The committee for this year's Under 40s fruit grower's conference has agreed upon a destination for the next event.

Around 100 young fruit growers and employees from several related industries will head to Bologna, Italy, at the beginning of 2003, for a series of conference sessions, discussion and visits to local producers and packers.

The biennial conference was last held in Porto Novo, Portugal, in February, this year. It attracted around 90 delegates and a total of 14 sponsors, including Marks & Spencer, KG Fruits, MY Plastics, Chavereys Chartered Accountants, Field Fumigation and Haygrove Tunnels. Alongside visits to local farms and growers, the conference included speakers and discussion on organics, GM technology and the future of the fruit industry.

The Under 40s conference is a unique event aimed as it is at the industry's younger producers.

For more information about the conference, see forthcoming issues of the Journal or access www.freshinfo.com If you want to sponsor the 2003 conference, please email Emma Holyfield at: em.holyfield@virgin.net l