Pear committee nominations

Nominations for positions on the Processed Pear Committee will be accepted during upcoming fruit industry meetings.

Nominations for an Oregon handler position held by Doug Lowry (with Rob Peterson first alternate and Gary Wells second alternate) will be taken during the Hood River Grower-Shipper Association’s annual meeting at the Pine Grove Grange, Hood River, Oregon, on February 9.

Nominations for a Washington processor position held by Rich Baldoz (with Jim Davis first alternate and Cindy Cerri second alternate) will be taken during the Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service’s annual meeting in Yakima, Washington, on February 15.

Nominations for the committee’s public member position, held by Ken Severn with Eugene Kupferman as alternate and Steve Castagnoli as second alternate, will be taken during the Processed Pear Committee’s annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, on June 2. Nominations for a processor position on the Washington State Fruit Commission’s board, held by Jeff Goshorn, will also be taken at that meeting.

International hort degree

A unique international program is available for students interested in global horticulture. The University of Bologna in Italy is offering an international master’s degree in horticultural sciences—and scholarships are available for students from the European Union and outside countries.

The two-year program is jointly offered by the University of Bologna, the Technical University of Munich in Germany, and the University for Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences of Vienna in Austria. Students study horticulture, agricultural economics, and food science and technology disciplines at the three partner universities located at five campuses: Bologna, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, or Budapest, Hungary. Courses are offered in English.

The program is open to 25 European Union students and 20 third country (countries outside the EU) students. The EU is offering 20 fellowships (€21,000 or the equivalent to U.S.$29,400) to students from outside countries. The EU fellowship grant for students in countries outside the EU will be available for three more years.

For more information about the international program, visit www.agrsci.unibo. it/dicabo/imahs.

Deep freeze damage

To help Washington growers assess damage that may have occurred from the Thanksgiving freeze, a pruning/damage workshop has been scheduled for February 17 at WSU’s Prosser research station. The workshop will cover sampling strategies; how to evaluate bud, cane or trunk damage; and demonstrate pruning techniques. Growers should bring their own canes for damage assessment and a pair of pruners. Cost is $20.

For registration information, call (509) 723-7224 or e-mail schwenso@wsu.edu.