
passed this "union" of the horticultural industry began to break
apart. The number of vegetable growers attending fell
dramatically, potato producers growing table stock potatoes
declined while number and interests of "processing" growers
expanded, Wild rice production did not develop and the nursery
trades and golf people went their own way. As a result the
Winnipeg Convention centre activity was dropped and the activity
moved to the Keystone Centre in Brandon and soon became Potato
Production Days. With the move to Brandon, the decline of the
VGAM and changing interests of other groups, Keystone
Vegetable Producers Association took over the program and have
carried out the organizational details and program elements in
recent years.
As a retired
employee of Manitoba Agriculture, I am no longer familiar with
the details or events that take place.
As a closing
comment, I would like to indicate that the various organizations
and industry participants provided an unparalleled platform to
provide the latest in production information and technology to
the Manitoba industry over several decades and was one of the
key elements in the successful industry that is based in the
province. It was great to be part of that activity!
Garth Stone
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is scheduled for January 26th (set up), 27th and 28th
Keystone Centre, Brandon, Manitoba
The move to the Keystone Centre has been excellent! Our trade show and presentations are side by side in the Manitoba Room and UCT Pavillion. It is extremely convenient to have the Canad Inns attached for our hotel needs. "Manitoba Potato Production Days (formerly Horticultural Production Days) has been held annually since 1973. The conference's main objective is to communicate current and pertinent potato production information to producers. As well, it provides a venue for retailers to promote the latest in potato-production products and equipment. MPPD 2009 was a great success. The conference attracted over 475 participants and over 60 trade show exhibits. Attendees include potato producers, French fry processors, government, consulting agronomists, equipment dealers and crop protection industry representatives.
Be part of the 2010 conference and trade show, for more information contact MaryAnn at mppd@mts.net
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For more information: mppd@mts.net |
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