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Associations seek grower support in piece-rate case
Two associations are asking tree fruit growers to help defend a Washington State Supreme Court
Order on immigration
Executive Order is not the answer to ag’s labor problems, but it does help.
Supreme Court to address piece-rate breaks
Farm workers are entitled to rest breaks, but how does this apply to piece-rate labor?
Growers urged to return labor survey
The survey will help determine the wage that employers may have to pay H-2A workers.
People count at Duckwall Fruit
Duckwall’s mission is to mold a team who will achieve the best possible results for its growers and customers, and ultimately consumers.
Who will pick the fruit? : 2014 Growers of the Year
Craig O’Brien designs his orchards to be attractive to workers.
Latino Leadership Award 2014: José Ramirez
His philosophy has always been that you can’t wait for things to happen around you. You have to make them happen.
New tree fruit association will expand services
The new Washington Tree Fruit Association plans to expand its services to the industry, says President Jon DeVaney, who will be busy working on legislative affairs in the state capital of Olympia in the coming session.
Growers’ advocate ends 42-year career
During his four decades working at the Washington Growers Clearing House Association, Kirk Mayer saw the Washington apple crop grow from 25 million boxes to 140 million and availability of labor become an increasing concern.
Night shift: Harvesting apples at night
A shift from ladders to illuminated platforms allows pickers to work day or night.
A tale of two harvesters
Two ladderless apple harvest machines vie for grower approval. They are now for sale.
Organic fruit attracts customers
Steve Tennes Steve Tennes, who operates the Country Mill orchard and farm market
Good Point: That unwashed grape
FSMA is another example of how a good idea (here, improved food safety for consumers) is forged into a federal law with little understanding by legislators of the complexities of the actual situation.
Reopening of Chinese apple market is welcome news for growers
Industry grateful as biggest apple crop ever prepares to ship.
Obama’s immigration order reduces risk of growers losing current employees
President Barack Obama listens to members of Congress for a roundtable discussion about
Not all consumers opposed to GMOs
How to measure the activism and attitudes regarding GMOs.
Hort Council appoints information specialist
Drew Toop will join the staff of the Northwest Horticultural Council as regulatory information specialist
Tree fruit groups do well with new MAP funding
The nation’s tree fruit organizations fared well in 2015 funding allocations for the U.S. Department
Fighting food fraud with forensics
Each apple has a chemical fingerprint that links it to the place it was grown.
Schlect: Cow paths and ports
● A virtual shutdown of West Coast ports has severely damaged export efforts of our
New EPA program focuses on pesticide drift reduction
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a voluntary Drift Reduction Technology (DRT) program to encourage
Labor worries spur automation effort
Washington scientists are looking for worldwide collaborators to work on automated harvesting.
USDA Announces Loss Adjustment for Late Apple Harvest
Multi-Peril Crop Insurance policyholders are getting an extension because of the delayed maturity of apple
Schlect: Elections aftermath
● Greg Walden (R/Oregon) should be happy today. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee
China opens to Washington State apples
Red Delicious apples. (Courtesy Tracy Hebden, LRPS.) Good news came to Washington’s
Schlect: Cherry Street
● The Produce Marketing Association has hired a new team, Cornerstone Government Affairs, to represent it
Crop insurance closing deadline approaches
Fruit growers in the Pacific Northwest are being reminded about the November 20 closing deadline
Prune out dead crab apple tissue
Reduce disease risk by pruning crab apple trees.
Schlect: Focus on United
● The New York Times Magazine issue of October 12 contains a feature article on the school
Schlect: Food Safety — We’re Covered
● Last Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its anticipated revisions to four
Trunk diseases are a growing problem
Dirty plant material blamed for vine decline in Canada and California.
Chilled by ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity is relentless.
Year-end shipping reports to be required
The Washington State Department of Agriculture plans to require Washington apple shippers to submit season-end
California fruit league changes name
Nearly 80 years after its inception, the California Grape and Tree Fruit League announced they
Farm-worker crossings to resume at U.S.-Mexico border
Stemilt employee, Elizabeth Hernandez, talks with H-2A candidates in Tijuana, Mexico on May 12,
Paperwork snafu halting H-2A workers at Mexican border
Up to 2,000 potential workers stymied at Tijuana crossing, another 800 stuck at Nuevo Laredo
Fourth cherry residue test results are available
Signs of spray residue on harvest-ready cherries. (Courtesy WTFRC 2014 cherry report) For
Obama goes without Congress on immigration reform
President Barack Obama will announce today his plan to use executive authority to move on
Building for the apple boom
Washington’s apple production has ramped up faster than expected.
Schlect: United Thawed
● The American Frozen Food Institute has launched a 30 million dollar national effort to
Merivon labeled in New York
Merivon fungicide has been registered for use on pome and stone fruit in New York.
High-tech cherry packing facility debuts
New plant doubles the cherry volume for Washington Fruit.
Technology is the future of cherry packing
West Coast cherry packers are quickly adopting new sorting technology.
Schlect: On a roll
Anne MacMillan has left her post as deputy chief of staff to Secretary Vilsack at USDA to join Roll Global,
How much pheromone for codling moth?
Researcher finds codling moths need much less perfume to disrupt their mating.
Opal apple verified as non-GMO
FirstFruits seeks to head off confusion with a GMO apple that might be approved.
Growers make H-2A work
Washington is the fourth largest employer of H-2A workers in the country after North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
USApple president visits the other Washington
Jim Bair, USApple president Jim Bair, president of the U.S. Apple Association, visited
Nematode-resistant rootstocks available
Improved rootstocks are available, though more field testing is needed.
New approach needed for nematodes
Avoid white varieties if planting in a site with root knot nematodes.