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Cuban farms: Making virtue from necessity
Shortages of fuel, chemicals and machinery make Cuban farms organic but not efficient.
Cuba’s next chapter? Not so fast
Politics and Cuba’s own challenges make the island a distant prospect for tree fruit growers.
Washington state expands apple maggot quarantine area
After finding apple maggot in the southeastern corner of Lincoln County, the Washington State Department
Insider tips to avoid growing an $8 box of fruit
Success from tree to market
Trade questions loom as 2017 begins
Focus for the year ahead is keeping current markets open while the U.S. tree fruit industry awaits the president-elect’s actions on trade.
Ag Safety Day coming to Wenatchee and Yakima in Feb.
Washington State Labor and Industries and the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board are
Public input requested on labor practices charter
The Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association are seeking public input on a
GMO Arctic Apple gets new logo and higher profile
Okanagan Speciality Fruits continues to raise the profile of its genetically modified Arctic Apples with
Wine industry leaders, growers team up to discuss policy agenda
A new requirement for wineries to obtain permits for wastewater, such as in this
Nick Ferrari, Young Grower from Linden, California
family background/ Fourth-generation farmer in the San Joaquin Valley. Nick has volunteered with
Industry groups lend plenty of opportunities for growers to get involved
In Washington’s tree fruit industry, three state commissions, four federal marketing orders, numerous nonprofit associations
Finding the right people
Orchards and packing houses aren’t the only places in the fruit industry with a labor shortage. Universities also are struggling to hire researchers and educators needed to keep the industry ahead of pest pressures, prepared for food safety requirements, growing new varieties and in tune with emerging technology.
B.C. pest management strategies build on deep roots
Traps throughout Fred Steele’s orchard in Kelowna are the first line of defense against a horde of new pests that growers in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley face.
The GMO apple has arrived
“It’s not going away,” says Neal Carter of Okanagan Specialty Fruit.
U.S., New Zealand win WTO ag dispute with Indonesia
A World Trade Organization settlement panel on Dec. 22 ruled that Indonesia’s restrictions on horticultural
WSU Extension plans 2017 winter tree fruit programs
Tree fruit producers and industry professionals are invited to five WSU Tree Fruit Extension Programs
Fresh Pear Committee nominations set for January meeting
Pear growers will elect nominees for positions on the Fresh Pear Committee of Marketing Order
2017 Cherry Institute will be held Jan. 20 — Pear, WSFC nominations at annual meetings
Cherry Institute at the Yakima Convention Center (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower file photo)
Hansen: Vineyard mechanization – Is grape quality impacted?
New research has the potential to save wine grape growers millions in labor costs.
Sazo: Recruiting – and keeping – workers
Participants who attended the 2016 Hispanic Summer Fruit Tour heard a presentation from Mario
WSTFA annual meeting — Wednesday wrapup
Hermann Thoennissen: Get the stakeholders together, develop a farm transition plan and be consistent
Day two of the WSTFA annual meeting, afternoon summary – Video
Melissa Partyka, a staff research associate for the Western Center for Food Safety, encouraged
Cosmic Crisp to be grown overseas: Hort Show Preview
Some Washington producers are caught off guard by international propagation plans for WA 38.
Tree fruit technology roadmap : Hort Show Preview
“Continuous Change,” the theme of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association 112th Annual Meeting, is
Oregon viticulturist tests, uses drone technology — Video
Chad Vargas demonstrates his modified DJI Phantom 4 drone from the back of his
Spraying with precision — Video
Cornell researcher offers tips for making your grandfather’s sprayer more effective, but says precision sprayers are the future.
Matson leads industry in automated cold storage technology — Video
Pallets stand five racks high, cramped, dark and sci-fi eerie. Robotic cranes, guided
Gripper’s gentle touch
Pneumatic air-controlled gripper may lend itself to robotic fruit harvest.
Creators of vacuum harvester aim to have machines ready in 2018
Dan Steere, left, and Curt Salisbury, co-founders of Abundant Robotics Inc. (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit
The long and tricky path to automated picking — Video
Vacuum picker under development brings the apple industry closer than ever to automating harvest.
Fighting fire blight
Antibiotics and Apogee continue to top the list of control products.
Thinning without carbaryl
Darwin thinning followed by MaxCel application shows promise for Galas and Honeycrisps.
Beating bitter pit in Honeycrisp
The key lies in combining foliar calcium sprays with reduced potassium fertilization.
USDA Reminds Fruit Producers of Crop Sales Nov. 20 Closing Deadline
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has put out a reminder that Nov. 20 is the final
WSTFA annual meeting 2016: How continuous change forces adaptation
Why change now? A Good Point by Sam Godwin
Food safety manager training scheduled for November
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association is hosting an educational seminar for packing house food
Latest MRL report is available for apples and cherries
In response to increasing industry concerns about complying with Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for pesticides
Wal-Mart weighs in on food safety
Apples on display at a Yakima, Washington, Wal-Mart. (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower) Illnesses
U.S. growers hope to send apples to Japan once again
Washington apple samples from the 2000 harvest in Japanese retail stores in 2001, the
The clean team
Workshops go on-site to warehouses to show workers where pesky pathogens could be hiding.
FDA awards Pennsylvania $6.3 million FSMA grant
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture received a $6.3
Arctic Fuji non-browning GMO apple gains USDA approval
The USDA has approved for public consumption a third genetically-modified (GMO) apple by Okanagan Speciality Fruits,
United Fresh announces training program
United Fresh is offering a Preventive Controls for Human Food Qualified Individual training program at
Lessons learned from Listeria contamination of caramel apples
Aftermath of an outbreak
The tech advantage of digital oversight – Video
Rick Howitt, right, monitors a small computer that records data collected from a Huron
Orchard innovators: Practices should change with mechanization
Learning Wafler Farms’ tall spindle tipped (TST) system.
Mechanization is rolling along — Video
Innovative New York growers find success with platforms and more.
Food safety sets tone at 2016 U.S. Apple meeting
Illnesses caused by foodborne pathogens are becoming much easier to track and investigate, and new