Ross Courtney is an associate editor for Good Fruit Grower, writing articles and taking photos for the print magazine and website. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Pacific Lutheran University.
Courtney worked as a writer, photographer and video producer for the Yakima Herald-Republic starting in 2000, covering agriculture, education and local government. He was the author of the Herald-Republic‘s popular Crop Lines blog.
Earlier in his career, he worked as a communications specialist for a Pasco, Washington, company representing agricultural groups. Before that, he covered sports for the Tri-City Herald.
Courtney joined the magazine in 2015. He lives in Prosser with his family.
Follow the author — Contact: 509-930-8798 or Email
My Recent Articles
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.
IFTA in Italy: Your tractor… she is bellissima!
Style matters in Italian farm equipment and trade shows.
Pointers for picking a platform
Pennsylvania grower shares his platform picking process.
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.
Changing safety standards with the changing climate
Federal, state agencies draft permanent smoke and heat exposure rules.
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.
Italian orchards growing into the multiverse
IFTA Italy tour-goers gawk at multileader planar systems.
A small start for Cosmic Crisp expansion overseas
International WA 38 producers beginning to get WSU variety to market.
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.
Yakima preserving Fruit Row history
Effort underway to denote Yakima, Washington, packing area as a historic place.
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.
Picking something different for U-pick plantings
More U-pick growers are choosing trellises over freestanding trees.
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
A new operation for tree verification
True-to-type verification process taps new technology to reduce mistakes.
Insect eradication is hard
In the fight against invasive species, odds favor invaders.
Vineyard volunteers help make Water from Wine
‘Connect together, give together': Horse Heaven Hills winery holds volunteer harvest and donates to clean water projects.
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...
A BerrySmart idea
Blueberry industry launches version of Smart Orchard Project.
Cultivating connectivity on the farm
5G farm tested west of the Cascade Range in Snohomish County, and it may be coming to Eastern Washington.
H-2A final rule, finally
Revisions may make guest worker program more expensive.
Flying harvest robot demo drew a crowd at Interpoma — Video
Tevel Aerobotics' flying harvest robot was on display for attendees at the Interpoma apple trade show in Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy, in November.
Apple-harvesting robot roundup — Video
Robotic fruit harvester development continues.
NW Hort Show highlights: Day 2
Day 2 of the NW Hort Show went deep into soil health, rootstock selection, ag investments and regulation.
NW Hort Show highlights: Day 1
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association Annual Meeting and NW Hort Show is underway in Wenatchee.
AEWR expected to rise in 2023
Adverse Effect Wage Rates likely will go up across the nation next year if federal labor officials follow their standard practice.
Hort Show preview: Winning ingredients for any game
NFL great to discuss teamwork, leadership and humility at WSTFA Annual Meeting.
Pearest of them all
Seven pear varieties tie for favorite in consumer trial.