Melissa Hansen joined the Good Fruit Grower team as associate editor in 1996 and provided editorial stories for all fruit, but in particular, the Pacific Northwest grape industry.
She moved with her family to Ellensburg, Washington, in 1995 after spending nearly 15 years in Fresno representing California tree fruit and grape growers and shippers in state and federal issues.
She received an agricultural journalism degree in 1980 from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and is a member of Class XVII of the California Agricultural Leadership Program. In 2008, she received a women’s leadership award from the Washington State Horticultural Association.
Melissa grew up in the beef industry, working in her family’s feedlot and custom meat locker. As a youth, she enjoyed raising market sheep and steers for 4-H and FFA projects and continued that passion as a sheep 4-H leader for more than 10 years in Washington’s Kittitas County.
Melissa Hansen joined the Washington Wine Commission to manage its research program in 2015.
Read her stories: Story Index
My Archived Stories
Hansen: Giving growers what they want
The Washington state wine industry has spoken — and mechanization and precision viticulture is now
WSU earns federal funds for grape and vineyard research
Research projects supported by Washington’s wine industry help leverage $5.4 million in grants for WSU.
Good to Know: Biocontrol for bunch rot
Native yeasts have potential to inhibit fungal disease in Washington vineyards.
Wine industry involvement can help research come alive
Insightful input: A Good Point by Melissa Hansen
Hansen: Filling void in weed research at WSU
New WSU faculty member puts emphasis on weed management in Washington vineyards.
How’s the quality of your water?
Research helps to develop guidelines for dealing with salinity, sodicity in the vineyard.
Hansen: A focus on wine research
As the first year of the Washington wine industry’s amplified research program is now behind
Hansen: Vineyard mechanization – Is grape quality impacted?
New research has the potential to save wine grape growers millions in labor costs.
Hansen: Certified plants are only the first step
Growers need to monitor for virus in early years of a “clean” vineyard.
Hansen: Research leads to better control for grape disease
Saved fungicide sprays for powdery mildew keep $2 million-plus in grape growers’ pockets.
Hansen: Test for nutrients before spending big money
Wine industry funded research can save growers money and lead to healthier vineyard soils.
Hansen: Wine grapes — An IPM success story
Integrated pest management research has saved Washington’s wine grape growers millions in pesticide costs.
Canvasback puts down roots
Brian Rudin practices a vineyard-focused approach to winemaking.
California winery at home in Washington
A blind tasting of wines brought Duckhorn Wine Company to Washington.
Hansen: Building a world-class wine research program
It’s a new era for viticulture and enology research in Washington.
Washington’s wine industry has started
Table grape potential in Washington
Table grapes grow well in eastern Washington and could be popular in niche markets.