UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Farmers, horticulture industry workers, plastics manufacturers and suppliers, educators and other interested professionals from both the United States and abroad can see first-hand how new uses for plastics have transformed agriculture at "Plasticulture 2000," the 15th International and 29th National Agricultural Plastics Congress, Sept. 23-27, at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pa.

"This congress is a golden opportunity to see and hear about the latest top cutting-edge research and methods in plasticulture," says Michael Orzolek, program chair and professor of vegetable crops in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "You also can see active field demonstrations of machinery, crops grown in plasticulture systems and five special tours."

The congress is hosted by Penn State and sponsored by the American Society for Plasticulture and the Comite International des Plastiques en Agriculture. A three- to four-day tour of farms and agribusinesses in New Jersey is scheduled before the conference opens on Sept. 23. Sponsored by Rutgers University, and starting in Newark, N.J., attendees will see production agriculture farms using drip irrigation, plastic film mulch and greenhouse technologies. As the tour approaches Hershey, visits to historic sites near Philadelphia also are scheduled.

The congress opens Sept. 23, with a general assembly. On Sunday, Sept. 24, attendees will hear a keynote speech on "Plasticulture in the Global Community" and four other plenary presentations on various elements of plasticulture. Later in the day, roundtable discussions will address drip irrigation, greenhouse technology, packaging technology and plastic technology that will extend the growing season.

On Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 25 and 26, more than 80 researchers from the United States and various foreign countries will give research presentations on greenhouse production, row covers and high/low tunnels, use of plastics in vegetable, fruit and ornamental crop production, and plastics in packaging and livestock operations. Plastics disposal, reuse and recycling also will be covered.

The conference includes an extensive trade show Sept. 26 and 27, according to William Lamont, program co-chair and Penn State associate professor of vegetable crops.

On the final day, Wednesday, Sept. 27, visitors can take one of five tours to agricultural businesses in central and southeast Pennsylvania. Tours will visit commercial fruit operations, vegetable operations, commercial greenhouses, ornamental nurseries and businesses specializing in plastic packaging technology.

For more information on Plasticulture 2000, call The American Society for Plasticulture at 814-238-7045 or visit the society's Web site: http://www.plasticulture.org. Registration materials will be available in April.

###

EDITORS: For more information, contact Michael Orzolek at 814-863-2251.

Contacts: John Wall jtw3@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax