2023 Florida Postharvest Horticulture Tour

The Florida Postharvest Horticulture Tour brings participants “up-close and personal” to learn how fresh fruits, vegetables and ornamental crops are handled. With exclusive, behind-the-scenes visits hosted by top management, the group will become familiar with the variety of methods and technologies employed to harvest, pack, cool, ship and receive fresh crops. Visits will include large and small-scale operations to contrast various technologies, a fresh-cut processor, and a major supermarket distribution center.
This program is coordinated by Dr. Steven Sargent and Dr. Mark Ritenour, specialists in postharvest physiology and technology at the University of Florida-IFAS. It is designed for produce industry professionals, educators, researchers and graduate students in such diverse areas as field and packinghouse management, transportation, sales, and import/export. Steve and Mark also teach the graduate course Postharvest Technologies for Horticultural Crops during spring semester, which is designed around the Postharvest Tour.