The short fruit crop in the eastern United States last year had a dramatic impact on research and promotion programs organized under state and federal market orders. These programs are funded by checkoffs collected on a per-pound basis, so income plummeted with the reduced crop size. In Michigan, where the Michigan Apple Committee normally collects about $2.1 million each year, revenues will come in at about $200,000. “Drastic cuts had to be made to all our activities,” said Diane Smith, executive director. Since there was only about 10 percent of a full crop and fewer apples to market, all the […]