The University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute has two exciting events set for March.

The 2016 Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference and Symposium will run from Wednesday, March 16 to Friday, March. 18.

This is the fifth year for the Grape and Wine Symposium, which will take place on Friday, March 18. This is the first year for the Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference. The conference will run from Wednesday, March 16 to Thursday, March 17.

This year will mark the fifth Grape and Wine Symposium. This is the first year for the Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference.

“The focus is to bring together national expertise in viticulture and enology in a forum in which grape growers and commercial winemakers can learn in a casual learning environment,” said Dean Volenberg, director of the MU Grape and Wine Institute. “The conference and symposium will offer attendees the opportunity to meet and get to know many seasoned professionals in the viticulture and enology arenas. This will result in expanding information, sharing networks, and building grape growers and commercial winemakers professional networks.

“Overall, the Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference goal is to expand educational learning opportunities for grape growers and commercial winemakers.”

The conference will include numerous speakers from a wide range of backgrounds. Topics covered will include pest management, adapting to the changing science and using mobile apps for vineyards and wineries.

“The Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference brings together speakers from throughout the United States involved in the grape and wine industries,” Volenberg said. “These speakers will focus on how their research and expertise can be used to elevate Missouri grape and wine. The presentations will be very inclusive of details and provide attendees applied knowledge that can be put to use in their vineyard or winery.

“The Grape and Wine Symposium consists of short, 20-minute grape and wine research updates from research occurring exclusively in Missouri. We are fortunate that this year’s Grape and Wine Symposium will include a keynote speaker, Tony Wolf. Tony will present on adaptive grape growing in the mid-Atlantic’s challenging climate.”

Wolf is a professor of viticulture at Virginia Tech and the director of the Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

The Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference will be held at the Hampton Inn near the MU campus. Registration for the conference will run until Monday, March 7. A block of rooms at the Hampton Inn is being held until Sunday, Feb. 14 for those that are interested in staying there.

The two-day conference costs $125. The cost to attend just Wednesday is $90 and the cost to attend just Thursday is $35.

There is no cost for the symposium, however, seating is limited so registration is required and will run until Monday, March 7.

Each attendee will receive a print copy of the “2016 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide.”

“Over the past year many commercial winemakers and grape growers have asked for an educational venue that focuses entirely on the Missouri grape and wine industries,” Volenberg said. “We believe that the Show-Me Grape and Wine Conference and Symposium is only the start of expanding educational and applied research opportunities for commercial winemakers and grape growers. The beginning of a grape and wine learning network begins with one reaching out and be involved with others in the grape and wine industries. Here is an opportunity to expand your professional grape and wine resource network.”