Announcing the 2026 International Orchard Meetup Series
Managing Climate Stress in Fruit Production: Sun Injury, Ripening Disorders, and Post-Harvest Quality in North American Orchards.

Meetups will be 4-5:30 pm PT

Join us for our fifth season of International Virtual Orchard Meetups.

• JUNE 11, 2026 4:00-5:30 pm PT: Physiological Impacts, Forecasting, and Monitoring Tools
• JUNE 18, 2026 4:00-5:30 pm PT: Mitigation Strategies, Timing, and Tradeoffs
• JUNE 25, 2026 4:00-5:30 pm PT: Managing Fruit After Heat Exposure: Maturity, Storage, and Disorders

Register at this link (opens in a new window)

Since 2021, the International Virtual Orchard Meetup program has brought together growers, researchers, and government and Extension agents to have an international conversation about important tree fruit topics, connecting industry leaders across North America.  This year the virtual orchard meetups will provide an opportunity to discuss challenges related to heat stress in summer and fall, identify opportunities to improve fruit quality, and remain profitable. They will be led by scientists and tree fruit growers from across the United States and Canada. Please plan to attend and join the conversation.

The first meetup follows on our previous meetup in February.  The format will include brief presentations by scientists, followed by a packer/grower panel of industry leaders across North America.  The meetup will conclude with an open discussion in a very inclusive virtual format.  Viewers are invited to share solutions, ask questions, and interact with scientists and panelists.

Speakers

• Dr. Harrison Wright, Research Scientist (Plant Physiology), Kentville Research & Development Centre, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Kentville, Nova Scotia. Canada.
• Dr. Carolina Torres, Endowed Chair in Tree Fruit Postharvest Systems, Washington State University, Washington, U.S.A

Grower panelists from across North America

A group of invited packer/grower panelists from across multiple regions (WA, OR, MI, PA, NY, BC, and Ontario) will discuss what they are seeing in fruit coming out of storage and how those outcomes relate to heat conditions during the growing season, what techniques they use managing heat during storage.

Whether you are a fruit grower with ample experience, one that has modest experience, or one that is just getting started, the 2026 International Virtual Orchard Meetups will be the right setting for you to ask questions and find alternative solutions. We hope you will be able to join us on Friday February 27!

This year the 2026 series is co-sponsored by AgIAD (link to the project opens in new window) an NSF and USDA NIFA project, and SPARC a USDA SCRI project (link to project opens in new window)

Planning Team

Kristy Grigg-McGuffin (OMAFRA), Sonia Hall (WSU), Lindsay King (BC-AF), Emily Lavely (MSU), Bernardita Sallato (WSU), Mario Miranda Sazo (CCE LOF), and Daniel E. Weber (PSU)