Web 2012
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12/14/12A Glimpse of Washington State's FutureIn the third week of July 2012, at the Washington Apple Commission’s board of directors meeting, I decided to have a little fun. Around the conference room table were some of the brightest in our industry who dedicate their lives to their business and our industry. I figured they should know. “Take a piece of paper, and, without looking at your neighbor or further discussion, estimate the 2012 Washington apple crop,” I told them. “And at the December board meeting, I’ll present the results, and let’s just see who is really in the know.” Think back … Washington had perfect spring weather—even the fence posts bloomed. Spring and early summer weather was inclement to say the least—ask a cherry grower. July... Posted at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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10/11/12On the Hill in D.C.Last week, I joined 500 produce industry professionals in Washington, D.C., for the United Fresh Public Policy Conference. Two highlights were the march on Capitol Hill and the Fresh Festival. United Fresh briefed all attendees on some of the most pressing topics and concerns to the produce industry in the United States. With these in hand, we were all dispatched to Capitol Hill in groups of 6 or 8 to meet face to face with our representatives and their staffers to share our issues and concerns. Key topics included the need for labor; the importance of passing the Farm Bill with the research and specialty crop provisions that are so useful to our growers; and nutrition issues that help get fresh fruit and vegetables to school kids all across the country. After an... |
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10/11/12Will We Miss It?With 300,000,000 middle-class consumers—and growing—China is Washington State’s fourth-largest export market and has been identified as the number-two growth market for Washington apples in the next five years. But U.S. apple exports to China have been halted since August 9 because no new import permits have been issued that allow direct importation of Washington Red and Golden Delicious into China for the 2012 season. At bilateral talks between China and the United States held in California in September, the Chinese government confirmed no new import permits would be issued until specific concerns are addressed by USDA-APHIS and our industry. This was the first time industry was told our access was closed. Will we miss that market? Maybe... |
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09/20/12Northwest Cherry 2012 Season at a GlanceThe final sweet cherry shipments from the Pacific Northwest left the industry this weekend, bringing an end to a challenging, but record-breaking season. Here at Northwest Cherry Growers, we have been meeting with numerous retailers, growers, and sales-desk personnel across the industry. It appears that no grower, sales agent, marketer, or buyer was immune to the challenges we faced this year. We shipped a record-sized crop of over 23.2 million 20-pound-equivalent boxes in 2012. For a variety of reasons, the industry struggled to gain the sales momentum needed to successfully navigate the entirety of the season. None of us would have dreamed that we would have 16 separate rain events across the growing districts this season. Each rain event caused anxiety in... |
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08/20/12Off and RunningAs you are harvesting pears OFF your trees, we are RUNNING to get our marketing programs in place to help ensure a good, positive start to the season. The Pear Bureau’s regional marketing managers are calling on retailers and providing customized analysis and merchandising suggestions. In the home office, we are developing new point-of-sale material, finalizing trade and consumer ads and copy, and developing our health messaging. This season, we have many activities planned to help increase consumer awareness and purchases. One of the most effective in teaching consumers how to select and ripen pears, as well as giving them a taste of a perfectly ripened pear, is in-store sampling. This year, we will also be reaching consumers with a health message based on findings... |
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08/14/12Don't Count Your Chickens…On the surface, what a year 2012 could be to a Washington State apple grower! If you have the good fortune to have avoided the weather events, the picture is quite rosy for another profitable season for Pacific Northwest apple growers. New York and Michigan, Washington’s primary domestic competitors, have experienced unfortunate weather-related issues that will significantly impact the quantity of their fresh apples. So you say, how can it get any better for the Northwest? The Ontario, Canada apple growers have experienced the same frigid bloom-time temperatures as New York, reducing volumes dramatically. The European Union (EU) is forecasting a 9% shortfall, and Southern Hemisphere producers are experiencing excellent export demand which... Posted at 09:58 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
05/03/12Adding it upI have a fascination with numbers, specially sales and movement numbers that track industries success in marketing the Washington apple crop. Thus far this season has been spectacular; sales movement has been excellent all season, prices are above expectations and the outlook is positive for an orderly finish to the 2011 apple marketing season (my fingers are crossed). In my opinion, the primary driver for success this season is due to our excellent growers providing a superior product from the great State of Washington, but ‘other numbers’ do contribute to our success. ‘Getting off to a good start’ is absolutely critical to our success – and one of the major contributor is the success of Chile – yes, I said the success of... |
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04/19/12Stone Fruit Marketing in CanadaI was able to attend the annual Canadian Produce Marketing Association conference through this past weekend in Calgary, Canada. This year, the show had over 3,000 attendees and 250 exhibitors. Canada continues to be a key market for Northwest Cherries, absorbing over 2.1 million 20-lb equivalent boxes. Likewise, western Canada is a primary target market for Washington-grown soft fruit. As a result, the show was a positive opportunity to meet with Canada’s retail sector and touch base with many industry shipper/sales agents along the way. While it is still too early to put numbers on the region’s stone fruit crops, it’s never too early to share market statistics, category management data, and merchandising opportunities associated with our tree fruit.... |
