History

84th Annual Conference
Hilton Portland, Portland Oregon
January 13, 14 & 15, 2010

“The Portland Spray Conference” (1926 - 2007)

Our History: One of the oldest and most appreciated EntomologyPlant Pathology meetings in the Pacific Northwest is the Portland Spray Conference. It dates back to 1926. It was on June 30 of that year at the suggestion of J. R. Parker, Associate Entomologist, Montana Agricultural Experiment Station that the first meeting was held in Tacoma, Washington. The "Western Cooperative Oil Spray Project" as it was formally named was organized at that meeting. Participants included representatives of Idaho, Montana together with representatives of the U.S.D.A. and the Canada Department of Agriculture. Mr. Parker was named Chairman. Another meeting was held in Spokane, Washington on December 5, 1926 and thereafter over the past 80 years this has been an annual gathering. The meeting continues to grow and we now have participants from all fruit growing areas of North America and other countries including Argentina, Chile, Switzerland.

Our Focus: The meeting has always been one focused on research, without any emphases on the commercial aspects of the applications of the research. Not so long ago (thirty or so years ago), the meeting was small, forty or fifty people, and limited to only research scientists from public institutions. Then extension agents were invited in, then one representative from each chemical company (about twenty years ago), then opened to everyone. Now the meeting participants include researchers, extension personnel, manufacturing reps, fieldmen from agricultural chemical companies, private consultants and growers. Everyone is invited to give presentations and there is a strong commitment amongst all members to keep presentations scientific not only out of a respect to the origins of the meeting but also to ensure that the meeting is a valuable experience to all participants.

Rubber Chicken Award: In an effort to ensure that presenters and participants maintain the highest standards of conduct and etiquette, WOPDMC members annually award the prestigious but unwelcome “Rubber Chicken Award”. Recipients of this high distinction (awarded at the conclusion of the meeting) receive a featherless, rubber chicken appropriately hung by its feet.

Notables who have received the award include:
Clancy Davis, Berkeley, California for his quiet, sober, professional demeanor on all occasions.
Stan Hoyt, Wenatchee, Washington for failing to enliven methods of presentation of papers. 
Don Berry, Medford, Oregon for never having made a single comment over 20 years.
Pete Westigard, Medford, Oregon for returning from a sabbatical with 400 color slides (all failures) and a new child (a success).

'Winners' in the Modern Era (following about a 15 year hiatus, the award was revived
                                        during the 75th anniversary meeting)
Rachel Elkins (2001), Univ. of Calif., Clear Lake, for using an overhead projector in a digital age.
Jay Brunner (2002), Wash. St. Univ., Wenatchee, for giving one of the looooongest talks in the history of the WOPDMC.
Doug Light (2003), USDA, Albany, California, for showing incomprehensible data slides again and again and again.
Stephen Welter (2004), Univ. of Calif., Berkeley, for inappropriate behaviour by leaving the meeting prior to giving his presentation.
(2005)
(2006)
Andy Kahn (2007), Wenatchee, Washington, for giving a much too long presentation and refusing to yield the podium - Andy subsequently decapitated our alopeciate friend.
Jim Miller (2008), Mich. St. Univ., for attempting to coerce the entire membership into his cult of the pheromone - and Jim was responsible for the demise of yet another unfeathered friend.
Peter Shearer (2009), Ore. St. Univ., Hood River, for forgetting, like Dorothy, that he was not in Rutgers anymore.

© Western Orchard Pest & Disease Management Conference
Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center
1100 N. Western Ave.
Wenatchee WA 98801
phone: 509-663-8181

Web problems to Jerry Tangren (tangren@wsu.edu) This web site is hosted by Washington State University, Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center. Disclaimers and other Washington State University policies apply.

Sept 30, 2005