The latest updates, exclusively from goodfruit.com.
ADVERTISEMENT
Washington proposes new permanent heat exposure rules
Washington workplace safety officials have proposed permanent updates to outdoor heat exposure regulations...
California cherry growers expect weather-delayed, 8.7 million-carton crop
California cherry growers expect an 8.7 million-carton (15-pound box) crop that will begin shipping roughly two weeks late this year...
Bernadine Strik: 1962–2023
Blueberry industry leader Bernadine Strik died April 14 in Corvallis, Oregon.
Washington State Fruit Commission and five-state cherry meetings May 17
The Washington State Fruit Commission will hold a board of directors meeting May 17 in Richland, with the annual five-state meeting for Cherry Growers Northwest to follow.
Pear Bureau Northwest annual meeting May 31 – June 1 in Wenatchee
Pear Bureau Northwest will hold its 91st annual meeting May 31 and June 1 in Wenatchee, Washington...
New AEWR rule webinar April 4
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification invites interested stakeholders to participate
Facing reduced exports, Washington Apple Commission tasks new committee with planning for the future
The short 2022 apple harvest and myriad export challenges — from tariffs to tangled global transport — have taken Washington apple exports to the lowest level in 20 years...
Mast named 2023 Apple Citizen of the Year
Bob Mast, president of Wenatchee-based CMI Orchards, was named the 2023 Apple Citizen of the Year...
Pacific Northwest pear producers wanted for psylla survey
Pear producers in Washington, Oregon and California are encouraged to participate in a survey regarding pear pest management practices...
Blueberry industry to hold advocacy trip April 16–18
Blueberry industry officials have scheduled the Blueberry Hill Climb, the industry’s annual advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., April 16–18...
Agricultural Leadership Program starts April 28 in Wenatchee, Washington
Agricultural Leadership Program course in Wenatchee, Washington, starting April 28...
Cosmic Crisp cracks the Top 10
The Cosmic Crisp apple, developed and marketed for Washington growers, has cracked the Top 10 in sales value and volume in the United States...
New AEWR rules create new job classifications and pay rates
The federal government set new Adverse Effect Wage Rate regulations that will force growers to pay workers who — even briefly — perform duties such as driving or supervising differently than the rest of their workers...
Growers vote to renew Michigan Apple Committee
Michigan’s apple producers have approved a referendum to continue the Michigan Apple Advertising and Promotion Program, also known as the Michigan Apple Committee, for another five years...
Washington Apple Education Foundation art contest deadline May 1
The Washington Apple Education Foundation announced in a news release the opening of its annual Year of the Apple Art Contest.
North American Blueberry Council hires Houtby as government affairs director
The North American Blueberry Council has selected Alyssa Houtby as its new government affairs director...
Lewis joins Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development
Mary “Bess” Lewis joined the Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development team as a management development specialist...
USApple creates environmental position, promotes Liwanag
The U.S. Apple Association has promoted one of its staff members to the newly created position of manager of environmental affairs.
Washington State Fruit Commission board meeting March 8
The Washington State Fruit Commission has scheduled a board of directors meeting on Wednesday, March 8...
Nominations open for Processed Pear Committee Position 2
Nominations for Position 2 on the Washington/Oregon Processed Pear Committee, currently held by member Dusty
IFTA tour visits modern, resilient Michigan orchards
On Day 2 of the annual conference, IFTA buses visited a few locations on the Fruit Ridge north of Grand Rapids, where most of Michigan’s apples grow.
IFTA Day 1: Shifting labor trends
The International Fruit Tree Association is holding its 66th annual conference and tours in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Feb. 12–15.
Longtime Horse Heaven Hills supervisor named Grower of the Year at WineVit
Hipolito Vargas, with 40 years as a supervisor of Champoux Vineyards, was named the Erick Hanson Memorial 2023 Grower of the Year on Feb. 9 at the annual WineVit conference in Kennewick, Washington.
WineVit Day 2: The future is sustainable
The second day of the Washington wine industry’s annual convention hosted panels of industry leaders talking about the future, from replanting on rootstocks to marketing momentum around sustainability.
