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Longtime growers share a moment of reckoning on the road to resilience
To go from survival mode to being prepared to prosper on the other side of the present downturn, industry leaders recommend removing the blocks that are bleeding out.
New economic assistance fund created for specialty crop producers
On Dec. 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened a new $2 billion economic assistance program for specialty crop producers..
Michigan hort society honors Dave Smeltzer and Vance Baird
The EXPO Social, the 2024 version of the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market
EXPO update on SWD parasitoid releases
—by Matt Milkovich The invasive spotted wing drosophila can devastate cherries and blueberries in Michigan,
A cherry tour, technology topics and pears round out Day 2 of the Washington hort show
—by Ross Courtney and Shannon Dininny Dave Allan of Allan Bros. points out places he
DeVaney: Growers are not OK
Sometimes, it’s necessary to admit that.
Hort Show preview: Uninformed foodie fight
WSTFA keynote speaker to discuss how to push back against critics who don’t understand farming.
Seeing the big picture: 2024 Good Fruit Grower of the Year
Tom Gausman shares lessons on developing large orchards.
North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days Jan. 21–23 and Feb. 6
Washington State University Tree Fruit Extension announced in a news release its annual Tree Fruit Day programs in North Central Washington...
Good Point: Navigating a season of adversity
Northwest fruit industry gathers next month to learn from a challenging 2023–24 crop and chart better paths forward.
Grand Rapids gathering
2024 Great Lakes EXPO packed with fruit sessions.
Judge rules Glory and Staccato cherries the same
A federal judge has decided a cherry sold as Glory is really Staccato under a different name...
Washington State University to launch campaign for new tree fruit research facility
Washington State University announced plans to launch a fundraising campaign this fall to create a state-of-the-art space for tree fruit research...
Research commission releases 2024 cherry MRL report
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission has published its 2024 report on pesticide residues for Northwest sweet cherry production...
Gerad and Corbin Moser, young growers from Oroville, Washington
Brothers Gerad and Corbin both graduated from Washington State University with degrees in agricultural food systems. Their parents are Diane and Greg Moser.
Engineering immunity in trees
New USDA research program brings cutting-edge, disease-fighting technology from citrus to cherry.
Cloud-powered packing
New tools help fruit packers manage increasing amounts of data.
Avocados and olives join apples, cherries and pears on IFTA tour
International Fruit Tree Association tour-goers saw plenty of the pears, apples and cherries they’re used to seeing as the group embarked on the first day of the summer tour through Central California, scheduled July 16–18...
Early interest in a new early cherry
Grower thinks his cherry could offer growers an alternative to Chelans, but could a club model help it in the marketplace?
Washington grant program to support resilient food supply chain
The Washington State Department of Agriculture announced in a news release it has received federal funding to support the Resilient Food System Infrastructure Program...
Suite Note and a driverless tractor highlight Oregon preharvest cherry tour
The Suite Note variety, a driverless tractor and research updates highlighted the annual preharvest cherry tour June 7 near The Dalles, Oregon...
Northwest cherry growers begin 2024 harvest
Northwest cherry growers report high-quality fruit and good volume as the 2024 harvest begins...
Research to help growers schedule the sustenance
Washington State University researchers look for ways to optimize cherry nutrient timing.
Science targeting tart cherry breeding
Annotated Montmorency genome is the latest step in the search for a new tart cherry.
Cherry growers and consumers continue reaching for Rainier
It’s increasingly expensive to grow labor-intensive blush cherries, but consumers love them, so growers are looking for efficiencies.
Tree fruit groups receive federal funding to help build export markets
Tree fruit industry groups will receive a share of federal funding to help diversify export markets...
Industry benefits from aggregating insights
Industry veterans discuss the critical importance of cherry crop estimates.
Tech for measuring tart yields
Researchers study yield variability monitors in tart cherries.
IFTA tour showcases many systems, same goal for cherry growers
International Fruit Tree Association tours Central Washington cherry orchards training to high density.
Northwest cherry growers optimistic with small crop, good timing
Cherry producers in five Northwest states anticipate a 17-million-box crop with better market timing among the growing regions, and they hope that will lead to a profitable season. That was their message at the annual five-state Northwest Cherry Growers meeting May 15 in Richland, Washington.
Thurlby: The power of price
Cherry consumers rank quality and flavor as most important, but cost is a key metric, too.
Nonprofit center cultivating innovation with ag workforce
Fruit worker aims to patent picking harness with help of new nonprofit.
Northwest Cherry Growers estimates a 21-million-box crop for 2024
Northwest Cherry Growers has released its first crop estimate for the 2024 season, expecting 21 million 20-pound box equivalents, or 210,000 tons...
Tech aims to turn burn piles into profits for tree fruit growers
Can new technology help growers get paid for climate-smart practices?
California Cherry Board releases crop estimate
California cherry growers expect to harvest a 10.2-million-box crop with relatively normal timing...
Disaster declarations give Northwest cherry growers access to emergency loans
Washington and Oregon cherry growers are eligible for emergency loans following crop losses in 2023...
Inversion conditions help inform frost forecasts
Precision frost protection research project looks at inversion events with weather towers and drones to build better models for growers.
Columbia River Gorge groups push online forms to report unmanaged fruit trees
Industry groups in the Columbia River Gorge region between Washington and Oregon have developed online reporting systems for unmanaged orchards and backyard fruit trees...
The 15-month plan for cherry crop load management
Cherry crop load management takes more than a year.
Disaster declaration approved for Washington cherry growers
On March 18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Washington’s request for a natural disaster designation due to losses during last year’s cherry crop...
Oregon disaster declaration gives cherry growers access to emergency loans
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Oregon’s request for a natural disaster designation after the state’s cherry growers lost an average of 35 percent of their crop...
Pushback on cherry powdery mildew
After a dry-season respite in recent years, powdery mildew pressure is back in Northwest cherry orchards.
Entomologists study enemies of your enemy
Parasitoids pursue spotted wing drosophila to North America.
South Africa on the IFTA schedule
Registration is open for the International Fruit Tree Association’s study tour in South Africa, scheduled for December...
Canker menace makes a comeback
Northwest cherry growers fight against oozing outbreaks and signs of antibiotic resistance.
New tool will help growers keep better track of chilling hours
Purdue University’s Midwestern Regional Climate Center has launched an interactive tool fruit growers can use to more closely monitor accumulated chilling hours...
Science puts a spotlight on leafhopper species
One leafhopper species appears responsible for most of Washington’s X disease transmission. Scientists are studying it from every aspect to offer growers more sustainable control strategies.
It pays to prevent further X disease infections
A new economic analysis shows the value of removing trees infected with X disease.
Cherry King, motivation and marketing punctuate Cherry Institute
The Northwest Cherry Growers gathered in January for the 81st annual Cherry Institute featuring the crowning of the Cherry King and an inspirational keynote speaker with a tale of overcoming adversity...
IFTA gathers for annual conference and tours in Yakima, Washington
The International Fruit Tree Association gathered in Yakima, Washington, on Feb. 11 for a week of research talks, technology workshops and orchard tours...