Washington Apple Commission talks 2024 crop and promotional plans – Good Fruit Grower

The Washington Apple Fee met Oct. 15 in Ellensburg for the primary time with new president Michael Schadler on board and mentioned the continued harvest, the promotional funds for the 2024–25 crop yr and the way the success of these applications is measured. Derek Sandison, director of the Washington State Division of Agriculture, thanks Washington Apple Fee president Todd Fryhover for his service to the business on the fee’s assembly on Oct. 15 in Ellensburg. Fryhover retires on the finish of this month. (Kate Prengaman/Good Fruit Grower)It was additionally the final assembly for retiring President Todd Fryhover, and Washington State Division of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison stopped by to thank him for his service to the business.Acknowledging the work of the apple fee underneath Fryhover’s management, Sandison mentioned that, in his travels to fulfill with Washington’s export companions, he has discovered “all over the place across the Pacific Rim, folks acknowledge the Washington apple model.” Commissioners shared updates on the continued harvest at their varied firms. Except Honeycrisp, which is down significantly following final yr’s report crop, most reported that high varieties are choosing close to or above estimates. “This crop is bigger than 125,” mentioned Jon Alegria of CPC Worldwide, referring to the August crop estimate launched by the Washington State Tree Fruit Affiliation, which put the harvest at 124 million packing containers. Others on the board agreed, estimating that the harvest would land between 125 and 130 million packing containers. Final yr, the business picked 140 million packing containers and has struggled with low costs. Lindsey Huber, worldwide advertising and marketing supervisor, shared an replace on the plans for advertising and marketing the 2024 crop and the way the fee has adjusted its funds to include new federal grant cash from the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program. The fee obtained $7 million from RAPP and plans to spend $2.6 million for the upcoming crop yr, however the funds can’t be used for promotional efforts in Washington’s high two apple markets: Mexico and Canada. That stipulation required reallocation of funds from the fee’s different federal grant, the Market Entry Program, to cowl actions within the North American markets. Each applications require matching funds from growers. For the 2024 crop yr, the fee plans to spend $10.4 million, comprised of $5.2 million from MAP, $2.6 million from RAPP and $2.3 million in grower funds. The highest markets, by funds allocation, are Mexico, Canada, Vietnam, Central America and Taiwan. There was no dialogue of the proposal earlier than the fee to think about a focused home advertising and marketing marketing campaign selling the well being advantages of apples. Schadler mentioned that might be again on the fee’s agenda at its December assembly or in early 2025. —by Kate Prengaman 



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