USApple announces 2023 NextGen Apple Fellowship class
The U.S. Apple Association announced in a news release the 2023 class of its emerging leader program, the NextGen Apple Fellowship.
WineVit kicks off with a Tempranillo tasting
The Washington wine industry gathers in Kennewick this week for WineVit, the annual convention and trade show hosted by the Washington Winegrowers Association.
Sam Godwin takes on chair role at Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, Jim Doornink steps down after decades
After decades in a leadership role at the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, board member Jim Doornink is stepping down as chair. He will be replaced by Sam Godwin, a grower from Tonasket, Washington.
Washington bill for seasonal overtime exemption to have hearing Feb. 9
Washington agricultural employer groups urge their members to tune into a hearing Thursday, Feb. 9, about a seasonal exemption to the state’s new overtime laws.
Homeland Security proposes H-2A fee increases
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed increasing foreign worker application fees, in some cases more than doubling them.
Branded variety news: Mardi Gras pear makes debut; SugarBee apple program expands
A new pear variety is hitting store shelves in February, marketed under the brand name Mardi Gras by Domex Superfresh Growers of Yakima, Washington.
Ag census deadline near
Feb. 6 is the deadline to respond to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, and participation is mandatory.
Cowiche Growers cooperative celebrates a century
Cowiche Growers, a grower-owned fruit packing cooperative in Washington’s Yakima Valley, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Washington Agriculture Safety Day in Yakima Feb. 1 and Wenatchee Feb. 22
Washington labor officials are seeking farmers for a customer service survey about the state’s agricultural workforce recruitment process.
Washington labor officials conducting customer service survey
Washington labor officials are seeking farmers for a customer service survey about the state’s agricultural workforce recruitment process.
2023 Cherry Institute hits Yakima
The 80th annual Cherry Institute in Yakima kicked off with a look back at the 2022 crop from B.J. Thurlby, president of the Northwest Cherry Growers, which hosts the event.
Sullivan named 78th Cherry King
Pat Sullivan, who grows cherries along the Columbia River north of Pasco, Washington, was crowned the 2023 Cherry King on Jan. 13 at the annual Cherry Institute in Yakima.
Washington state delegates seek better U.S.-India trade
Washington state’s bipartisan U.S. Congress delegation is asking federal representatives to improve apple trade conditions with India.
Omnibus bill funds NW fruit research positions
The $1.7 trillion federal funding bill passed right before Christmas includes a couple of tree fruit nuggets.
Farm labor reform doesn’t make it into Senate’s spending bill
A last-ditch effort to pass a farm labor reform bill in the U.S. Senate has
UMN releases new cold-hardy white wine grape
The University of Minnesota has released a new cold-hardy white wine grape, named Clarion. According
EPA proposes new rules for rodenticide use
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new regulations for the use of nearly a dozen
Ag labor reform bill introduced in the Senate
A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers has floated a late-season bill that would attempt to do many of the same things as the Farm Workforce Modernization Act...
2023 Northwest Pear Research Review to be held Feb. 16
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, on behalf of the Fresh Pear Committee and Processed
Fire blight workshops and webinars scheduled in 2023
The Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center announced in a news release a series of workshops and webinars focused on the latest fire blight information...
The Next Fruit 4.0 project update offered via webinar Dec. 19
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission shared this announcement: The Next Fruit 4.0 project has
Processed Pear Committee nominations for Oregon positions set for Dec. 15
Nominations for positions on the Washington/Oregon Processed Pear Committee will take place Dec. 15 at
Apple research reviews Jan. 24 and 25
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission invites everyone interested to attend the 2023 Apple Crop
Grower and researcher honored for distinguished service in Michigan
The Michigan State Horticultural Society presented two Distinguished Service Awards during the 2022 Great Lakes
NW Hort Show Day 3 focused on little cherry disease
Scientists shared the latest research findings at the little cherry disease session on the final morning of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association Annual Meeting in Wenatchee on Dec. 7.
Great Lakes EXPO, Day 2: Join the stone fruit revolution
Michigan State University horticulture professor Greg Lang is calling for a stone fruit revolution.