Great Lakes Expo returns, alters offerings to expand accessibility

Great Lakes Expo returned to Grand Rapids in early December with its usual fanfare and the chilly weather of a Michigan winter.

Over 350 exhibitors filled the main hall and the Farmers Market area, representing a large cross section of commercial horticulture: fruit and vegetable growers, nursery and garden center professionals and various agritourism entities.

Tim Boring and Charlotte Smith delivered keynote presentations on Tuesday. Smith is a pioneering marketing and mindset coach who has worked with farmers and growers since 2013, “helping them build profitable farms while living calm, balanced lives.” Boring is the current director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD).

The show made several pushes toward greater accessibility for attendees and better traffic patterns – most noticeable, shifting educational sessions to start at 8:30 a.m. (instead of 9 a.m.) and offering more educational sessions on the trade show floor’s Syngenta Crop Protection Stage.

The educational program covered the usual operational topics like fruits, vegetables, greenhouse growing and farm market. Speakers ranged from academia (university research team members, Cooperative Extension educators, etc.) to growers and business owners themselves – like Three Acre Farm’s Lori Hernandez (Byron Center, MI), who presented multiple sessions on business operations and efficiency.

The show offers numerous avenues for networking each year, such as the Michigan Apple Growers Luncheon, the Fruit Growers Networking Event, Fruit and Vegetable 40 Under 40 Awards and the Expo Social. The social is an opportunity for exhibitors, sponsors and association figures to mingle – and the careers of industry leaders can be celebrated.

This year, the inaugural “Excellence in Agritourism Award” was presented by the Michigan Agritourism Association to Abby Jacobsen, co-owner of Westview Orchards & Winery (Washington, MI). Michigan State Horticultural Society presented Distinguished Service Awards to Larry Bodtke of Cornerstone Ag Enterprises and MSU Extension Educator Nikki Rothwell. The Michigan Vegetable Council presented Sarah Black of Great Lakes Ag Labor Services LLC with this year’s Master Vegetable Associate Award for her work on behalf of Michigan agricultural labor; MVC also presented the Mike and Kathy Fusilier family (of Fusilier Family Farms, Manchester, MI) with the Master Vegetable Farmer Award for their impact on Michigan agriculture.

MVC’s Greg Bird and Vance Baird also presented several academic scholarships (including the annual Jordan Tatter Scholarships) to promising horticultural students involved in higher education, thanks to the generosity of various scholarship sponsors.

The Country Folks Grower team enjoyed the opportunity to connect with readers and industry peers – to absorb the latest in industry research and to evaluate new products and varieties. Thanks extend to the Michigan State University Extension, Michigan State Horticultural Society, MVC and all other state and industry associations involved in producing this valuable industry event. Great Lakes Expo returns to Grand Rapids Dec. 8 – 10, 2026. Visit glexpo.com to learn more.

by Andy Haman

Ed and Connie Thomas and the team at Thomas Bros. Equipment Sales talked about the over 100 different product lines along with various crop protection products, adaptations and options they manufacture for the fruit, vegetable and nursery industries, as well as various custom application solutions.

Michigan State Horticultural Society recognized Extension Educator Nikki Rothwell with a Distinguished Service Award. She has influenced numerous growers through her time with the IPM program and now as an Extension specialist and coordinator with the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center.

Ecorobotix’s Collyn Dailey chatted about the company’s technological integrations that harness AI and crop-driven algorithms to provide precise plant care.

This year, the show added additional programing on the trade show floor. Michael Cooper of Alamo Valley Solar led a presentation on how to properly take advantage of expiring solar tax credits.

Keaton Collier, Midwest sales manager for Rimol Greenhouse Systems, was on hand to discuss the greenhouse structures and supplies the company makes available to growers across a wide spectrum of industries. The team from Rupp Seeds promoted their

Janice Benson of Michigan Agritourism (L) presents the inaugural 2025 Excellence in Agritourism Award to Westview Orchards & Winery’s Abby Jacobsen.

Commercial Sales Manager Brandon Haines was on hand to discuss Burpee Gardening’s Farmers Market offerings, “an exclusive selection of proven performers and novel varieties in larger quantities, both by seed count and by weight.”

Mike and Kathy Fusilier of Fusilier Family Farms were presented with this year’s Master Vegetable Farmer Award, surrounded by their family. Mike is heavily involved with Michigan Farm Bureau and the geographical imprint of their sixth generation farm across seven of the state’s largest farm markets and home delivery program and CSA speaks to an enduring legacy and a long-lasting brand.

Nevill Supply’s co-owner Andrew Nevill and his team were on hand to discuss fencing, trellising and other supplies for both orchard and farm operations.