Craig Kahlke
Team Leader, Fruit Quality ManagementCCE Niagara County
4487 Lake Ave.
Lockport, NY 14094
phone 716-433-8839
cell 585-735-5448
fax 716-438-0275
email Craig
Areas of Interest
Fruit Quality and factors that affect fruit quality before, during, and after storage,
CropsBlueberries, Raspberries / Blackberries, Strawberries, Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums
Craig Kahlke has been an Area Extension Specialist for the CCE-Lake Ontario Fruit Program for the past six years. He specializes in Fruit Quality Management, which expands his interests to include applied research in the myriad of factors that can affect final fruit quality. Craig's primary responsibilities include harvest maturity testing of apples, postharvest storage and technology of tree fruit/berries, along with marketing of fresh produce. Food safety has been a major emphasis of his programming for the past 3 1/2 years. Craig has an M.S. in Plant & Soil Science from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and a B.S. in Biology from SUNY Geneseo. Craig has worked in agriculture-related positions in research and extension for most of the past 18 years.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
2026 Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium Winter Webinar Series
February 4, 2026 : Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States
Session 1: Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States
February 11, 2026 : Kiwiberry Production in the Northeast
Session 2: Kiwiberry Production in the Northeast
February 18, 2026 : Heat Mitigation- Sunburn and Fruit Coloring
Session 3: Heat Mitigation- Sunburn and Fruit Coloring
February 25, 2026 : The Dating Game- Updates in Lepidopteran Mating Disruption
Session 4: The Dating Game- Updates in Lepidopteran Mating Disruption
March 4, 2026 : USEPA Endangered Species Act Strategies and Pesticide Use
Session 5: USEPA Endangered Species Act Strategies and Pesticide Use
March 11, 2026 : Practical Drought Management for Fruit Growers
Session 6: Practical Drought Management for Fruit Growers
Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar
March 6, 2026 : Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar
Swede midge is an invasive fly that causes serious economic losses to brassica crops. Due to its small size and hidden feeding habits, swede midge is often called an "invisible pest" and damage may be misdiagnosed. In this webinar, we will review the swede midge life cycle and crop damage symptoms, current management recommendations, new research findings, and highlights from on-farm case studies with a focus on organic management.
New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People (Hudson Valley)
March 10, 2026 : New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People
Millbrook, NY
Are you moving into a supervisory farm management role this season and want to get off to a good start? Are you an experienced manager who wants to connect with other "people" managers and work on your skills? This one-day workshop is for you!