GAP Connections

07/02/2026

Upcoming To***co Field Days:

July 21, 2026: Corn-Soybean-To***co Field Day, UKREC, Princeton KY, 8 am to 1 pm

August 12, 2026: Bluegrass Burley Industry Tour, 2951 Agronomy Road, Lexington KY 40511, 9 am to 4 pm

August 13, 2026: Dark To***co Twilight Tour, Murray State University West Farm, 336 Robertson Road N, Murray KY 42071, 5:30 pm to 9 pm

06/30/2026

As a Channel Partner with the Farmer Innovation Network (FIN), GAP Connections is proud to bring new tools, innovation, and opportunities to our grower network. (Fun fact: Gripp has been a past supporter of GAPC Annual Training!)

Here's a great example of what this partnership unlocks 👇

Equipment breaks. Information gets lost. Maintenance slips through the cracks. And too often, the person with the answer isn't standing next to the machine.

Join us Thursday, July 9 at Noon ET / 11 am CT for the next FIN Field Solutions webinar to see how Gripp is helping farmers bring order to everyday operations.

Built around a simple QR code and mobile app, Gripp makes it easy to report issues, track maintenance, pull up equipment history, and keep your whole team connected—no complicated system required. The result? Less downtime, better organization, and more time spent farming.

Hear straight from farmers who put Gripp to the test in the field—what they found, what changed, and why they're still using it.

📅 Thursday, July 9

🕛 Noon ET / 11 am CT

🔗 Register: rebrand.ly/7y1wpox

Not yet part of FIN? Join a national community of farmers shaping the future of ag innovation: rebrand.ly/dafb65

FIN is powered by AgLaunch and Ag Ventures Alliance and our Channel Partners, the Combine, GAP Connections, and NBGC.

06/29/2026

06/29/2026

The South Carolina To***co Tour that is scheduled for July 7-8. The tour will kick off with check-in at the Hotel Florence on July 7 from 3:00 - 6:00 pm and supper that evening at a local restaurant.

The first stop of the tour will begin at 7:45 AM on July 8 at P*e Dee Research and Education Center Pavilion. Then we will make our way to stops in Marion and Horry Counties and end after lunch. A more detailed tour schedule will be sent at a later date to the email address provided when registering.

Please register by June 30th using the link below:

Please click the link to complete this form.

06/12/2026

Hope you can join us for the 2026 NC State To***co Field Day! 🌱

Further info on the NCSU To***co Portal. If unable to register via Google forms, please email [email protected]

***co providingsolutions cropandsoilsciences excellenceinto***coproduction

S/o Colby Orr for the flyer 🫡

06/03/2026

Take the guesswork out of training your farmworkers—let GAPC handle it.

In 2025, 627 farmworkers across five states were trained through the GAPC Customized Farmworker Training Program. With a comprehensive course catalog covering safety, produce handling, labor practices, and crop integrity, GAPC delivers training tailored to your operation—no matter what agriculture sector.

Open to all industries, with an added benefit for to***co growers: GAPC Grower Members receive 50% off training costs through an industry-sponsored cost-share program.

GAPC is scheduling farm worker training now for this summer! For more information on the GAPC Farmworker Training, contact Amy Rochkes, [email protected] or (865) 622-4606, ext. 107.

Learn More: https://www.gapconnections.com/what-we-do/customized-farmworker-training

05/30/2026

A Celebration of Life for Bob Pearce will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Georgetown First United Methodist Church, 1280 Lexington Road, Georgetown, KY 40324. Friends and family are invited to gather from 11-2 pm preceding the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Scott County Humane Society: 751 Slone Drive #13, Georgetown, KY 40324.

https://www.woodheadfuneralhome.com/obituaries/robert-pearce-12/ #!/Obituary

05/28/2026

Heading into summer, three numbers worth knowing if you employ ag labor:

→ 20x — how much higher heat-related mortality is for crop workers vs. workers in other industries → 21 days — the average number of dangerously hot working days a farmworker faces in a growing season → 0 — the cost of running a 10-minute heat safety stand-down with your crew this week

A documented heat illness prevention plan, water-rest-shade protocols, and bilingual training aren't just compliance — they're how you keep your workforce on the job through August.

👉 Grab the GAPC Heat Illness Tailgate Kit: https://shop.gapconnections.com/
👉 Or set up customized on-farm training for your crew: https://www.gapconnections.com/what-we-do/customized-farmworker-training

GAPC is excited to offer this new farmworker training opportunity for individual farms and their workforce or for a group of farms and their collective workforce.  Training is customized to the operation and is offered in both English and Spanish. Training topics are numerous and varied to offer a...

05/21/2026

Tick bites are surging. ER visits for tick bites are at their highest point in nearly a decade, and Lyme disease cases are climbing as we head into summer.

The news coverage focuses on hikers and campers, but if you work in fields, pastures, orchards, or along fence rows, your exposure is daily.

✅ Wear long, light-colored pants tucked into socks
✅ Treat clothes & boots with 0.5% permethrin (lasts ~6 weeks / 6 washes)
✅ Use EPA-registered repellent with at least 20% DEET on skin
✅ Do a full-body tick check at the end of every workday
✅ Shower as soon as you get home
✅ Keep tweezers and a sealable bag in the truck or shop

Watch for fever, body aches, headache, or a rash within 30 days of a bite and tell your provider you work outdoors.

📰 Full story: https://abc11.com/post/tick-bites-surge-nationally-experts-warn-lyme-disease-risk-heading-summer/19126323/

Emergency room visits in the US for tick bites are at their highest level in nearly a decade.