Quick Bites for April 15, 2014

Barbara Walkenhauer

Apple Commission appoints officers

Barbara Walkenhauer of Selah succeeded David Douglas as chair of the Washington Apple Commission at the board’s annual meeting in March. Jon Alegria of Yakima was appointed vice chair. Walkenhauer and Alegria were reappointed to the board for three-year terms, along with Brian Sand of Orondo.

The commission adopted a preliminary budget for 2014-2015 of $9.7 million. This is based on a 2014 fresh crop of 125 million boxes, but is subject to revision when the actual crop volume becomes known.

It includes $5.2 million in funding from the federal Market Access Program, which is an unexpected 12 percent increase from last year, reported Todd Fryhover, Apple Commission president. The program was reauthorized at a total of $200 million in the 2014 farm bill, about the same amount as in the previous farm bill. “We were holding our breath,” he said.

WSU announces WA 38 drawing

Washington State University is holding a random drawing to decide who will be able to plant WA 38, the latest variety from the university’s apple breeding program, during the first two years trees become available.

Washington nurseries are producing trees of WA 38, and a small number will be available for planting in 2016. More than 300,000 should be available the following year.

The university is accepting online applications for the drawing until May 31 and will announce results by June 30. Only Washington growers can apply. The drawing will be conducted in two tiers—one consisting of 12 lots of 3,000 to 5,000 trees each, and the other consisting of 12 lots of up to 20,000 trees each.

Growers who are not allocated trees will be able to purchase trees from nurseries as more become available in 2018.

Application instructions and details about the drawing will be available at http://WA38.wsu.edu.

USApple has new logo

The U.S. Apple Association has a new logo.

Wendy Brannen, director of USApple’s education program, said the old logo was developed more than a decade ago. The new identity is less cumbersome and more suited for use on the Internet, on Facebook, and in other social media, she said. The logo can be used in color or black and white.