The U.S. Apple Association added several new members to its directorship in August.
The chairmanship moved from Mark Nicholson, from Red Jacket Orchards in Geneva, New York, to Mike Wade from Columbia Fruit Packers in Wenatchee, Washington. Jon Alegria from CPC International Apple Company in Tieton, Washington, moved from secretary to vice-chair, and Mark Boyer from Ridgetop Orchards in Fishertown, Pennsylvania, became the new secretary.
Mike Wade
Chris Alpers, from RedPath Orchards and Alpers Farms in Lake Leelanau, Michigan, became a new district director and will join the executive committee. Also new as district directors are Mike Dietrich, from Leo Dietrich and Sons in Conklin, Michigan, and David Douglas from Douglas Fruit Company in Pasco, Washington.
New regular directors on the board are Phil Glaize III from Glaize Apples in Winchester, Virginia, Craig Hinkle from Knouse Foods in Peach Glen, Pennsylvania, and Steve Smith from Yakima Fresh in Yakima, Washington.
Julie Bancroft from the Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Board is the new state executive on the executive committee.
I read with interest your article in the Good Fruit Grower. I agree with the basic premise of fair trade but I want to address your comment that: “the EU has effectively shut the US out of its market through the use of nonscientific barriers”. You didn’t mention it but if your comment referred to apples impacted by the recent registration of the GE Arctic Apple then the EU has every right to prohibit the entry of all apples from countries (including Canada) that have any varieties registered as GE. This is of course due to the cross pollination infusion of GE constructs into non GE apple varieties. They don’t want this contamination entering their varieties and rightly so. We first need to tell our agricultural leaders to tell government to deregister the GE Apple then we can concentrate on the legitimate unfair trade arguments that you address in your article. Thank you. Allan Patton BC Apple Orchardist