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Future of IR-4 in question
More than a hundred specialty crops producers and their organizations have signed on to an
Good Stuff
Stickers link to grower videos Thanks to new data bar technology, shoppers anywhere in the
Later and later cherries
Sweetheart, a late-season cultivar developed at the Summerland research center in British Columbia, Canada, is
Neonicotinoids and bees
A spate of new studies came out this spring, all of them seeking to link
Head of the class
The Young Apple Leaders of 2012 are, back row left to right, Sarah Dressell, Sara
Need a lawyer?
A group of Young Leaders listens to Don Kraemer, acting deputy director of the FDA
Ready for the audit?
Nicole Brunner checks the Gras2p training manual, which can be purchased by any Washington grower.
Fumigant regulations keep coming
Soil fumigation, like this broadcast application, now requires that fumigation management plans be developed to
Tips on how to avoid glyphosate damage
As you approach weed control this spring, remember the word SUPPLY. That’s the acronym Dr.
Tree safety is key issue with herbicides
Choosing a herbicide program for an orchard is not so simple as choosing which herbicide
USA Farmers seek reform
Chalmers Carr III Chalmers Carr III doesn’t expect Congressional action on farm labor and immigration
Few alternatives to H-2A program
Tom Roach outlined labor options at a recent Washington Growers League meeting. Growers worried about
H-2A basics
Lucio Machado picks Golden Delicious in a Wenatchee, Washington, orchard. Fear of a repeat of
Seasonal workers essential but costly
Having to rely on migrant labor has never been an easy game for fruit growers
Tallying the costs
Tree fruit growers in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley typically require about 3,300 seasonal workers annually.
Watch other crops for labor trends
Eastern Washington State is the world’s fastest-growing region for blueberry production. Tree fruit growers anxious
Housing helps attract workers
Mike Gempler (facing camera) tours Sage Bluff housing project. GERALDINE WARNER Housing—be it state-subsidized tent
DNA test identifies pathogens in tainted foods
Fruit or vegetable packers concerned that their produce may be contaminated with unsafe pathogens will
Underground drip irrigation serves two purposes
Water is plentiful in the fruit-growing area along Lake Michigan’s eastern shore, so it’s not
Leafroller challenges cherry growers
Obliquebanded leafroller larva Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Tart cherry growers need to use a modern,
EU regulations stifle fruit exports
Pacific Northwest apple and pear exports to Europe have dropped dramatically since pesticide regulations were
Easier access to MRLs
Growers using Washington State University’s online Decision Aid System this season will be able to
Tackle food safety one step at a time
Implementing a food safety program for an orchard might seem overwhelming. But with forethought, planning,
Three keys to successful pollination
Queen bees lay eggs singly in cells of the honeycomb. After the eggs hatch, worker
Tree Fruit Day in Olympia
Hort president David Douglas, left, and Jennifer Armen discussed tree fruit interests with Senator Linda
New pesticide safety guide released
Many practical ideas to solve everyday problems with pesticide handling have been invented and used
Reduced risk?
A three-year study just completed in Michigan apple orchards showed that reduced-risk pesticides—which growers are
How to conserve beneficials while fighting stinkbug
Penn State University entomologist Dr. David Biddinger provided some rules of thumb growers can apply
Contractors are a source of workers
Using farm labor contractors can be beneficial for both employers and workers, as they can
Good Point
Arsenic in apple juice. Apples, pears, and cherries on the Environmental Working Group’s latest “Dirty
Grape program feels budget cuts
Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling is hopeful research funding will be restored in the next Farm Bill.
Sell food safety from the top down
Food safety means different things to different people—sanitation, temperature control, personal hygiene, quality assurance, regulations—but
Inmates available
Inmates are available to work in Washington State orchards for the same hourly wage as
Who’s in charge?
Roles of industry organizations Organization Responsibility Washington State Horticultural Association •Education (annual meeting) •State legislative
Refugees available for orchard work
For growers who find the H-2A foreign guest-worker program too daunting, hiring refugees might be
Good Point — Labor outlook is poor
Frank Gasperini Who would guess that, with unemployment at or just below double digits for
Hort leaders discuss top issues of coming year
David Douglas President, Washington State Horticultural AssociationDavid Douglas, 37, works for the family growing and
More rules proposed on child labor
Proposed new rules from the federal Department of Labor would further restrict the kind of
Georgia peach growers use H-2A
Peach growers were conspicuously absent from the list of fruit and vegetable producers who suffered
H-2A is not for everyone
One of the biggest of the many problems with the H-2A foreign guest-worker program, from
H-2A program requirements
The federal H-2A foreign guest-worker program allows employers who are short of workers to bring
Concerned about labor
Mark Rice, like almost every other commercial fruit grower, is concerned about his future labor
What changes will you make in 2012?
Many growers, particularly on the West Coast, didn’t have enough workers to pick their fruit
Prison worker experience was positive
Hiring prisoners to pick the tail end of their apple crop was a “last ditch”
Collaborative research
An autonomous vehicle is being developed as part of the project “Comprehensive automation for specialty
Good Stuff
Ty Snyder promoted C & O Nursery of Wenatchee, Washington, has promoted Ty Snyder to
Working with less labor
Availability of labor will determine how quickly orchard automation is adopted, says Denny Hayden. A
U.K. growers try to lower residues
Jerry Cross is in charge of entomology and plant pathology at East Malling Research, where
Good Point
It is time for the federal government to act. It’s not as if Congress doesn’t
Safety regulations nix customized platforms
A worker uses a Girette to prune trees. (Courtesy Flathead Cherry Growers, Montana) Regulators in