Annual chestnut growers meeting open to the public
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EmailThe Midwest Chestnut Producers Council annual educational and business meeting will take place March 13-14, 2026.
The Midwest Chestnut Producers Council (MCPC) annual meeting is held in collaboration with Michigan State University Extension and includes grower networking opportunities, educational presentations and a brief business meeting. This meeting serves as the premier networking and educational event for the Michigan chestnut industry. The meeting is open to the public and offers a great opportunity for both novice and veteran growers to learn from each other and Michigan State University (MSU) faculty.
Who: Current or prospective chestnut producers
What: Midwest Chestnut Producers Council Annual Meeting
Where: W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners MI 49060
When: March 13-14, 2026 (registration closes March 7)
Register now for the Midwest Chestnut Producers Council annual meeting
Draft agenda
Friday, March 13 (Academic Building, Auditorium)
8-9 a.m. – Registration and coffee (bring silent auction items along)
9-9:10 a.m. – Welcome, Abby Johnson, MCPC President and owner/operator Ox Heights Farms
9:10-9:30 a.m. – Chestnut Growers, Inc. and Chestnut Growers of America Updates, Pete Conrad (CGI President) and Roger Blackwell (CGA President)
9:30-10:30 a.m. – Asian Chestnut Gall Wasp (ACGW) Forum: Introduction to ACGW, Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University; ACGW Quarantine Discussion, Amber Neils, MDARD
10:30-11:15 a.m. – Chestnut Brown Rot Research Update, Drs. Giorgia Bastianelli and Timothy Miles, Michigan State University
11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. – Oak Wilt Update for Chestnut Growers, TBD
12-1 p.m. – Lunch at McCrary Dining Hall (may check into rooms at this time)
1-4:30 p.m. – Lifecycle of an Orchard, Dr. Chris Bardenhagen and Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University
4:30 p.m. – Check in and visit the Caretakers Cottage for a social mixer (BYOB)
6-7 p.m. – Dinner at McCrary Dining Hall
7 p.m. – Night Cap at Caretakers Cottage and final auction bids
Saturday, March 14 (Academic Building, Auditorium)
7-8 a.m. – Breakfast at McCrary Dining Hall
8-8:30 a.m. – MCPC Business Meeting (auction winners announced)
8:30-9:30 a.m. – Chestnut Water Needs, Dr. Younsuk Dong, Michigan State University
9:30-10:30 a.m. – Getting Started with Drones, Dr. Michael Reinke, Michigan State University Extension
10:30-11 a.m. – Development and Lab Validation of a Vision-Guided Robotic System for Chestnut Picking, Dr. Yuzhen Lu, Michigan State University
11-11:30 a.m. – Meeting Wrap-up
Registration
Preregistration is required and payment will be collected at the door. Check or cash is preferred. Registration closes on March 7. Registration for the meeting is $175 for MCPC members and $250 for nonmembers. Up to four additional family/farm members may attend for $125 each, but each person must be registered separately.
Registration includes meals and materials. Lodging is not included.
Attendees may sign up to join the MCPC at the event for $50. Membership forms and payment will also be accepted at the door.
Register now for the Midwest Chestnut Producers Council annual meeting
Lodging
Lodging arrangements must be made individually by contacting the Kellogg Biological Station at conference@kbs.msu.edu or 269-671-2400. Lodging costs are not included in registration.
Silent auction
The MCPC will be hosting a silent auction fundraiser. You can sign up to donate an item for the auction during registration. Questions can be directed to Corey Allen at cra627@gmail.com.
Contact
For more information about the program or registration, please contact Erin Lizotte at taylo548@msu.edu. For questions about the MCPC, contact MCPCupdates@gmail.com.
Accommodations
Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be requested by contacting Erin Lizotte two weeks prior to the start of the event at 231-944-6504 or taylo548@msu.edu. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.
This work is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program [grant no 2024-70006-43569] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