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04/11/12Cool Weather Becomes Grower FriendlyOver the last few weeks, New York Apple growers have cursed the cold weather, but are now praising the cooler days and nights. We experienced some freezing temperatures the last week in March across the state. Lows of 19 were reported, and a number of 23-26 degree lows were recorded. At the time we feared the worst, and predictions of drastic crop reduction were coming from all growing areas. But, we are relieved to say, at least at this point in time, we dodged the freezing bullet! Damaged buds can be found, but not to the extent that we had expected. It is now believed that the buds were not quite as vulnerable as we had thought, and even at the low temperatures, most survived. Common talk across the state is that the potential is still there for a good, sound crop. ... |
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03/26/12Freeze warnings!Tonight could be the night we talk about all year. Hard freeze warnings are forecast across New York State for tonight, with predicted lows in the low twenties and teens in the North Country. Already the media is having a heyday and would write the crop off at 4:00 p.m. EST—even though the sun has not set yet. We are more than nervous to say the least. Generally speaking, across the state the warm weather, as I mentioned in my last blog post, has put everyone on a similar schedule, all running at least two to three weeks early. The normal one- to two-week difference between growing areas has disappeared this year. Most of our apples are in three-quarters green or almost tight cluster, and we all know what 26°F and lower can do at that stage. In the... |
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03/19/12March MadnessAs an avid NCCA basketball fan who lives for March each year, the Madness is not only about my team.This year, it is about the WEATHER! Never before can anyone remember a March in New York State as warm as this one. Actually, the same can be said for February, January, December, and back to late fall. I may be off slightly on my facts, but I think that one of the largest snowfalls in eastern New York, this season, was in October, last year. Yes, October, and we still had apples on the trees. The 2011-2012 New York winters have been record setting for no snowfall, no ice on the lakes, and no frost in the ground. Last year, Syracuse had 179 inches of snow; this season, only 50.6 inches have fallen. The same pattern was prevalent across the state. Over the last... |
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03/07/12Lurking market issuesThe 2011-2012 Washington State apple season has been a warm welcome to the financial stability of our industry. Movement has been excellent and price trends are above last season, although we still have approximately 46.1% of the crop remaining to ship. As the U.S. economy continues to stumble towards a recovery, and the politics of our great nation continue to be in disarray, the Washington apple industry remains strong and provides enthusiasm as we look ahead to our long-term success in meeting the demand of a growing world population. On the surface, all is rosy, but lying just beneath is a tangled web of international politics, ever-challenging and changing trade barriers, and an unlevel playing field that could alter the wellbeing of our industry in the... |
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02/15/12NY Congressman Introduces BillThis week, Congressman Bill Owens, who represents the largest McIntosh growing region in the world, introduced H.R. 3914 that will exempt apples shipped in bulk containers to Canada from the current Apple Export Act. Upon the urging of the New York apple industry, Mr. Owens drafted the legislation that will streamline U.S. apple exports to Canada. If the bill is passed, any apples that are sent in bulk containers (weighing over 100 pounds) such as field bins or trailers, for either processing or repacking, will no longer be required to be inspected by USDA/state inspectors. Earlier this year, I reached out to Congressman Owens, explaining the unnecessary regulation and identified to him the high costs that growers were paying for an inspection that was not requested by the... |
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02/03/12D.C. meeting yields common messageLast week, apple folks from Washington State to Vermont met in Washington, D.C., to attend the U.S. Apple Association’s Public Affairs meeting. This committee convenes each year at this time prior to our annual Washington, D.C., meeting in March. The purpose is to review and approve the many different positions that our U.S. apple industry agrees on, and that USApple lobbies for in the capital. Washington State was represented by George Allen, Dale Foreman, Todd Fryhover, John Graden, Chris Schlect, Jon Wyss, and Larry Olsen. New York sends me, John Teeple, Mark Nicholson, and Paul Baker. Bill Dodd of Ohio heads this committee, and, of course, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, New England, and Virginia all send members as well. This blog isn’t long enough for... |
01/26/12What’s in store?With a record crop and a late start, fresh pears need a lot of extra push at retail this year, and the Pear Bureau team is meeting that challenge as we start the New Year. Pears are facing a lot of competition from imported fruit in retail stores right now. Retail ads with imported blueberries and “summer fruits” are common this time of year. Last week, January 20th, however, pears were the third-leading fruit item advertised in the United States according to the USDA retail report which covers 17,000 supermarkets. Apples and oranges were numbers one and two respectively in their report. To increase the momentum of pear sales and ensure that we are front and center in ads and in stores, we have doubled down on promotions. Our Regional Managers have secured... |
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01/09/12Sometimes PoliticsIn all businesses, there are days where politics come into play and understanding the political playing field is as important as knowing when to pick fruit at its peak, to sell fruit at the optimum price, and to know where and when to promote said fruit. Yesterday, was one of those days when politics became the focus of my afternoon. I had been asked to attend an impromptu meeting with U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Along with fellow industry members, Jason Matson (Matson Fruit), Adam Rowe (Rowe Farms), Christian Schlect (Northwest Horicultural Association), Jon DeVaney (Yakima Growers-Shippers Association), and Mike Gempler (Washington Growers League), I met with Senator Cantwell for over an hour in, of all places, a beer garden at the Yakima Ag Expo being... |
